Suicide Support Groups: American Society for Suicidology and Mental Health America SOS Groups There are in-person and also online support groups. You can search for your zip code or join a national online group.
Articles that may help after you have lost a loved one by suicide.
Expert Untangles Complexities of Grief for Suicide Loss Survivors CU Anschutz Medical Campus
Left Behind After Suicide - Harvard Review
I’ve Lost Someone By Suicide - the JED Foundation
I’ve Lost Someone - American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Suicide Grief: Coping with a Loved One’s Suicide HelpGuide.org
“ For some, after losing a child to suicide, there is a loss of connection to friends and family that happens very quickly as some don’t know what to say or how to help. Others may find, in time, they receive far fewer calls than before their loss. Folks may imply or directly state that it’s time they are over it, that their feelings are not valid, and even just that they just can’t hear it anymore. Listening to someone stuck like an old record on repeat like this can be frustrating.
Some parents continue to see a therapist, working hard to do the work prescribed, but still really struggle. For some, this may lead to isolation. Instead of reaching out when the overwhelm becomes unbearable, some push and push these feelings down, and further down, and when they can no longer be contained, they scream, cry, berate themselves . . . alone. When I experience this outburst of emotions, the stringed instruments in my room vibrate. I even wrote a poem about it. Yes, sometimes I write to help myself get out of this place.
If you find yourself to be experiencing isolation, feeling no one understands, you can ALWAYS call 988 for a warm line or a number of other lifelines. Feel free to check out this link: https://lnkd.in/gFjHuN7r Also, did you know that those who lost a child by suicide have a higher risk of suicide? If you find yourself in this place please call 988 for help.
For me, I try to remember that suicides are complicated, there are many factors at play. And of course, not just parents but many feel guilt and shame for not doing more, feeling the cause of it, for not seeing it, for seeing it and freezing, for not knowing what more to do . . . Please check out our Self-Care Tips and Resource page and don’t hesitate to reach out.
Please take care. We need you here. Humans, we are so different and so is our process after such a loss.”
Coping Methods You May Want to Try
After you lose a loved one from depression, anxiety, or another mental health condition, when you lose a loved one by suicide, it may be hard to do what seems to be the simplest things. First start out making sure you drink water, try to eat, take rest periods as needed throughout the day . . .
Allow yourself to feel and express your emotions - keeping your feelings bottled-up lead to more pain
Drink water, remember to eat, rest
If you feel uncomfortable crying in front of others, find a quiet place.
Exercise - whatever that looks like to you - maybe it’s a very short walk and that is a good start
Keep a journal - writing things down can help organize your thoughts and feelings.
Seek out supportive friends and family
Join a support group
Talk to a therapist or grief counselor
Understand that you are not at fault and remember the good in their lives
Use your loss to help others like Susan did with creating Walt’s Waltz
Resources
Suicide Loss Resource for Work Resource
If you have EAP Services at your work, a grief counselor is covered in your plan. Be sure to call them. It is very helpful to have a professional come in and speak to your employees.
“A person never truly gets over a suicide loss. You get through it. Day by day. Sometimes it’s moment by moment.”
“Grief is like the ocean; it comes on waves ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.”