"I started to grieve for everything he was losing long before we lost him...it wasn't just him that couldn't see any future clearly, it was me too"
Key takeaways from this podcast
Serious mental illness doesn't happen overnight, its a slow emergence
We need to re-think how we work with families and loved ones
An inspirational example of turning grief into positive conversations for change
Jacqui lost her son Will to suicide in July of 2024. At the time he was an in-patient at New Craigs psychiatric hospital in Inverness, being treated for schizophrenia. Will’s mental ill health didn’t come overnight, it was a long slow and painful road full of anxiety for his family who battled to support him for years until it became clear that Will was seriously unwell. When he was finally diagnosed and started being treated, the family and care team tried to keep Will believing there was hope of a better life ahead but for Will, who loved the outdoors and was singularly determined, the cage of being sectioned in a secure hospital was too much. Since losing Will, Jacqui has turned her grief into a drive for change, taking part in the review into Will’s death and working alongside the NHS to come up with a plan and timeframe so that more families are supported and fewer have to ever experience the pain of losing a loved one to suicide when they’re receiving hospital care.
If you need someone to talk to, you can text Mikeysline on 07786 20 77 55 or contact via messenger, webchat or X. Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.
Or come and visit at 4 Strothers Lane, Inverness IV1 1LR, Sun-Thurs 6pm-10pm & Fri-Sat 6pm-11pm.
