Bereavement or Depression? The Impact of the Loss of a Friend to Suicide

In a sample of 146 friends & acquaintances of 26 adolescent suicides, 43 developed a depressive episode subsequent to exposure to suicide, 18 were depressed before exposure & 85 were never depressed. Those who became depressed after exposure, when compared to the other groups, had a closer relationship with the victims, showed more severe grief, & showed more intense exposure to the suicide. It is concluded that such reactions after exposure to suicide appear to be bona fide major depression.