Surviving a Suicide Loss  |  Resource and Healing Guide
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their loved one’s last days or weeks, searching for clues, particularly 
if they didn’t see any signs that suicide was imminent. Suicide is 
complex, and there is no one reason that someone ends their life.
Because many do not know how to respond to a death by 
suicide, some suicide loss survivors may experience a lack of 
understanding or support from those around them. They also 
might not be sure how to feel about the loss, or what they should 
say when someone asks about how their loved one died. It is 
important to recognize that you are not alone, these feelings are 
understandable, and it is up to you how much you wish to share 
with others about your loved one’s death.
We hope the information included here helps you decide what is best 
for your family. We do know that talking openly about suicide can 
be helpful and healing to you and those around you. Despite its 
complexity, we continue to learn more every day from science about 
what influences suicide as an outcome. Mental health conditions as well 
as life and environmental stressors can all play a role in suicide risk.
Just as people can die of heart disease or cancer, people can die 
as a consequence of having a mental health concern. It is also 
important to know that many people with mental health concerns 
do not go on to die by suicide, and that the interaction between life 
stress, biology, and mental health is a dynamic and individual one.
You may never know exactly why your loved one ended their 
life, but over time, learning more about suicide can help you 
to understand what may have contributed to their death. It is 
important to note that you do not have to have all the answers to 
begin to heal, and many suicide loss survivors find that learning 
about what contributes to suicide can be helpful.

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