Those Left Behind…: The Process of Bereavement for Suicide Survivors and Postvention

Abstract

The act of ending the pain of living not only leaves the family members devastated, but the outcome of this traumatic event also affects the family system at many levels. Given the complexity of the phenomenon of suicide itself, the aftermath of suicide within families has often been overlooked. This chapter addresses the various layers of the phenomenon of suicide bereavement through the lens of different “suicide survivors” such as parents, children, spouses, siblings and persons closely associated with the individual. The trajectory of suicide is so sudden that it leaves pallbearers of the deceased individual vulnerable to a plethora of melancholic emotions that usually do not attain closure. The situation is made more difficult because such incidents are followed by inescapable feelings of angst, anger, guilt, shame, hopelessness, betrayal and lack of a sense of control. Since the tragic event leaves many questions unanswered, the survivors struggle in coping with the traumatic event of losing a person close to them. With an event that leaves the lives of the family members forever altered, its impact is not limited to the individual but affects the functioning of the family altogether. It alters family dynamics in a way that may escalate the grief reaction of the bereaved individual. Additionally, the chapter attempts to outline the various factors that influence the process of bereavement for suicide survivors and explore outcomes of this situational crises experienced by them. Lastly, it is important to pave the path of recovery for suicide survivors. Therefore, preventive measures and strategies are suggested to aid the bereavement process, and reduce the psychosocial vulnerabilities of suicidal behaviour in members of the family.