Years After Your Loss
As time passes after your loss, you will be able to find hope and enter into the "new normal," a life that still isn't the same as before your loss, but one that is no longer dominated by loss. Many in this stage find purpose in using the strength and wisdom they gained from their grief journey to help others who are recently bereaved. If you are one of these people, you can find suggestions for doing this below.
1
Help with a support group or consider creating one of your own
If you didn't feel comfortable attending a support group before, this may be a good time to do so. If support groups have helped you through your grief journey, you may find strength and purpose in helping others by facilitating an existing group or creating a new one.
2
Get involved
Other than support groups, there are several ways to get involved. Locally, you could help Sweetwater County Prevention Coalition to organize their annual International Survivors Day event. Online, there are a multitude of options. See the Online Resources page for websites with ideas and virtual options for getting involved in suicide pre- and postvention.
3
Join the Sweetwater County LOSS Team
We are dedicated to providing support and resources to those bereaved by suicide loss. A big part of that effort involves having volunteers with lived experience of suicide loss to help the recently bereaved. To protect you from undue trauma, we only accept volunteers who have not experienced a suicide loss for two or more years. You can volunteer in many different ways:
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Giving us feedback on what we could do better
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Helping with outreach efforts (writing cards, making care packages)
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Becoming a response volunteer who directly supports recently bereaved survivors
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