Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources

Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources

ABOUT THIS POST: Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources provides a comprehensive list of support resources, books for grieving a suicide loss, and poetry about losing a child to suicide. The content is highly informative and offers a wide range of resources for individuals dealing with suicide loss.

ABOUT THIS BLOG: My Forever Son: Chronicling Grief, Hope, and Healing After Losing My Son to Suicide was launched in 2015 from a collection of journal entries. Eleven years ago, I lost my 20-year-old son, my only child, to suicide. Suicide changes everything. I write to heal (as much as can be had in this lifetime) my grief. Read More About My Forever Son.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: I write poems, songs, and narrative reflections about losing a child to suicide. Along the way, I have found hope and healing, as well as a host of other parents who have lost a child to suicide. Read More: Parents of Suicides.

I’ve also written a book: Bury My Heart: A Book of Poems About Losing a Child to Suicide.

Read More Poems: Find Hope Here: Poems About Losing a Child to Suicide.

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Resources & Strategies

Resources and Strategies for Coping with Suicide Loss

• Read More: Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources
• Read More: Surviving the Suicide of Your Child: Support, Resources, Hope
• Read More: Find Hope Here: Poems About Losing a Child to Suicide
• Read More: What to Say to Parents Who Lose a Child to Suicide

Resources for Coping with the Heaviness of Guilt in Suicide Grief

• Read More: Navigating Grief: Finding Solace After Losing a Child to Suicide
• Read More: The Burden in Grief: Navigating Guilt After Losing a Child to Suicide
• Read More: Coping with Guilt After Losing a Child to Suicide: Strategies and Support
• Read More: Self Blame and Guilt: I Couldn’t Save My Son

Are you in a crisis?
Call or text 988 or text TALK to 741741

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Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources

Where to Find Support

Need Help Now?

Strategies for Dealing with Suicide Grief 

Everyone experiences grief differently and it is important to find the approaches that are most effective for you and your experience. Here are a few strategies that may help: 

• Acknowledge your feelings: Give yourself permission to feel and express whatever emotions come your way. Ignoring or suppressing these feelings may only prolong the grieving process. 

• Seek professional help: Mental health professionals are trained to help you navigate the intense emotions accompanying bereavement. They can provide tools and strategies tailored to your specific needs, and can help you find healthy ways to keep the memory of your loved one alive. 
• Connect with others: Isolation can intensify feelings of grief. Try to stay connected with friends and family. Share your feelings with those you trust and who can offer empathy and support. 
• Self-care: Regular physical activity, balanced nutrition, and ample sleep can help manage the physical symptoms of grief, as well as promote improved mental health. Mindfulness practices, like yoga and meditation, can also help you stay connected to your body and emotions. 
• Find your own pace: Everyone’s grief timeline is different. Do not rush the process or compare your journey to others’. Allow yourself the time you need to heal. 

Living with Grief for Suicide Loss Survivors, American Association of Suicidology, AAS

Need Help Now Resources

• Surviving a Loss: Resource and Healing Guide, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

• Living with Grief for Suicide Loss Survivors, American Association of Suicidology

• Suicide: How Do We Say It? The Compassionate Friends

• How I Survived the Suicide of My Son, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Key Suicide Support Resources

• The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: page for survivors of suicide loss.
  • This resource is dedicated to supporting individuals who have lost someone to suicide. It offers helpful information, resources, and support groups for survivors of suicide loss.
• The American Association of Suicidology: Suicide Loss page.
  • The American Association of Suicidology provides a dedicated page for suicide loss survivors. It offers valuable insights, assistance, and guidance to help individuals navigate the difficult journey of losing someone to suicide.
• The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: A.F.S.P. Practical Information for Immediately After a Loss.
  • This resource provides a comprehensive listing of support groups organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Joining a support group can offer immense comfort, understanding, and solidarity to those who have lost a loved one to suicide.
• The Compassionate Friends: “Surviving Your Child’s Suicide”
  • The Compassionate Friends organization offers support specifically for parents who have lost a child to suicide. Their website provides valuable resources, articles, and emotional support, along with information about in-person support groups and closed Facebook groups dedicated to suicide loss.
• Alliance of Hope: Find Support
  • Alliance of Hope is an organization that offers support to suicide loss survivors through their website and an online community forum. They provide valuable information, consultations, and a safe space to connect with others who have experienced similar loss.
• Parents of Suicides
  • Parents of Suicides is a resource specifically designed for parents who have lost a child to suicide. It offers support, understanding, and a community of individuals who share similar experiences, helping parents navigate their unique grief journey.
• Nationwide Children’s Hospital: Center for Suicide Prevention and Research
  • Nationwide Children’s Hospital hosts a dedicated Center for Suicide Prevention and Research. Their website contains informative articles addressing common myths about children’s suicide and reflections on the misconceptions surrounding suicide being selfish or a choice.
• The American Association of Suicidology: SOS A Handbook for Suicide Survivors
  • The SOS Handbook for Suicide Survivors, created by the American Association of Suicidology, is a comprehensive resource that provides guidance, practical tips, and emotional support for individuals who have lost someone to suicide. It serves as a helpful tool for navigating the complex emotions and challenges associated with suicide loss.

