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(min-width: 768px), (min-resolution: 120dpi) and (min-width: 768px)" srcset="//headsupguys.org/img/hero-blog-webp-2x/2021/03/pexels-alex-green-5699746-banner-1280x545.jpg"><source type="image/webp" media="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-resolution: 120dpi)" srcset="//headsupguys.org/img/hero-blog-mobile-2x/2021/03/pexels-alex-green-5699746-banner-1280x545.jpg"><source type="image/webp" srcset="//headsupguys.org/img/hero-blog-mobile/2021/03/pexels-alex-green-5699746-banner-1280x545.jpg"><img width="1030" height="600" type="image/jpg" src="//headsupguys.org/img/hero-blog/2021/03/pexels-alex-green-5699746-banner-1280x545.jpg" alt=""></picture> <div class="container"> <h1> After <span class="white">a suicide</span> </h1> </div> </div> <div class="wrap" role="document"> <div class="container"> <div class="content row"> <div class="main" role="main"> </div>  </div>  </div>  <div class="black-area"> <div class="container"> <p class="med">“Coping with a suicide loss is brutally tough - but you can do it.”</p> </div> </div> <div class="wrap container second" role="document"> <div class="content row"> <div class="main" role="main"> <div class="page-header page-header--powered-by"> <h2>Understanding Suicide</h2> <span class="slash"></span><p>Take each day, one at a time. Lean on friends and family and talk to them about your grief.</p> </div> <div class="content-layout"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Grieving the loss of a friend or a loved one, under any circumstance, is tough. But deaths by <a href="/suicide-in-men/">suicide</a> can be even harder to understand, especially when the loss was unexpected. Suicide cuts lives tragically short, and has a profound impact on friends, family members, partners, and the larger communities a guy was a part of. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s important to understand that the intense emotional pain of <a href="/mens-depression/">depression</a> – when it’s at its worst – can make it almost impossible for someone to believe they can recover. Their despair can be relentless, with death seeming the only way to escape their pain. Understood in this way, suicide is recognized as reflecting the severity of one’s depression rather than any lack of will or effort to get better. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Looking for one event or reason that led to someone’s suicide often isn’t possible and oversimplifies the severity of the illness they were facing. Why someone ends their life is very complex and we may never understand all the factors that influenced a person to take such a desperate action. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Suicide doesn’t reflect the person’s character, but rather gives us a sense of just how overwhelming their pain was. The happy memories you have of the person are who they really were and that is what is important to hold on to. </span></p> </div> <div class="accordion"> <div class="inside"> <p><strong>Struggling with suicide loss?</strong></p> <div class="btn-container"><a class="button-small" href="#">Read more</a></div> <div class="hidden-content"> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">If you’ve lost someone to suicide, it’s normal to feel a wide range of overwhelming emotions. You may feel shocked, confused, angry, sad, and abandoned.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">It’s also common to struggle with feelings of guilt, wishing you had noticed any warning signs or done more to help. It’s very likely though that the man you’ve lost was shielding you from how badly he felt, perhaps believing that he was protecting you from being burdened by him.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Whatever feelings you’re having, know that it’s OK and let yourself feel without judgement – that is extremely important, especially for people who may typically not like to show their emotions. Allow yourself to grieve – feel it, confront it, process it. Expressing these emotions – whatever they are – keeps you from bottling things up and feeling worse in the long run. Just like going for a run can help relieve stress, releasing one’s feelings can do the same.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Though you may feel alone, there are others who have faced similar tragedies in their lives. You may want to check with your local mental health centre or search online for “suicide survivors” to find support groups in your area.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">If more than a month passes without the intensity of these feelings lifting, it’s important to <a href="/take-action/reach-out/">reach out for additional support</a> with your doctor and/or a <a href="/take-action/professional-services/">mental health professional</a>.</p> <h3 style="margin: 10px 0;">Letting others know</h3> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">The misunderstanding and stigma around suicide can make it hard for you let others know what happened – but this, in turn, makes it harder to receive support from your friends and family. Being more transparent about the suicide death of your family member or loved one will help your friends and family members to fully support you, as they can better appreciate what you are going through.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Though every situation is different (especially when young children are involved), the vast majority of people are glad they opened up about the realities of the tragedy they are dealing with. Speaking about suicide also helps to open up important conversations about mental health, which may help others reach out in the future.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">You don’t need to share any details around how the suicide took place, but simply acknowledging that the cause was suicide can help.</p> </div> </div> <div class="inside"> <p><strong>Supporting a friend</strong></p> <div class="btn-container"><a class="button-small" href="#">Read more</a></div> <div class="hidden-content"> <h3 style="margin: 10px 0;">1. Let them know you’re there</h3> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Often what someone needs most is simply a shoulder to lean on and a friend to listen. Try saying something like:</p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I heard about ____’s passing. How are you holding up?”</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“No need to go through this on your own, let me know how I can help.”</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t know what you’re going through, but I’m here if you need me.”</span></li> </ul> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">If they are not open to talking about what happened, be patient and give them space.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Sometimes a hug or a reassuring pat on the back is enough to let them know you’re there.</p> <h3 style="margin: 10px 0;">2. Create a safe space to talk about suicide</h3> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">There is a lot of stigma around suicide and it can be very tough for your friend to talk about their loss. Your friend may be feeling a wide array of emotions, including guilt or anger.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Give your friend a chance to express what they are feeling and let them know you are someone they can be completely open with.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Try saying something like:</p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I know it’s not easy to talk about, but if you need to let stuff out, I’m here to listen.”