Bereaved by suicide: psychological mechanisms

Losing a loved one to suicide can be a traumatic and stressful experience. Studies show that individuals who have experienced bereavement by suicide have an increased risk of stress-related illnesses and suicidal behavior.

This study examined register data on 32,248 individuals living in Denmark who died by suicide between 1980-2016, and their identified relatives (parents, children, siblings, and partners).

Having lost a loved one to suicide was associated with a 2.8 times higher risk of suicide compared to people who had not lost a loved one. The study also showed that 0.69% of all suicides in Denmark could be prevented if all factors that increase the risk of suicide among relatives of people who have died by suicide could be addressed. This corresponds to 60% of suicides among bereaved by suicide.

Bereavement by suicide increases the bereaved’s risk of developing suicidal behavior, and, although these suicides only account for a relatively small proportion of the total number of suicides, it is important to provide support to this group.