Survivors of Suicide

​It is estimated that more than 50,000 deaths by suicide occur in the United States each year.  Each suicide death leaves multiple survivors, individuals who have experienced the death by suicide of a family member or a friend.  Survivors must deal not only with their grief but also with a myriad of other overwhelming feelings, such as confusion, guilt, anger, shame, and hurt.  The survivor's ability to cope may also be confounded by the responses of friends, family members and others in the community - well-meaning people who may say hurtful things or place unrealistic expectations upon survivors, or who even may deny the event in its entirety.  As a result, survivors are typically overwhelmed and frequently feel very much alone.