The Impact of Suicide on Relatives and Friends

Risk of suicide and spouse's psychiatric illness or suicide: nested case-control study

“…Conjugal bereavement has an impact on mortality among surviving spouses,3 and bereavement due to suicide increases own risk of suicide more than bereavement after other modes of death. Suicide may induce particularly difficult grief,5 and suicide of a spouse increases the other spouse's awareness of suicide as a possible means to end grief. Assortative mating for suicidal behaviour is less likely because preference for mating between people with psychiatric illness did not increase the risk of suicide.…”

The association of parental fatal and non-fatal suicidal behaviour with offspring suicidal behaviour and depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Moreover, for each completed suicide approximately 30 individuals attempt suicide. It has been estimated that for every suicide six people suffer intense grief so that about six million people are bereaved each year through suicide (Clark & Goldney, 2000), but no precise data on the proportion of children who lose a parent through suicide are available. Pfeffer (2000) estimated that in the USA alone 10 000 to 20 000 children and adolescents are bereaved by suicide each year.…”

Tales of biographical disintegration: how parents make sense of their sons’ suicides

“…These unnecessary deaths of physically healthy young people represent a significant loss to society and have far-reaching consequences for the health of others. Those who are bereaved by suicide often develop mental health problems and lead permanently shattered lives as a consequence of their loss (Clark and Goldney 2000).…”