Bereavement After Suicide: Coping with Suicide and Loss
Grief is a human’s normal response to losing someone important. However, when a person dies by suicide, those bereaved usually experience a more complicated form of grief that is caused by a combination of shock, pain, and unanswered questions.
For those of you who are in grief due to the suicide of someone you know, it is important that you talk about your reactions to the tragedy honestly and openly. This way, you can find support and be able to live with the loss.
How Bereavement After Suicide Can Affect Us?
Losing someone important to suicide can impact both physical and mental health. That is why it is important that people bereaved by suicide are provided with support and treated with compassion.
A person bereaved by suicide may experience the following:
- Guilt
- Anger
- Denial
- Shock
- Despair
- Shame
- Depression
- Loneliness
- Suicidal thoughts
- Searching for answers
What Can You Do?
If you happen to know somebody bereaved by suicide, you can ease the pain by doing the following:
- Accepting their rage
- Not judging them
- Listening to their heartaches
- Allowing them to cry
- Not asking why
- Involving them in your daily activities
- Helping them realise that working through grief can take years
- Keeping them from making any major decisions in life, such as quitting a job, moving away, or giving away valued possessions
- Understanding that they can’t get over the pain, but they have to grow their lives around it
- Encouraging them to join suicide bereavement support groups
- Helping them get professional help when badly needed/li>
Coping with Suicide
If you are personally dealing with the suicide of someone dear to you, it is imperative to find help and support to ensure things will make sense after what has happened. Although the pain due to the loss cannot be eased in an instant, there are things that you can actually do to help yourself. These include:
1. Go out and give yourself time.
It is okay to spend some time outside, especially if the pain you are experiencing is too overwhelming.
2. Accept the support from family members and friends.
As much as possible, stay connected. Get in touch with family members, friends, and colleagues. This will help reduce your feelings of loneliness and association.
3. Stay healthy.
People who are bereaved by suicide often lose the will to take good care of themselves. Do yourself a favour by staying healthy. Eat well. Exercise regularly. Try to get enough sleep. Most importantly, stay away from taking prohibited drugs.
4. Organise your daily activities.
You have to prioritise your daily tasks. Do what is essential and avoid making major decisions in life, until you feel you are better.
5. Seek help if needed.
Do not hesitate to talk to a counsellor or call the suicide prevention hotline if needed. You can also find comfort by reading books on suicidal behaviour.
Yes, coping with suicide is not easy, but with the use of some healthy coping strategies and professional support, you should be on your way to healing and acceptance.