Coping with Suicide

Unfortunately, a significant amount of people know someone who has either committed suicide or has experienced suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives. While there are multiple ways to cope with a loved one’s loss, children tend to process it differently. That said, we’ve put together a list of effective ways to help young children cope with suicide, whether that be a close friend, classmate, or family member. Read on to learn more about coping strategies after a loss.

Understanding Grief

Grief naturally coincides with death, especially a death caused by suicide. With that in mind, it is important to understand how the grieving process functions and changes over time.

Researchers have identified what is known as the “five stages of grief,” which are:

Denial

This is the rejection of reality surrounding an individual’s disappearance from your life. We often see individuals feeling isolated, in a state of shock, and refusing acceptance.

Anger

When denial is set aside and reality kicks in, it is natural to move into the anger stage. This is where people begin to feel frustrated about the situation. Resentment and irritation arise in this stage.

Bargaining

At the bargaining stage, individuals try to negotiate a loved one’s death by making statements such as “If this is all a bad dream, I will never take my father for granted again.” While this stage may not seem very practical, it is a common part of grieving.

Depression

In this stage, individuals feel weighed down by the intense emotions that set in. While it looks different to everyone, most commonly, people lack a desire to do anything, whether it is social or personal.

Acceptance

Lastly, after all the difficult grieving stages, people eventually reach a stage of acceptance. Here, individuals come to terms with the reality of the loss and begin to move forward with their lives in a healthy manner.

When it comes to the five stages of grief for your young child, it is important to understand that grief is not linear and does not follow the five stages in a specific order or fashion. Generally, they are laid out in how most people experience them. However, research has shown that people move through the stages differently. Some spend more time in certain stages than others and bounce back and forth.

No matter how your child experiences grief when it comes to coping with suicide, recognize that there is no right way to grieve. It is an individual experience that will likely fluctuate to different stages and back to others as they recall memories with their loved ones.

How To Cope With Suicide in a Healthy Way

Children may cope with a suicide death by isolating themselves and neglecting personal needs. However, taking the easy way out will only hinder their growth. Instead, we’ve put together a list of healthy and effective ways for young children to cope with a loved one’s suicide.

Consider Therapy

One of the best ways for your child to cope is to talk with a therapist or counselor about any emotion they might be experiencing. Therapists not only have a deep understanding of grief and suicide loss, but they also have the tools to help children work through these intense feelings outside of therapy sessions.

All For Kids offers a variety of resources and tools for children ages 0-21.  include cognitive behavioral therapy and individualized treatment plans, which have positively impacted the lives of those who experience grief and trauma. Therapy is a well-known and highly effective option for handling and working through grief and trauma.

Maintain Open Communication With Your Loved Ones

When your child is dealing with traumatic grief, especially as a result of suicide, it is essential for them to maintain open communication with their loved ones. Encourage your child to let their loved ones know they are having a difficult time and are open to receiving support. This will allow them to be receptive to all help during this time.

Make Space for Yourself and Your Emotions

It is equally as important that your child supports themselves while coping with suicide. Encourage them to treat themselves like a friend going through the same situation. For some children, this may look like going on a nice walk, spending time at the playground, or taking a bath and reading before bed.

Take Time To Journal

Lastly, talk to your child about taking some time to journal about their thoughts. This can include memories of their lost loved one as well. As such, they will live on and remember them for what they brought into their life rather than the fact that it ended. Journaling has been shown to impact mental health significantly and is undeniably a great tool when it comes to coping with suicide as well.

Moving Through Grief and Into Healing

In conclusion, nobody experiences grief the same way, but it is important to make your child’s healing a priority. Your child can begin the road to healing with the tools listed above. Remind them that people come into your life for a reason, and the love they have brought you will never leave—they live on through you.