Family Narratives of Suicide Bereaved Family Members Inform Postvention Support

Abstract

The lived experience of 18 suicide bereaved family members informed this qualitative research study into 20 suicide deaths. The aims and objectives of this study were to gather the family-of-origin back-ground stories of the suicide deceased and to analyse the family culture and environment of the deceased relatives. These background stories included a history of difficulties or breakdowns in family relationships, various forms of abuse and other damaging experiences in formative years for some. Also sought was an in-depth understanding of the relationship of the bereaved to the deceased and how this kinship experience coloured the meanings the bereaved relative gave to the loss of their family member and their own grief journey. The question of dependency in the relationship between the bereaved informant and the deceased coloured the meanings attributed by the informants for the death. In some families the after-death narrative spoke of a mutual caring and support but in others, the families fragmented and the bereaved family members spoke of blaming and shaming and of having their bereavement narratives silenced. The complexity of these family narratives will inform those offering postvention support.