| LETTER
Suicide is one of the most challenging societal issues of our time claiming more lives than war, murder, and natural disasters combined. In 2021, 48,183 people died by suicide in the U.S. and 4,148 in California. In 2020, the Central Coast lost 89 people to suicide. Current research indicates that up to 135 people are affected by some degree by every person lost to suicide. That number includes all people who have known the deceased. Those more severely affected by the death, such as immediate and extended family members and friends, is 15-30.
Grieving suicide of a loved one is different than grieving other kinds of loss. Survivors must deal not only with their grief but also with myriad other overwhelming feelings, such as confusion, guilt, anger, shame and hurt, and frequently feel very much alone. Being on the outside watching a loved one, friend, colleague or…
