In Honor of International Survivors of Suicide Day, ValueOptions Shares Employee's Story of Hope After Loss

NORFOLK, Va., Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- International Survivors of Suicide Day—recognized this year on Saturday, Nov. 23—was created to unite survivors of suicide loss in a day of remembrance, reflection and healing. ValueOptions^®, Inc., a health improvement company specializing in mental and emotional wellbeing and recovery, is joining the conversation about coping with suicide loss by sharing the powerful story of one of its own.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130624/PH36534LOGO)

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), 20 percent of those who die annually by suicide in the U.S. are military veterans. ValueOptions employee Lisa was married to a veteran who had to leave a job he loved with the Navy. Soon afterward, Lisa noticed that her husband began displaying symptoms of depression: he became increasingly withdrawn, irritable and argumentative. Lisa's husband initially declined to seek help, which exacerbated his depression, and he eventually took his own life.

Though devastated, Lisa quickly made the decision to talk openly about her husband's experience with mental illness and suicide to encourage others to seek help—and to lessen the stigma other survivors of suicide loss might feel. "I decided the day after he died that I wasn't going to be ashamed," says Lisa during her interview. "And I wasn't going to let anybody denigrate him and his illness, and how his illness culminated in his death, his suicide. I was going to talk about it."

To encourage awareness and the connection between self-harm and untreated mental disorders, Lisa shared her story in a compelling video for Stamp Out Stigma, a company-wide initiative to address the prevalence of mental illness and its surrounding stigma. In her interview, Lisa stresses the effects of mental illness stigma, and the importance of approaching mental health issues with compassion. To hear Lisa's story, as well as the stories of others impacted by mental illness, visit www.stampoutstigma.com.

"Survivors of suicide face unique issues," said Dr. Tracey Smithey, ValueOptions, Medical Director from Tampa, Fla. "They often suffer from a lot of guilt, which is anger turned onto themselves for not preventing the suicide. They may experience the suicide as a personal rejection or disconnection directed at them.  They may grasp at where to lay 'blame' for the actions of their loved one. They may receive less support from other people due to conflicted religious beliefs, and criminalization of the act of suicide. But suicide is the result of the person's choice due to distorted thinking, seeking an end to emotional pain. By coming together with other survivors and talking openly about our experiences, we learn that we are not alone in our journey of healing. There is tremendous relief when the burden of shame, stigma and isolation is lifted. We are social creatures who respond to support."

Visit www.afsp.org to find an International Survivors of Suicide Day event in your area; or, for those unable to attend an event in person, to access a live online chat for survivors of suicide loss on Nov. 23 at 2:30 p.m. EST. If you need immediate, anonymous access to a caring professional, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.

About ValueOptions^®
ValueOptions is a health improvement company that serves more than 32 million individuals. On behalf of employers, health plans and government agencies, we manage innovative programs and solutions that directly address the challenges our health care system faces today. A national leader in the fields of mental and emotional wellbeing, recovery and resilience, employee assistance, and wellness, ValueOptions helps people make the difficult life changes needed to be healthier and more productive. With offices nationwide and a network of more than 130,000 provider locations, ValueOptions helps people take important steps in the right direction. We help them live their lives to the fullest potential. Visit www.valueoptions.com for more information.

About Stamp Out Stigma  
Stamp Out Stigma is an initiative spearheaded by ValueOptions® to ensure we remove stigma as a barrier to people seeking the care they need to recover. This initiative commits us all to recognize the high prevalence of mental illness and to reeducate ourselves, friends and family on the truths of mental illness. When we do this, we reduce the stigma. This campaign reminds each of us that we can help transform the dialog on mental health from a whisper to a conversation. Visit www.stampoutstigma.com for more ways to starting talking about mental health.

Video with caption: "How talking about losing a loved one to suicide helped Lisa heal." Video available at: http://youtu.be/Txrb2RE9BDM

SOURCE ValueOptions