</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you ever need anyone to talk to about ___’s suicide. Know that I’ll be there.”</span></li> </ul> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Using the word “suicide” may be difficult but it shows you are acknowledging the full extent of their loss and that you are there for them.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">If your friend begins to open up, let them do the talking. Simply allowing them to express their emotions and get things off their chest can be a huge help. Let them know that whatever they are feeling is okay.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">If you’ve gone through a similar loss, you can also share what you’ve been through.</p> <h3 style="margin: 10px 0;">3. Follow up with them</h3> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">Over the next few days, weeks, or months it will be important to remind your friend that you’re available to talk. They may be reluctant at first and some people might not want to, but just knowing you are there can also help.</p> <p style="margin: 10px 0;">If they are struggling, suggest seeking out professional support. Though you want to help your friend as much as possible, a therapist or support group will have much more experience in helping someone after a suicide. Try searching online for “suicide survivors” to find support groups in your area.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="content-layout"><div class="page-sub-header"> <h2>Reducing Stigma</h2> </div> <p>As our societies evolve, so does our use of language, especially when it comes to more complicated topics like suicide. Using more considerate language can increase our understanding, limit grief, and ultimately may even help save lives.</p> <p>We have provided some brief language guidelines<sup><a href="#ref">[1][2]</a></sup> aimed at changing our society’s perceptions of suicide:</p> <p><strong>“Committed suicide” <i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right" aria-hidden="true"></i> “Died by suicide”</strong></p> <ul> <li>Avoiding the word “commit” helps others who want to reach out for support, but are too afraid to admit they are thinking about suicide because it also feels illegal or sinful. When someone is thinking about suicide, the most important thing for them to do is to reach out for support and not feel judged.</li> </ul> <p><strong>“Successful suicide” <i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right" aria-hidden="true"></i> “Died by suicide” or “fatal sucide attempt”</strong></p> <ul> <li>Branding a suicide as “successful” implies that a fatal suicide attempt could be considered positive or even as some sort of accomplishment. This can also make people who attempt suicide and fortunatley survive feel like more of a failure, when in fact we are lucky they are still here.</li> </ul> <p><strong>“Choose suicide” <i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right" aria-hidden="true"></i> “Died by suicide”</strong></p> <ul> <li>When talking about suicide, words like “choose” imply we understand that the person was contemplating options and for some reason “chose” suicide ahead of other options. In reality, people who die by suicide often feel they have no choice at all, and that their intense and unrelenting emotional pain is only escapable by death.</li> </ul> <p><strong>“Suicide victim” or “Victim of suicide” <i class="fa fa-long-arrow-right" aria-hidden="true"></i> “A person who died by suicide”</strong></p> <ul> <li>The word “victim” has many negative associations and can also reduce and de-humanize the individual who died by suicide.</li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By <a href="/stigma-surrounding-suicide-words-matter/">reframing the way we talk about suicide</a>, through small changes in our words, we have the power to reduce stigma and make it easier for men who are thinking about suicude to reach out for support. </span></p> </div> <div class="content-layout"><div class="page-sub-header"> <h2>Honouring a friend or loved one</h2> </div> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The way you honour your friend or loved one is going to be unique to your relationship and the person who died, and there are many ways to do so. This can be an important part of the grieving process and help you to feel more at peace with your loss. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Here are some ways others have honoured lives of those lost to suicide:</span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gather and write down your thoughts in one place, then place them aside to revisit when you need to. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Plant a tree in their honour or have a bench dedicated at a local park.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Make a donation or hold a walk or fundraiser for a cause the person cared deeply about.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Speak up and share mental health resources like HeadsUpGuys with others and encourage them to seek help when fighting depression. Preventing suicide is a tough fight – that’s why we’re here to help. If you wish to support our efforts, please consider <a href="/depression-suicide-prevention-donation/">making a donation</a> in your friend’s or loved one’s honour or fundraise for HeadsUpGuys.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your honouring also doesn’t have to be a one time event. Continue to speak and share stories about your friend and loved one. As you move forward with your life, don’t let their name or memory fade because of the stigma around how it ended.</span></p> </div> <div class="content-layout"><hr /> <p><strong id="ref">References:</strong></p> <ol> <li>The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Words Matter. <a href="https://www.camh.ca/en/suicide-prevention/resources" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.camh.ca/en/suicide-prevention/resources</a></li> <li>Government of Canada. (2019). Language Matters: Safe Communication for Suicide Prevention. <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/language-matters-safe-communication-suicide-prevention.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/language-matters-safe-communication-suicide-prevention.html</a></li> </ol> </div>  </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="survey"> <div class="container"> <p><h2>We want your feedback!</h2></p> <p>Complete our 5-minute survey on the future of HeadsUpGuys and enter a draw for a $100 CAD Amazon gift card! </p> <p style="margin-bottom:1.5rem;"> <a href="https://ubc.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_dcYEajYvN3Br1vo" class="survey-btn" target="_blank">Take Survey</a></p> </div> </div> <footer class="content-info" role="contentinfo"> <div class="container"> <section class="widget text-2 widget_text"><h3>HeadsUpGuys</h3> <div class="textwidget"><ul> <li><a href="/about-us">About Us</a></li> <li><a href="/faq/">FAQ</a> | <a href="/contact-headsupguys/">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="/terms-conditions-and-privacy">Terms, Conditions, and Privacy</a></li> <li><a href="/helpful-links/">Helpful Links</a></li> <li><a href="/mens-mental-health-research/">HeadsUpGuys Research</a></li> <li><a href="/suicide-in-men/crisis-lines-chats/">Crisis Lines/Chats</a></li> </ul></div> </section><section class="widget text-6 widget_text"><h3>A Program Of</h3> <div class="textwidget"><p style="max-width:220px; 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