HOW IS GRIEF DIFFERENT WITH SUICIDE?

Grief is pain beyond comprehension for those who have not yet felt it. It can feel hopeless and is a sobering realization that you will never see the one you love in your earthly life again. Grief after a suicide is a uniquely complex form of grief. There are a lot of emotions and a lot of complexity that you may not have after a natural death. 

Grief Care Fellowship has come out with a book specifically for people with loved ones who died by suicide. Read more below about some things you can find out about in the grief after suicide book. 

The Trauma Of Suicide And Our Emotions Surrounding It 

A suicide will bring up many different emotions at the same time. The feeling that you weren’t there for them, betrayal, anger at them, and guilt are all different emotions you may go through in a shockingly small amount of time. Many times these are unique to suicide-related grief. It can be especially painful and difficult to reconcile with all of these emotions in the midst of mourning your loved one. 

Being a family member or close friend of someone who has died by suicide can also be very traumatic, especially if you were the one who found your loved one. 

Most suicide is unexpected. Even if there was previously a concern, they may have seemed to be doing better or even told you their mental health was improving. Sometimes this could be because they have already made peace with their decision or possibly because they have gotten very good at hiding their pain. This unexpectedness of the death can add to the pain surviving family members and friends feel. We wrote the Grief After Suicide book to help you find hope after grief if you are struggling. 

What Makes Suicide Grief So Complex?

Sometimes loved ones of those who have committed suicide do not feel they are entitled to fully grieve as they normally would, or they are left out of the grieving process because of the stigma surrounding it. It is hard for people to know what to say or how to handle someone who is dealing with suicide grief.

Another big difference is the unfortunate glamorization of suicide in popular media. It’s important to support the people who are grieving and remember that suicide was one bad decision in their life. It does not define their entire life. There is also the question about whether the person is in Heaven or hell. As long as they have accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, the person is saved and will be in Heaven. The suicide doesn’t change that.

Contact us today to find hope beyond grief for yourself, your church’s grief group, and congregation at large. The information is so valuable to those who have lost someone to suicide. You can order a copy of the book today.