Coping with a Suicide

It’s never an easy thing to lose a loved one. When someone takes their own life, however, it can present its own set of challenges. When a loved one dies by suicide, overwhelming emotions can leave you reeling. Your grief might be heart wrenching. At the same time, you might be consumed by guilt — wondering if you could have done something to prevent your loved one’s death. As you face life after a loved one’s suicide, remember that you don’t have to go through it alone.

Read more at Mayo Clinic

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Further Information

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
This Lifeline is for people experiencing a crisis and is available 24/7 in the United States. If you need help for yourself, a friend, or family member, call or text 988 right away.

Lifeline Crisis Chat

A Handbook for Survivors of Suicide
This is an excellent handbook that provides survivors with a guide to help them work through the shock, questions, and painful emotions following a suicide.  The author, who himself lost his wife to suicide, writes in a clear, informative, and empathetic style. [SOS Handbook]

When You’re Left Behind: Surviving the Aftermath of Suicide
This excellent booklet identifies the turbulent emotions and the agonizing questions that survivors face after a loved one’s suicide. It grapples with what it means to move on. And it offers help and hope for anyone who has been touched by this final act of despair. [ODB Ministries]

When Terrible Things Happen: What You May Experience
This helpful resource outlines many of the common reactions individuals may have during and immediately after a crisis.  Healthy and unhealthy coping responses are highlighted.  [Psychological First Aid]

How Can I Live With My Loss?
This booklet discusses the stages of grief that many people go through after a loss. [ODB Ministries]

Walking Through the Grief of Suicide- A Testimony
“Grief can’t be avoided; it waits for you to walk through it.” June Knobloch said this. She and her husband understand grief deeply after suffering the loss of their son Jeff to suicide. In this episode of Breaking Bread, Del and June share their story of grief and how they walked through it.

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