Stories of suicide flood the news. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States.
The people who are left behind when someone commits suicide have to deal with the aftermath. The estimate is that 135 people are directly affected by one person’s suicide.
You have to find a way to grieve while finding joy and happiness in your own life. You can have post-traumatic growth. You'll go through the pain, but you don’t have to suffer.
Real life is messy. Use the opportunity for growth and allow yourself the chance to mourn.
Listen as Dr. Jennifer Ashton joins Dr. Pamela Peeke to discuss life after suicide.
Sponsor:
Smarty Pants Vitamins
Featuring:
Jennifer Ashton, MD, Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News
Jennifer Ashton, MD, is a doctor, mother, and friend who witnessed firsthand the impact of a loved one’s suicide. When her ex-husband killed himself soon after their divorce, her world—and that of her children—was shattered.
Though she held a very public position with one of the world’s largest media companies, she was hesitant to speak about the personal trauma that she and her family experienced following his death. A woman who addresses the public regularly on intimate health topics, she was uncertain of revealing her devastating loss—the most painful thing she’d ever experienced.
But, with the high-profile suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain, Dr. Ashton recognized the importance of talking about her experience and the power of giving voice to her grief. She shared her story with her
Good Morning America family on air—an honest, heartbreaking revelation that provided comfort and solace to others, like her and her family, who have been left behind.
