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Grief Reactions in the Suicide Bereaved

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Clinical Handbook of Bereavement and Grief Reactions

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Psychiatry ((CCPSY))

Abstract

Suicide bereavement is common, can be life-altering, and has both societal and intergenerational implications and effects. Despite the fact that every bereaved person’s grief is unique, grieving the loss of a loved one to suicide adds layers of complexity to what can be an already profoundly painful experience. Suicide bereavement often is characterized by prominent symptoms of overwhelming guilt, confusion, shame, rejection, and anger. The experience of suicide bereavement is also often steeped in the context of stigma. Many aspects of suicide bereavement add to its complexity and set it apart from bereavement in general. This chapter will focus on these factors, delineating the unique context, qualitative features, sequelae, and treatment considerations for suicide bereavement.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, 92093, USA

    Alana Iglewicz M.D. & Sidney Zisook M.D.

  2. VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA

    Alana Iglewicz M.D., Ilanit Tal Ph.D. & Sidney Zisook M.D.

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  1. Alana Iglewicz M.D.
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  2. Ilanit Tal Ph.D.
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  3. Sidney Zisook M.D.
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Correspondence to Alana Iglewicz M.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Massachussetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Eric Bui

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Iglewicz, A., Tal, I., Zisook, S. (2018). Grief Reactions in the Suicide Bereaved. In: Bui, E. (eds) Clinical Handbook of Bereavement and Grief Reactions . Current Clinical Psychiatry. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65241-2_7

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