How to help those bereaved
Remembering that there is no perfect way to help someone who is grieving, you can only do your best. Cheryl Richardson once wrote "people start to heal the moment they feel heard". Being bereaved by suicide is a completely different form of bereavement, there are sudden and unanswered questions alongside a stream of complicated emotions on top of the grief and loss of a loved one. These emotions can swing back and forth like a pendulum and can be overwhelming and hugely confusing.
To try and help your grieving person, it may be helpful to listen to their emotions and try to get them some professional help. You may find it useful to try to understand the complexity of their emotions and the image below might help with this... This image also shows that grief is not linear, there are no clear stages that we move through at a progressive pace and then are suddenly 'cured' of our grief! We are all individuals and no grief experience is the same.
What is also important to note is that trying to take care of someone who is grieving can be emotionally and physically draining. Ensure that you take time for yourself, get enough rest and speak to others about the support you are giving. You can't pour from an empty cup, so take a little time for you too. This next PDF speaks volumes on how to care for your grieving person, a simple 'do and don't' list shared ever so kindly by Megan Devine.
If you feel like you or your grieving person need additional, ongoing support from the Suicide Bereavement Service, please contact us through our 'Home' page, or click the button below!