She says it's important to recognize the pain surviving loved ones deal with long after that person is gone."My brain actually wouldn't let me visit some of the darkest parts of it," says Lottering. "As that unraveled over time, my grief got heavy. It was very intense."Lottering, who is also a board member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Southeast Texas Chapter, says suicide survivors are at a higher risk of taking their own life.
AFSP reports some alarming statistics that impact suicide victims in Texas before their death. In 2021, 67% of communities in Texas did not have enough mental health providers to serve residents, according to federal guidelines. There's also a rise in out-of-pocket costs for care and a lack of quality counselors."It's even more challenging now to even find a counselor, even if you have benefits or the ability to pay for it," says Lottering.