Trigger warning!

In today’s episode we are talking about suicide and bereavement by suicide. This can be a very emotive subject so if you feel this may be too difficult for you to listen to, please feel free to tune into a different episode. There are links below to various organisations if you feel you need to talk to somebody afterwards. You will also find links to other topics we discuss.

Today I am honoured to have Charlie Hart as my guest. Charlie has personally experienced the tragic loss of her son Iggy in April 2019 aged 15 to suicide. There is a vast difference between normal death and death by suicide, but Charlie has reassured me that she finds talking about her experience very cathartic.

Iggy was obsessed with cars. He wanted to be a mechanical engineer when he grew up and was planning his work experience with a car mechanic.Talking about Iggy not only keeps his memory alive, but it hopefully reaches others out there who have been touched by the tragedy of suicide.

Charlie Hart (she/they) is a qualified, experienced HR Analyst and Inclusion Consultant. Charlie identifies as a ‘Queer AuDHDer’, as she is bisexual, autistic and has ADHD. An enthusiastic and passionate public speaker, Charlie’s specialist subjects are ‘neurodiversity’ understanding and acceptance, fostering a culture of inclusion, belonging and psychological safety in the workplace, and ‘intersectionality’ - especially the ‘double rainbow’ intersection (people on both the autistic spectrum and the LGBTQIA+ spectrum). Charlie is a social media influencer and neurodiversity advocate under the persona Ausome Charlie.

I hope this episode helps to break down the stigma surrounding suicide and the outdated language that is still used. We need to support those who are struggling with bereavement by suicide. Society needs to hear these conversations. We need to become more grief literate particularly in this very delicate area.

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) support group

https://uksobs.org/

AIM for the Rainbow (the queer corner of Autistic Inclusive Meets)

Introduction to Iggy’s Initiative:

Introduction – AIM for the Rainbow (rainbowaim.com)

Helplines 

If You Need Help – AIM for the Rainbow (rainbowaim.com)

SHOUT Crisis Text Service:

Shout - UK's 24/7 Crisis Text Service for Mental Health Support | Shout 85258 (giveusashout.org)

Because many people, especially social anxious and autistic young people, do not like making phone calls. This is like the Samaritans but you can text them, too.

Ausome Charlie blogs, some of which talk about grief and CPTSD:

www.ausomecharlie.com

https://charlieausomehart.wordpress.com/2021/01/25/iggys-initiative-introduction/

Louise Bates Links

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