Social Media, Grief, and Showing Up

Links & Resources Half a Sorrow Foundation: www.halfasorrow.org Book a Talk with Dennis Gillan: https://halfasorrow.org/book-a-talk/ Make a Donation: https://halfasorrow.org/support-our-work/ Camo Hat Club: https://halfasorrow.org/the-camo-hat-club-half-a-sorrow/ Follow on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HASF2020 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uI5CinpgA58 Episode Notes: Jessica returns to It's a Tough Subject and she and Dennis dive into the messy, real-life overlap between grief, mental health, relationships, and the impact of social media on our wellbeing. They talk about how "loss is loss" including suicide loss, cancer loss, estrangement, and the grief that comes from fractured relationships, and why the comments section can be a dangerous place for mental health. Dennis also shares a major initiative he's working on: creating LOSS Teams (Local Outreach for Suicide Survivors), a program designed to show up for families shortly after a suicide loss with support, resources, and human presence when people feel most alone. The episode ends with a simple challenge: use your reach for good, check on your people, and help build a community where no one has to grieve in isolation. Key Takeaways  Grief shows up in many forms, not only suicide loss. Social media can amplify stress, anxiety, and negativity. "Postvention is prevention": support after a loss can reduce future risk. LOSS Teams aim to show up in-person with care and resources during the hardest days. Not everyone is called to frontline grief work, and that's okay, there are many ways to help. Checking on neighbors, seniors, and friends matters, especially during storms and hard seasons. Use social platforms for good, and avoid the comment-section rabbit holes.