One Life Lost, One Life Saved
I have not always been a giggly chipper glass-half full person. The old Christa was depressed, desperate and angry. For years my mantra was “Life sucks! I suck. Life is a jail. I want out!” and various other expletives.
In 2005 my good friend Jim died by suicide. His death rocked my world. The shock of his passing was a wake up call for me. In fact, his death actually saved my life!
Suicide isn’t funny!
Suicide and depression are the polar opposites of hope and laughter.
The comic and the tragic lie inseparable close, like light and shadow. – Socrates
Some people have asked me about the dichotomy of my message. How is using the word “giggle” appropriate in the same paragraph with grief or suicide? Suicide isn’t funny!
Suicide sure isn’t funny. Suicide SUCKS. Suicide steals lives and steals laughter from us.
From first hand experience, I realize the road to recovery, whether from grief of the loss of a loved one by suicide or any type of stress, trauma, anxiety or depression is not usually spent in fits of laughter. Just the opposite is true.
I can’t “spin” my friend’s death by suicide into comedy. There is nothing funny about how he died.
Using Humor to Heal
There comes a point where we, the battered, depressed, trauma stricken (insert your challenge here) start to smile again.
We move forward from the pain to find joy and humor in life. We do not avoid pain by using humor as a mechanism in grief recovery but as the Laugh Doctor, Clifford Kuhn, M.D. states in his book, Easing Transitions through Humor, “we acknowledge the fear and pain, but, maintain a perspective that prevents them from disabling us“.
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
For those coping with mental illness or to my fellow survivor’s of suicide, I say “Don’t Give Up!” You can and will move past just “surviving” to “thriving”!
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
The road to healing may seem long and treacherous but keep going! Don’t Give Up!
Smile, Laugh and Love Everyday
In the past few years I have been on a path of recovery and healing. I also am on a path of self-discovery. I no longer wallow in depression, despair and grief. Sure, I have bad days, I get sad and angry but for the most part I live my life with purpose. I smile, laugh and express love everyday.
Giggle On my friends. Life, although challenging at times, is very beautiful!
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Related posts:
25 Tips for Survivors of Suicide
Is it Depression or lost Mojo?
- the foundation for full blown fits of belly-aching laughter; laughter in an uncontrolled, silly or giddy way; to laugh repeatedly with short spasmodic sounds in a light manner.
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Open to Hope > Another Man Down: Suicide Takes a Second Friend
// Oct 28, 2010 at 8:53 pm
[...] I told Sims how losing Thompson to suicide changed my life. Sims listened to every word I said and responded thoughtfully and with compassion. At one point, I was on the brink of suicide but Thompson’s death actually saved me. [...]
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