<h3>Rebuilding After Suicide Loss</h3><p>Rebuilding your life after the loss of someone close to suicide, might feel like an enormous challenge. But there is always hope. Despite all the difficult feelings and trauma – especially in the early days – we know that many people bereaved by suicide do eventually learn to embrace life again.</p><h3>Always Prioritise Yourself</h3><p>After someone dies, it may be that you look after everyone except yourself. Taking care of yourself should be a priority. It could just mean spending some time with friends, choosing to be alone and taking some time to yourself, or doing something nice for yourself, a treat. You may want different things on different days, but it is important to always look out for your own feelings and needs, and prioritize them.</p><h3>Find a Good Listener</h3><p>People who have been bereaved by suicide often say that the most helpful thing is to find someone (or more than one person) who can listen. They may not be the most obvious people; friends may not be as easy to talk to or as available as you might hope. Look out for people who will simply listen and let you ‘be you’.</p><h3>Meet Others Who Have Had a Similar Loss</h3><p>Some people who have been bereaved by suicide find it helps to connect with others who have been bereaved similarly. It may be helpful to connect with their feelings, and perhaps you may feel you are not alone. This could be through attending a support group or one-to-one support for people who have been bereaved by suicide.</p><h3>Use Some Self-Help</h3><p>Some people who are bereaved find it informative to read books on a broad range of topics, such as the psychology of suicide, the experiences of people bereaved by suicide, loss and grief. There are also many trusted online sources of information, as well as various podcasts available that may be useful for you.</p><p>For some, daily spiritual practice – including visits to the person’s grave or a place that was meaningful for them – can provide great solace. Equally, reassurance from clergy and other faith leaders may be helpful in the early days following a suicide. You might also find spiritual support in other places, or with self-care strategies such as getting gentle exercise, being in nature, or practicing relaxation, yoga or mindfulness.</p><h3>Getting Through</h3><p>Nobody can tell you how you should grieve; if anyone tries to do so, you can remind them that everyone grieves differently. Grieving for someone has a definite starting point but no definitive end. The truth is that you will always carry what has happened inside you.</p><p>You may find that some days all you can think about is the loss, and some days you can do some tasks or think a little about your next steps in life. You may switch between these on an hourly basis; this is natural. Sometimes it can feel as if grief takes over. But people bereaved by suicide say that one day, perhaps against expectations, you may find that there is space for something else – a plan, a hope. And one day, maybe there will be a little more space. It isn’t so much that your grief is growing smaller; it’s that your world is growing around the grief.</p><p><i>This article is adapted from </i><a href="https://www.healthpromotion.ie/products/you-are-not-alone-suicide-bereavement-support-guide"><i>You Are Not Alone, the national suicide bereavement support guide.</i></a></p><p><i>For more information from the HSE on bereavement, loss and suicide bereavement, visit </i><a href="https://www2.hse.ie/mental-health/life-situations-events/bereavement/"><i>www.hse.ie/grief</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><i>From the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention.</i></p>

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Rebuilding After Suicide Loss: Finding Hope in the Aftermath

<h3>Help Is Always Available</h3><p>There is always help and support available for you, and your loved ones. Some people might like to talk to others about what has happened, while others prefer to turn their grief into action. Whatever way you cope, it is really important to have good support in the form of people with whom you can just be yourself, whatever way that is.</p><h3>When to Seek Extra Support</h3><p>Most of the time, friends, family and colleagues can provide this support, but sometimes, particularly with suicide, you may need some extra help. If you are finding that you are feeling overwhelmed, experiencing nightmares or flashbacks, unable to eat or sleep, feeling isolated, having suicidal thoughts or finding yourself unable to cope, then seeking extra support can be helpful. If you need to, talk with your GP, especially if things have been feeling overwhelming for some time, and if you’re struggling to cope.</p><h3>Organisations Offering Bereavement Support</h3><p>The following are some organisations that provide bereavement-specific support:</p><ul style="list-style-type:disc"><li><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">HUGG is a national suicide bereavement organisation. They offer grief resources, a telephone support line, and peer-led support groups led by trained volunteers with lived experience. HUGG also run public events and provides research and advocacy. </span><a href="http://www.hugg.ie"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.hugg.ie</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">The Irish Childhood Bereavement Network provides information on grief in children, adolescents and families. On their website, you can find a list of resources and tools to help and support you and your family. </span><a href="http://www.childhoodbereavement.ie"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.childhoodbereavement.ie</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">The Irish Hospice Foundation provides information on grief in children, adolescents and families. They have a range of leaflets, booklets and videos available to download and order, as well as shared personal experiences. </span><a href="http://www.hospicefoundation.ie"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.hospicefoundation.ie</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">The Suicide Bereavement Liaison Service is a free, confidential service that provides assistance and support to families and individuals after the loss of a loved one to suicide. This service is provided by different agencies throughout Ireland.</span><ul style="list-style-type:circle"><li><a href="http://www.pieta.ie"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.pieta.ie</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"> </span></li><li><a href="http://www.vitahouse.org"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.vitahouse.org</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"> (Roscommon)</span></li><li><a href="http://www.thefamilycentre.com"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.thefamilycentre.com</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"> (Mayo)</span></li></ul></li><li><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">Anam Cara supports parents after bereavement by signposting to services and providing information evenings in the community throughout the country. </span><a href="http://www.anamcara.ie"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.anamcara.ie</span></a><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif"> </span></li><li><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">Barnardos deliver a specialist bereavement service where children and young people are supported to grieve. They also have a huge amount of information on grief in children, adolescents and families. Free e-books can be downloaded from their website. </span><a href="http://www.barnardos.ie"><span style="font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,sans-serif">www.barnardos.ie</span></a></li></ul><h3>General Mental Health Support</h3><p>If you, or someone you know, needs general support for their mental health, you can also visit the HSE website <a href="www.yourmentalhealth.ie">www.yourmentalhealth.ie</a> for information on how to mind your mental health, support others, or find a support service in your area.</p><p><i>This article is adapted from </i><a href="https://www.healthpromotion.ie/products/you-are-not-alone-suicide-bereavement-support-guide"><i>You Are Not Alone, the national suicide bereavement support guide.</i></a></p><p><i>For more information from the HSE on bereavement, loss and suicide bereavement, visit </i><a href="https://www2.hse.ie/mental-health/life-situations-events/bereavement/"><i>www.hse.ie/grief</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><i>From the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention.</i></p><p> </p>

