The death of Robin Williams on Monday was instantly followed by an outpouring of sadness and shock.
From this week’s media coverage, it’s clear that the stigma and misconceptions surrounding suicide are still very widespread. While we at TCR frequently talk about this issue and serve families impacted by suicide, there is often a painful silence associated with this topic until it affects a famous figure and reaches the national news.
At The Children’s Room, children, teens, and adults who have experienced a death in their family find a caring and understanding place where they can share their stories and connect with others. Nearly 10% of the families we serve have lost someone due to suicide.
Almost 30,000 Americans die by suicide each year. The stigma and silence around suicide, depression, and other forms of mental illness can keep us from reaching out to ask for help or to offer support to those who need it.
We’re grateful for the services Samaritans provides to our community, including the thoughts and resources they shared in yesterday’s post on WBUR.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness or thoughts of suicide, please reach out to Samaritans or other crisis resources that can help.
The Children’s Room offers a variety of programs that might be helpful to families who have had a child or spouse die by suicide; including peer support groups, parent educational series, individual consultations, and referrals to other grief resources in the area. You can contact The Children’s Room at info@childrensroom.org or 781-641-4741.