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988. (Or 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). You can find a list of additional resources at SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources

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Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources

Books for Grieving a Suicide Loss

Additional Books for Grieving a Suicide Loss

For a complete list of books for grieving a suicide loss (by Allina Health): Books for Grieving a Suicide

Book Reviews

Excerpted book reviews below are from Allina Health, Books for Grieving a Suicide. Go to their site for a complete listing of books.

Books

Aftershock: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide
by Arrington Cox, Candy David, David Cox, Candy Arrington
B&H Publishing Group; October, 2003.
Aftershock is a recovery book that will provide encouragement and support for survivors. Examining the complex emotions involved in grieving a suicide death, readers will come to realize they are not alone in their grief and will not be alone in their healing.

Andrew, You Died Too Soon: A Family Experience of Grieving and Living Again
by Corrine Chilstrom
Scriptural, Christian approach to grief and transformation from a tragic event, her son’s suicide at 18.

The Bereaved Parent
by Harriet Sarnoff Schiff
Published by Penguin Books (1977)
This is the classic book for parents whose child has died and for all those who want to help them.

But I Didn’t Say Goodbye
Barbara Rubel
For parents and professionals to assist young survivors.

Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families After a Suicide
by Beverly Cobain, Jean Larch 
Hazelden; February, 2006.
Transforming suffering into strength, misconceptions into understanding, and shame into dignity, Beverly Cobain and Jean Larch break through the dangerous silence and stigma surrounding suicide to bring readers this much-needed book. Cobain’s achingly honest account of dealing with the suicide of a loved one, along with personal stories from others who experienced this profound loss, provide powerful insight into the confusion, fear, and guilt family members experience.

The Empty Chair
Berly Glover
Author writes about issues and experiences from the experience of the suicide of a brother and a daughter.

The Enigma of Suicide
by George Howe Colt, Publisher: Touchstone Books (04/01/1992)
Results from a 10 year investigation on the problem of suicide. Includes first person accounts with sections on: Adolescent Suicide; History; The Range of Self-Destructive Behavior; Prevention; The Right to Die and Survivors.

Grieving the Unexpected: The Suicide of a Son
by Dr Gary Leblanc
Essence Publishing (Canada); January, 2003.
Dr. LeBlanc openly discusses his family’s struggle to survive such a dreadful event, the variables that sustained them during the initial shock and the healing process that enabled them to commence their journey towards wholeness. Honest and insightful, Grieving the Unexpected will help those who minister to hurting people better understand what families and individuals experience when confronted with terrible loss, and will testify to the sustaining comfort of God’s presence.

Healing after the Death Suicide of a Loved One
by Ann Smolin and John Guinan
Special chapters for the death of parents, children, siblings and spouse. Case studies, markers in the experience of many survivors and a directory of support groups nation-wide.

In the Wake of Suicide: Stories of People Left Behind
by Victoria Alexander
Comforting stories of many survivors and their individual reactions to the suicide of a loved one. Depth and breadth of material.

My Son, My Son: A Guide to Healing After a Suicide in the Family
by Iris Bolton, Curtis Mitchell
Mom’s perspective, very positive reader reviews.

No Time to Say Goodbye: Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One
by Carla Fine
Author experienced the death of her husband by suicide and explores the social stigma as well as the particular grief of survivors.

Silent Grief – Living in the Wake of Suicide
by Christopher Lukas & Henry M. Seiden 
Published by Simon & Schuster 01 February, 1988
Lukas and Seiden, a television writer/producer (and suicide survivor) and a clinical psychologist, discuss how the emotional aftermath of suicide differs from that of normal bereavement not only in duration but because of the hidden implication of responsibility and higher risk of suicide for those relatives left behind.

Stronger Than Death: When Suicide Touches Your Life
by Sue Chance – Published by Avon Books (1992)
A psychiatrist shares the life and suicide death of her only child and her personal struggle to cope with this tragic event.

