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• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a friend >> Ann - Interview 10 >> During the time her friend was missing Ann wrote a diary every day. It helped Ann to keep a hold on reality.

Ann’s friend died in 2003. It appears that her friend died from an overdose and exposure. Ann has found support through her faith in God, from counselling & from her GP. She has set up a support group for others, linked to SOBS. She finds this comforting.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a child >> Lucreta - Interview 39 >> After Dominique died Lucreta found it therapeutic to write down her feelings and express her anger. She wrote a book about her daughter’s death.

In 1996, Lucreta’s daughter, Dionne (also called Dominique), jumped to her death. She was 18 when she died. Lucreta had no idea that Dionne had been so unhappy, and was shocked by her death. Lucreta has found support from friends, her church, her GP, and counsellors.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a child >> Barbara - Interview 23 >> Barbara felt she could communicate with Matt by writing notes to him, and she says a prayer at night.

Barbara & Colin’s son, Matt, found his first job as a junior doctor very stressful. In 1992 Matt was found dead in a crashed car; probably due to suicide. He was aged 24. Colin & Barbara were devastated.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a parent >> Rachel - Interview 15 >> Rachel learned that you can experience tragedy and yet move forward. She says she could have let her mother’s death ruin her life but she decided not

In 1981 Rachel’s mother took her own life. She was probably ill with depression when she used a gun to kill herself. Rachel was 15 at the time and was not offered any professional support. Since then she has had some counselling, which has been helpful.

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• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Coping with grief and keeping memories alive >> Coping with grief and keeping memories alive

Coping with grief and keeping memories alive

 

People managed their distress in many different ways. They also found various ways of coping with their grief. Ann decided to keep a diary from the day her friend disappeared and was feared dead: