![]() ![]() Let your friend know you'll listen no matter how many years have passed. A lot of people who go through grief feel they cannot talk about their pain after a period of time because they feel they are burdening others. ![]() It's important to continue asking even after time has passed. Create a safe place for them to share their fears, anxieties, and uncomfortable thoughts, says Dr. Be willing to listen: Ask your friend how they’re feeling and encourage them to share their thoughts with you.Goodman says it can be helpful to remember the person who died together. If you knew the person who died of suicide, share your memories of them with your friend. Share your memories: For many grieving people, talking about their loved one, even after years have passed, helps them feel like they haven't been forgotten.It can be incredibly valuable to do these things without them asking. Sometimes people who are grieving don't know how or when to reach out for help. It can be helpful to offer tangible forms of support, such as volunteering to send them meals or babysitting their children. Express your support: Let your friend know that you’re there for them and that they can count on you if they need anything.For instance, you can say “I heard that _ died by suicide.” Suicide is often shrouded by stigma, but by bringing it up, you can show your friend that you’re willing to discuss the circumstances of the death and support them fully. Goodman, it’s important to acknowledge the reality of their loved one’s death. Acknowledge the circumstances: According to Dr.This helps a grieving person feel less alone. It's important to continue to reach out, even if it's just to let your friend know you are thinking of them. Understand that sometimes people may not respond because they need space to grieve their loss or don't have the energy for connection. If you have heard about their loved one’s suicide, reach out to them as soon as you can. Reach out to your friend: Your friend might find it hard to take the first step and make contact with you.Acceptance looks like reaching a place where the pain is accepted and the person learns to live their life without their loved one. ![]() Some people understand that their loved one can't come back and the reality sinks in, yet they still cannot reach a place of acceptance because the pain is too unbearable. ![]() Acceptance: Over time, one learns to accept the reality of their loved one's death.Some people also feel easily overwhelmed, lonely, hopeless, and unable to function. This may take the form of sleep problems, decreased energy and motivation, loss of appetite, and an inability to concentrate. Depression: With time, as one begins to more fully understand how the person’s death affects their life, profound sadness can occur.If an explanation isn’t forthcoming or easily acceptable, they may start to make up false stories about what happened. They may even question the meaning of life and their beliefs and values. Questioning: The person may have several questions about why their loved one’s suicide occurred.Guilt: If the person believes there was something they could have done to prevent the death or that they are to blame for the death in any way, they may experience feelings of guilt and shame that can potentially become overwhelming.Common thoughts are “If only…” and “What if…” They may wish against all odds to go back in time and prevent it somehow. Bargaining: During the bargaining stage, the person may repeatedly think about what they could have done to prevent the death.Intense anger or rage may manifest as aggression, violence, irritability, impatience, and withdrawal from friends, family, or faith. The person may also feel angry at others, at a higher being, or at life in general. The anger may take many forms, including anger at the person for leaving them or not reaching out for help. These feelings most often lead to anger and a sense of betrayal. Anger: Once the reality sets in, one often experiences intense pain, frustration, and helplessness at the loss.They may withdraw and not speak or might repeat themselves. The person may appear distraught, have poor attention, or display forgetfulness. They may walk into a room and expect to see their loved one sitting there or keep forgetting that they’re gone. The person may feel numb and be in denial about the person’s death. Denial: Upon learning about the death, initial reactions often include surprise, shock, and disbelief. ![]()
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