The Suicidal Mind
Edwin S. Shneidman Pub. Date: Mar 1998, Publisher: Oxford Univ Press
“The Suicidal Mind” brims with insights into the suicidal impulse and with helpful suggestions for counteraction methods. Throughout, Dr. Edwin Shneidman offers practical, explicit maneuvers to assist in treating a suicidal individual–steps that can be taken by concerned friends or family and professionals alike.

Suicide: A Christian Response
Timothy J. Demy (Editor), Gary P. Stewart (Contributor)
Publisher: Kregel Publications; (April 1998)
With articles by 35 notable writers and scholars, “Suicide: A Christian Response” presents the medical, ethical, legal, and personal arguments for choosing life rather than death.

The Suicide Of My Son
by Trudy Carlson – published by Benline Press (1995)
After the suicide death of her teenage son Ben, Trudy Carlson sheds light into the little-understood symptoms of depressive illness and anxiety disorders in youngsters. She explains the biological nature of these conditions, and maps out a low-cost, effective school based program for recognizing and treating school-aged youth. The correlation between depressive illness and teen suicide is examined.

Suicide: Prevention, Intervention, Postvention
by Earl Grollman – Published by Beacon Press (1988)
Offers advice on how to recognize the warning signs of potential suicide attempt, how to intervene when a suicide has been attempted, and how to comfort families and friends who have lost a loved one to suicide.

Suicide: Why?
by Adina Wrobleski
Suicide Why? is an excellent, very informative book on suicide. Adina Wrobleski, using her extensive knowledge and insight takes much of the mystery out of the most misunderstood subject. She explains, through the books question and answer format, what society must know in order to save lives. This book is also a good place for a suicide survivor to start when trying to find answers to the many questions he/she may have after the loss of a loved one by suicide.

Survivors of Suicide
by Rita Robinson – Published by Newcastle Publishing Co. (1989)
Survivors of Suicide is a helping guide for those family and friends left behind when a loved one commits suicide. This newly revised edition goes into more detail about teen suicide and the help that is available, and dispels the myths surrounding suicide.

Why Suicide?
by Eric Marcus – Published by HarperCollins (1996)
A nonjudgmental guide for people whose lives have been touched by suicide. It offers practical answers to such related concerns as what to tell others, preventability, and what to do with suicidal feelings.

Words I Never Thought to Speak
by Victoria Alexander Publisher: New York : Toronto : New York : Lexington Books ; Maxwell Macmillan Canada ; Maxwell Macmillan International, ©1991.
First person accounts of people’s struggles after a loss by suicide.

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Featured Book

Bury My Heart: A Book of Poems About Losing a Child to Suicide

Bury My Heart: Poems About Losing a Child to Suicide

Bury My Heart includes five sections, each with a collection of poems based around the section’s title: A Deep Sorrow; Earth, Sky, Moon, Stars; Why?; In Losing You, I Lost Me Too; and That My Love Be With You Always

Earth, Sky, Moon, Stars: This section of the book “Bury My Heart: Poems About Losing a Child to Suicide” explores the vastness of the universe and the natural elements that surround us. Through beautifully crafted poems, it reflects on the interconnectedness of life and the profound sense of loss experienced when a child is lost to suicide.

Why?: The author delves into the complex emotions and thoughts that arise after the tragic loss of a child to suicide. Through poignant poems, they grapple with the haunting question of “why?” – seeking understanding, grappling with guilt, and searching for meaning amidst the devastating experience of losing a loved one to such a tragic act.

In Losing You, I Lost Me Too: Delves deep into the immense personal impact of losing a child to suicide. Through raw and introspective verses, the author explores the profound grief and the psychological journey of losing oneself in the aftermath of such a tragedy. It delves into the feelings of emptiness, self-blame, and the struggle to find a sense of identity after such a profound loss.

That My Love Be With You Always: The final section of Bury My Heart: Poems About Losing a Child to Suicide is a heartfelt tribute to the enduring love and connections that transcend death. It embraces the idea of eternal love and seeks solace in the belief that the love for the lost child will always remain. Through tender and poignant verses, the author celebrates the enduring bond and the hope that their love will continue to guide and protect the departed child.

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Help, Hope, Healing After Suicide Loss: Support, Books, Resources

Resources for Help, Hope, Healing

• Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Resources for Survivors of Suicide, Nationwide Children’s Hospital
• Resources for Survivors of Suicide Loss, American Association of Suicidology
• A.F.S.P., American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• Survivors for Bereavement by Suicide, Resources for Survivors
• After a Suicide: A Toolkit for Schools, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• What to Say (And Not to Say) to Someone Grieving a Suicide, The New York Times
• We Lost Our Son to Suicide. Here’s How We Survived, The New York Times

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