Kimberly Key

Out of love for a dear person who killed himself, I feel compelled to share the following state resources and address a few myths...

1. Sometimes there are warnings, many times there are not...it can be an impulsive act in the moment...which is important as the surviving loved ones are filled with grief on what they could have done to prevent it.
   
   
2. More than 2/3 of firearms deaths are suicides, with an 85% success rate..more than 1/2 of suicides are from firearms.
   
   
3. 70% of suicides occur at home and alcohol is involved.
   
   
4. People do not commit cancer or depression and they do not commit suicide, they kill themselves...so avoid saying someone "committed suicide".
   
   
5. Survivors of suicide are deeply impacted as they go through complex grief and trauma stages...remember that everyone grieves in their own way and there is no time limit, the best thing you can offer is to ask how you can help and to be there to listen without the use of clichés or trying to fix it.
   
   
6. Suicide is doubly compounded by the fear of where the soul goes in the afterlife...some theologians describe it as part of a complex disease that is not punished. My personal belief is in a loving afterlife that heals all souls... 

Regardless, suicide is a long-term solution to a short-term problem. Please seek help.

The following link has great resources and prevention programs for each state. http://www.sprc.org/states