A new study of the effects of suicide bereavement on mortality, mental health, and social functioning indicates "that exposure to suicide of a close contact is associated with several negative health and social outcomes, depending on an individual's relationship to the deceased." For example:
• People who lose a spouse or partner to suicide and mothers who lose an adult child are at increased risk of suicide.
• Parents who lose a child to suicide are at increased risk for needing psychiatric care.
• Offspring who lose a parent to suicide are at increased risk for depression.
• Across a range of kinships groups, people bereaved by suicide experience more shame and rejection than do people bereaved by other violent deaths.
The findings are especially valuable because comparisons were made between people bereaved by suicide and other bereaved people (instead of to non-bereaved people), which pinpoints "the specific effects of suicide."
The study observes that "at present, support services after suicide bereavement are concentrated in the voluntary sector" even as suicide risk, depression, and other negative effects of suicide loss might be relieved by professional services:
• People who lose a spouse or partner to suicide and mothers who lose an adult child are at increased risk of suicide.
• Parents who lose a child to suicide are at increased risk for needing psychiatric care.
• Offspring who lose a parent to suicide are at increased risk for depression.
• Across a range of kinships groups, people bereaved by suicide experience more shame and rejection than do people bereaved by other violent deaths.
The findings are especially valuable because comparisons were made between people bereaved by suicide and other bereaved people (instead of to non-bereaved people), which pinpoints "the specific effects of suicide."
The study observes that "at present, support services after suicide bereavement are concentrated in the voluntary sector" even as suicide risk, depression, and other negative effects of suicide loss might be relieved by professional services:
Policy makers will need to strengthen the responses of health and social care services to [the suicide bereaved] if they are to mitigate the clear risks of suicide and depression. Such efforts can minimise distress, improve productivity, and contain costs of health-care treatment.In today's society, "the clear risks" of significant distress and even debilitation or death from losing a significant person in one's life to suicide are largely overlooked. This study supports the need for community caregiving systems to respond effectively to the damage done by suicide to those left behind to mourn the dead.
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