An Open Letter to Suicide-Loss Survivors during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
- Olivia Frichtl, LPC
- Sep 18
- 2 min read
Dear Suicide-Loss Survivors,
September is here again—Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. As both a counselor and a suicide-loss survivor myself, I understand all too well how significant this month is. It’s a time devoted to reducing stigma, inspiring hope, and providing resources to those who need them most. It’s a time to honor and share the stories of those we’ve lost to suicide.
No matter where you are in your grief journey—whether you're still struggling, feeling empowered to create change, or simply trying to navigate life without your person—this month is also about you. Your experience. Your strength. Your continued presence.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably asked yourself: What do prevention and awareness really mean? Beyond social media posts, encouraging words, and even letters like this one—how can we, as suicide-loss survivors, play an active role?
For me, it begins with reducing stigma. That means speaking openly about grief, sharing the stories of my loved ones, and refusing to be ashamed of how they died. I remind people that my loved ones were human—complex, real, and deeply loved. I talk about mental health as openly as I do physical health. I take mental health days and tell others when I’m struggling. I "walk the walk," and I try to lead by example.
Of course, finding hope—let alone inspiring it—after a suicide loss can feel impossible. The world keeps spinning while you’re standing still, trying to make sense of a life that no longer looks or feels the same. But here's the truth: that feeling won’t last forever, or at least not with the same intensity. Over time, the chaos slows. You learn to carry the weight differently. You begin to carve out a new life—one that includes your grief, but is not defined by it.
There is hope in simply continuing. In breathing. In choosing to live. Your loved one’s story didn’t end with their death—now it’s part of your story too. And when you share that story—of pain, resilience, and healing—you inspire others. You inspire me. You remind me to be a kinder, more compassionate human being, and to continue advocating—for people like your loved one, and for people like us.
This letter wouldn't be complete without some truths—facts that are painful, but important.
Those who lose a sibling to suicide are three times more likely to die by suicide themselves.
On average, 135 people are deeply affected by every suicide.
Each year, 94.5 million people are impacted by suicide.
The suicide rate reached a historic high in 2022.
If those numbers stir something in you, know that you are not alone. There is help. There is community. There is hope. At Bodhi Counseling, we walk with suicide-loss survivors through this unfamiliar, often isolating path. You don’t have to carry your grief by yourself.
Because grief doesn’t just live in the sadness—it lingers in joy, too. It becomes part of who you are. And that's okay.
Hold on. Pain ends.
With you in solidarity and compassion,
Olivia
Fellow suicide-loss survivor
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