• Clip
• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a child >> Felicity - Interview 2 >> Alice was buried in the West Indian manner, where everybody stands around the grave and sings. Felicity, her mother, found it very moving.

Felicity and Alex had a daughter, Alice. She had depression as a teenager, and was eventually diagnosed with bipolar disorder. In 2004, at the age of 22, she took her own life. Felicity has found support from family, friends, her GP and Cruse.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a partner, husband or wife >> Patricia - Interview 4 >> Patricia decided to have Andrew buried because she wanted to have a place where she and her children could go to be close to him.

Patricia’s husband, Andrew, had had depression for years. A number of times he had taken an overdose or tried to gas himself and then sought help. In 1994 he died in a car, due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Patricia found support via Cruse & SOBS.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a child >> Margaret - Interview 40 >> Margaret’s daughter was buried rather than cremated because it just seemed ‘right’ at the time and because it is what her daughter would have wanted.

Margaret’s daughter was in prison when she took her own life. Margaret was shocked by the news. The inquest found that there had been a lack of care while her daughter was in prison. Margaret found support from her dog, friends, SOBS & a counsellor.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a parent >> Lynne - Interview 26 >> Lynne’s parents had been active in their local church before her mother’s suicide. Lynne was relieved that her mother could be buried in the churchyar

In 1981, when Lynne was 19, her mother drowned in the bath at home. It seems that she took her own life. Lynne felt her mother had been let down by the professionals who had been involved in her care. She has found support from friends & colleagues.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a friend >> Ann - Interview 10 >> A church funeral was followed by cremation. After the cremation Ann found it very comforting to return to the crematorium, to walk around, and to reme

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 the funeral Dominique was cremated and her ashes scattered. Lucreta used to visit the church garden regularly, but doesn’t feel the need to spen

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 feels that the decision to scatter Matt’s ashes in the crematorium garden was made too quickly. She wishes they had put them with the tree the

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 child >> Helen - Interview 6 >> After the funeral and cremation Helen left her daughter’s ashes at the undertaker’s. After four or five weeks she arranged to plant a wild cherry with

Helen’s daughter, Charlotte, had mental health problems. When Charlotte was 30 she was found dead in her flat. She may have taken an overdose or may have taken her own life. Helen has been well supported. She also finds comfort by helping homeless people.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a brother or sister >> Steve - Interview 25 >> After the funeral Steve’s sister’s ashes were scattered round a tree in a local beauty spot. He finds it comforting to go there and meditate.

Steve’s sister took her own life in 2006. She stepped in front of a train. She had had mental health problems for many years but was not receiving the care she needed at the time of her death. Steve was devastated. He has found most support from SOBS.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a child >> Susan - Interview 20 >> On her daughter’s birthday- the first one after her death- Susan scattered some of Rose’s ashes on an island in Norfolk, Scolt Head, one of Susan’s fa

In 2005, Susan’s daughter, Rose, took her own life. She shot herself. Rose had had anorexia and then depression, and was later thought to have bipolar disorder. Susan feels angry because she believes that NHS psychiatric services were inadequate.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a brother or sister >> Kavita - Interview 33 >> Kavita and her family hired a boat so that they could scatter her brother’s ashes in the Thames; A Hindu priest went with them to say some prayers.

Kavita’s brother was 30 years old when he jumped to his death. He had been feeling suicidal for some time. Kavita felt “shattered” and desperately wanted help. She had counselling with a psychotherapist and found that SOBS was a “lifesaver”.

• 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 child >> Helen - Interview 6 >> Helen read in a Buddhist book that even when someone is dead you can still do things for their soul. She felt much better when she started helping oth

Helen’s daughter, Charlotte, had mental health problems. When Charlotte was 30 she was found dead in her flat. She may have taken an overdose or may have taken her own life. Helen has been well supported. She also finds comfort by helping homeless people.

• Dying & bereavement >> Bereavement due to suicide >> Lost a child >> Helen - Interview 6 >> Helen had a re-found faith before Charlotte died, which helped enormously after her death. Helen felt that God understood her totally.

Helen’s daughter, Charlotte, had mental health problems. When Charlotte was 30 she was found dead in her flat. She may have taken an overdose or may have taken her own life. Helen has been well supported. She also finds comfort by helping homeless people.