What is spirituality for women bereaved by a partner’s suicide: A qualitative study

Spirituality is often significant for those undergoing suicide bereavement. Our study aimed to explore how women, who are bereaved by their partner’s suicide, describe spirituality. 11 semi-structured interviews have been conducted with female participants using reflexive thematic analysis. Six themes were identified: Spirituality as a resource, Spirituality as a relationship; Spirituality is universal; Spirituality is […]

Grief intervention in suicide loss survivors through cognitive-behavioral therapy: A systematic review

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, affecting numerous individuals close to the person who died by suicide, including family members, friends, and colleagues. Those affected by the suicide of someone are referred to as “suicide survivors”, and the psychological consequences they face are particularly severe. One of these consequences is grief, […]

Communication on familial suicide: Development of the Family Communication on Suicide Questionnaire

Introduction: Each suicide affects about five close family members, potentially heightening risk for psychopathology and suicide. Communication style is a key factor in mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of families. Family communication after suicide, however, is insufficiently conceptualised and studied. This study aimed to identify different factors of familial communication after suicide of a relative and […]

A post-suicide survey: The perspective we have been missing

Background: Suicide is a major problem in the United States and in the state of Idaho. Prevention data are lacking for suicide primarily because information about those who completed suicide is not attainable. There are no published data from surveying the family members of the deceased. Our objective was to learn more about those who died […]

A conversation between a survivor and a suicidologist

Discussion of theories of suicide in an interview format.

Practical strategies for care of individuals impacted by suicide in the emergency department: A narrative review

Introduction Suicide is among the leading causes of death and nurses care for survivors of suicide at many points in their grief journey. Every individual who dies by suicide leaves behind multiple affected survivors and how they are cared for immediately following the suicide influences how they cope with the death. The purpose of this […]

988 suicide & crisis lifeline communication toolkit: Messaging and communications to trusted messengers of people disproportionately impacted by suicide

The second study and toolkit in this project are focused on the trusted messengers that people who are disproportionately impacted by suicide turn to for trusted, unbiased information and help when they’re struggling with their mental health or in crisis. The messaging points and resources in this toolkit are based on the latest research gathered […]

Supportive and non-supportive social experiences following suicide loss: A qualitative study

Background Suicide bereavement entails profound social stressors, including stigma and communication barriers, which can impair social support for suicide loss survivors (SLS). Despite recognized benefits of empathetic interactions, social support, and self-disclosure in mitigating adverse mental health outcomes after suicide loss, we lack a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing perceived social support among SLS […]

Possible mental health interventions for family members of a close relative who has suicidal thoughts or committed suicide: A pilot project at a mental health center

Background: Suicides are an actual issue, especially in Lithuania, where, despite significant efforts, the number of suicides remains very high. In cases of suicide, society painfully loses its members, and the relatives of the person  who committed suicide, engaged in self-harm, or attempted suicide face many negative experiences. Methods: The purpose of this article is […]

The impact of relationship type and closeness on mental health following suicide loss

Background Most research investigating the effect of suicide on loss survivors has been limited to first-degree family members. Few studies examine the impact of suicide on others outside the immediate family and the influence of relationship type and closeness on mental health. Methods This study used data from a sample obtained through random digit dialing […]

Perspectives of suicide loss survivors: Qualitative analysis of data from a psychological autopsy study of U.S. Army soldiers

Introduction Suicide loss survivors can provide information not otherwise available about the circumstances preceding a suicide. In this study, we analyzed interview data from suicide loss survivors collected as part of a psychological autopsy study of U.S. Army soldiers. Methods Next-of-kin (NOK) (n = 61) and Army supervisors (SUP) (n = 107) of suicide decedents (n = 135) who had died […]

Toolkit for people who have been impacted by a suicide attempt

There is no right or wrong way to seek help. This toolkit is not designed to be an exhaustive list of the very wide variety of resources available across Canada for support. This toolkit is a summary of the tools that have  resonated most with the hundreds of people who completed our online survey and […]

