Spiritual and Religious Issues in the Aftermath of Suicide

Abstract

Introduction: Spirituality and religion have only been marginally investigated in the experiences of the bereaved by suicide (or survivors of suicide). Aim: This article directly addresses two questions: In what way was spirituality or religion an issue for survivors of suicide? How were they helpful (or not) during their reconstruction process? Method: Research involved qualitative studies, carried out in Switzerland with 50 survivors of suicide using in depth-interviews. Data were analyzed according to grounded theory principles. Results: Suicide triggered questioning mainly about the afterlife of the deceased and of how transcendency relates to agency and responsibility in the suicidal act. Spiritual or religious issues play an important role in the process of reconstruction for survivors, notably in meaning-making and responsibility-clarifying processes, in forging a continuing bond with the deceased and in honoring their life and memory. Nevertheless, this role is complex and can either support or make the recovery difficult (or both). Conclusion: Mental health and social care professionals may support survivors' resilience and their reconstruction process by valuing the constructive aspects of their spiritual and religious experiences and by taking into account the spiritual and religious struggles they face to offer effective support to survivors of suicide during recovery.

A Qualitative Examination of Continuing Bonds through Spiritual Experiences in Individuals Bereaved by Suicide

“…Spirituality and religion are often looked to for answers and support when individuals face life challenges such as suicide that are not in line with their beliefs (Currier et al 2015b). When violence is human-initiated (Currier et al 2015b) and a redemptive narrative is not readily apparent, survivors of suicide loss sometimes find their global meaning systems called into question (Castelli Dransart 2018;Wortmann et al 2011). Many religions hold stigmatized views of suicide that can lead those bereaved to experience suicide as a punishment from a deity for the bereaved or their deceased loved ones (Castelli Dransart 2018).…”

Spirituality and Religiosity during Suicide Bereavement: A Qualitative Systematic Review

“…For example, in an analysis of randomly selected online memorials, 14 percent of the memorials written by suicide survivors had content related to S/R themes (Krysinska et al 2014). Research also suggests that people bereaved by suicide sometimes tend to search for help and relief in rituals and prayers (Vandecreek and Mottram 2009;Castelli Dransart 2018). They start to engage in spiritual or religious practices even if before the loss they did not think about themselves as spiritual or religious (Castelli Dransart 2018).…”

“…Research also suggests that people bereaved by suicide sometimes tend to search for help and relief in rituals and prayers (Vandecreek and Mottram 2009;Castelli Dransart 2018). They start to engage in spiritual or religious practices even if before the loss they did not think about themselves as spiritual or religious (Castelli Dransart 2018). On the other hand, previously religious people sometimes experience a spiritual crisis after a loved one's suicide, which involves doubts about trusting the benevolent God or believing in a purposeful and meaningful life (Lynn Gall et al 2015;Castelli Dransart 2018).…”

“…They start to engage in spiritual or religious practices even if before the loss they did not think about themselves as spiritual or religious (Castelli Dransart 2018). On the other hand, previously religious people sometimes experience a spiritual crisis after a loved one's suicide, which involves doubts about trusting the benevolent God or believing in a purposeful and meaningful life (Lynn Gall et al 2015;Castelli Dransart 2018). Religious people sometimes isolate themselves from their social networks because of feelings of shame and suicide-related stigmatisation that ensues from religious doctrines (Vandecreek and Mottram 2009;Mastrocinque et al 2018).…”

Comportamento suícida e religiosidade em estudantes de Psicologia

“…Quanto ao comportamento suicida, evidências empíricas indicam a religiosidade como um fator protetivo relevante (Dransart, 2018;Santos, Ulisses, Costa, Farias, & Moura, 2016). Do contrário, estudo realizado por Lawrence, Brent, Mann, Grunebaum, Galfalvy e Oquendo (2016) com pacientes depressivos refere a religiosidade como um fator de risco para o suicídio, sugerindo uma relação complexa entre esses dois construtos.…”