We are sorry about the death of your friend or family member. The shock and pain experienced by friends and family following the suicide of a loved one can seem almost unbearable. It is important for you to know that you are not alone. Nationally, suicide is the second leading cause of death for young adults aged 24-34. Over 36,000 individuals in the United States take their own life each year (confirmed suicide deaths). Cumulatively, this amounts to hundreds of thousands of individuals who have experienced firsthand what you are going through right now.
When an individual takes his or her own life, the people they leave behind are often referred to as survivors of suicide loss. Survivors may be family members, friends, co-workers, neighbors, clinicians, first responders, community members or anyone else impacted by a suicide death. Each individual situation is different.
The days and weeks immediately following a suicide are often the most difficult. NAMI NH’s Connect Program has information and resources for survivors. Our hope is that you will use these resources to guide you through some of the difficult days ahead.
- Suicide prevention hotlines
- Coping with suicide loss – including:
- Survivor grief
- Writing an obituary after a suicide loss
- Making funeral arrangements
- Memorial services/Remembrances
- Survivor resources
- NH survivor of suicide loss resource packet
- NH survivor of suicide loss newsletter
- NH Community Mental Health Centers
- Information for People Who Have Witnessed a Suicide Death
The NAMI NH calendar of events often includes events that may be of interest to survivors of suicide loss. This includes walks to build awareness for mental health and suicide prevention, events hosted by local survivors of suicide loss, and NAMI NH programs such as SurvivorVoices: sharing the story of suicide loss, In Our Own Voice, and Life Interrupted.
Support Groups
Many individuals find that attending a support group can be helpful as they cope with their loss. Determining when you might be ready to attend a support group is a very personal decision. Contacting a support group leader may help you with this decision because they can explain how the group is run, and whether that group would be appropriate for you. NAMI NH maintains a listing of survivor of suicide loss support groups that are conducted in NH.