Unveiling studies on self-healing practices for suicide loss survivors: A scoping review

This scoping review aimed to examine how self-healing practices had been addressed in the empirical literature on suicide bereavement. Adhering to PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we searched five databases for peer-reviewed studies that reported using self-healing practices, either as a primary or secondary finding and 32 studies were included. The results highlight a substantial research gap in […]

Evaluation of a new online program for children bereaved by suicide: The view of children, parents, and facilitators

Objective: Experiencing the suicide of a parent or a sibling is one of the most disruptive and stressful events in the life of a child or adolescent. Yet, little is known about the effectiveness of support offered to children and adolescents bereaved by suicide. This study aimed to evaluate participant and facilitator’s perceived helpfulness of the […]

Support in bereavement processes in cases of suicide or substance-related death in childhood: A systematic review

Exposure to parental suicide or substance-related death can be a risk factor for unwanted developmental trajectories. The stigma and taboo that often follow a death subject to being morally sanctioned in society (‘special deaths’) pose an extra challenge for the surviving child and family. The support of informal and formal networks is an important factor […]

Engagement in meaningful activities post suicide loss: A scoping review protocol

Rationale Each day, more than 10 Canadians die by suicide. Each suicide leaves entire communities to manage the traumatic aftermath of this loss. Individuals bereaved by suicide loss are at a higher risk of experiencing negative mental health outcomes. Current research suggests that engagement in meaningful activities may be an avenue to protecting mental health. […]

Postvention is prevention: The case for suicide postvention

There is now convincing empirical evidence that exposure to suicide increases the risk of subsequent suicide, as well as other negative mental health sequelae, in those who have been exposed. This article provides a review of this empirical evidence. It also concludes that this substantial evidence base makes the compelling case that all suicide prevention […]

Perceived determinants of disclosing suicide loss: A qualitative study among women

Background: People who lost a loved one to suicide (i.e., suicide loss survivors, SLS) often struggle to talk about their experiences. However, previous studies suggest beneficial effects of disclosure among this group. Aims: This study aimed to identify determinants of disclosing suicide loss. Method: We conducted qualitative interviews with 22 female SLS focusing on determinants of disclosing suicide loss. Interviews […]

Not okay? Okay: A roadmap back from the brink

In Not Okay? Okay. combat veteran and suicide survivor Sheridan Taylor chronicles the anguish and rage he experienced in the darkest depths of despair, and he shares the process and triumph of fighting his way out. After a lifetime enduring pain and discovering love, Sheridan shares his unique perspective on the power of hope and how to heal the […]

Trajectory of suicide as a transformation in obscurity: As told by the deceased’s next of kin

There is a collective call from the field of suicide research for studies on the individual dynamics of suicidality in order to understand the deadliness of the suicidal process. This study examines the deceased next of kin’s (‘survivor’s) experience of the suicidal process in order to gain perspectives that can be used in the preventive […]

Peer-support groups for suicide loss survivors: A systematic review

Despite the increase in research on suicide bereavement, the effectiveness of peer-support group programs in promoting the grief process and mental health of suicide loss survivors remains unclear. The goal of our study was to determine the effectiveness of peer-support group programs for suicide loss survivors. A systematic review (PROSPERO ID: CRD42022307591) of articles published […]

After a suicide death in a high school: Exploring students’ perspectives

By the time they leave high school, 17% of adolescents will have experienced the suicide death of a friend, peer, or classmate. While some will be unaffected or experience a brief period of distress following the death, for others the death will cause significant disruption and distress, even increasing their risk of suicidal thoughts and […]

A loss by suicide: The relationship between meaning-making, post-traumatic growth, and complicated grief

Meaning making has been found useful in processing grief, yet individuals who have experienced a loss by suicide may have difficulty with post-loss adjustment due to the traumatic nature of their loss. Through quantitative study, this article acts as an initial exploratory study and examines the relationship between meaning-making, post-traumatic growth, and complicated grief symptoms […]