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Bereaved by Suicide: Finding the Right Support for You

<p><i>When you first learn that someone close to you has died by suicide, you may experience a wide range of emotions. </i></p><p>You might feel completely lost, in shock, and unsure of what you are thinking or doing.</p><p>Death by suicide is an overwhelming loss that can leave families, friends, and communities grappling with intense emotions and many unanswered questions.</p><h3>Grieving Is Unique to Everyone</h3><p>While the pattern of grief is unique to every person, many of those bereaved by suicide will experience similar feelings. Everyone will respond differently when someone dies by suicide, and how we grieve and for how long will vary from person to person. You may experience very different emotions from another person who was also affected, and you may feel certain emotions more strongly than others. You will communicate how you are feeling in your own individual way. For example, you may not want to talk at all about the loss for a time, or constant talking may be your way of coping. However you react, it is your way of trying to make sense of what has happened, express your feelings, get information and deal with your inner turmoil and pain.</p><h3>Adjusting Over Time</h3><p>Over time, the intensity of the pain and loss usually eases, and you can begin to adjust to life without the person who has died. There is no set timeline for grieving, and everyone will navigate it in their own way. Talking through your feelings with a trusted friend or relative may be all the support you need. For some, meeting people who have had a similar experience creates solidarity in the loss and helps by providing relief, comfort and healing. Some may need extra support, for example, from their GP or a professional counsellor.</p><h3>Choosing the Right Support</h3><p>If you choose to seek support – whether professional or community-based – it is important that you feel in control and able to access the type of support that feels right for you, especially when you need it most.</p><p><i>This article is adapted from </i><a href="https://www.healthpromotion.ie/products/you-are-not-alone-suicide-bereavement-support-guide"><i>You Are Not Alone, the national suicide bereavement support guide.</i></a></p><p><i>For more information from the HSE on bereavement, loss and suicide bereavement, visit </i><a href="www.hse.ie/grief"><i>www.hse.ie/grief</i></a></p>

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Bereaved by Suicide: The Initial Impact of Suicide Loss

<h3>Grief Is Personal</h3><p>How you grieve, and the emotions you may experience when someone dies by suicide, are unique to you – just as individual as your fingerprint. Each person is affected in their own way because everyone is different, even within the same family. You had your own relationship with the person who died, your own experiences with loss, and your own way of expressing emotions.</p><h3>How Are You Feeling?</h3><p>People often ask ‘how are you feeling?’ and this can sometimes be impossible to answer. When someone dies suddenly, you can be left with an overwhelming array of feelings and thoughts. The following are just some of the feelings and thoughts you might be experiencing. You might experience some of these more than others, or they might come and go over time. Others, you might not experience at all, and that’s ok too.</p><ul><li>Sadness</li><li>Numbness</li><li>Anger</li><li>Defensiveness</li><li>Depression and anxiety</li><li>Despair and suicidal thoughts</li><li>Disbelief</li><li>Fear</li><li>Regret</li><li>Feeling stigmatised or judged by others</li><li>A sense of longing</li><li>Rejection</li><li>Shock</li><li>Searching</li><li>Relief</li><li>Acceptance</li></ul><h3>The Depth of Grief</h3><p>The depth of feeling associated with suicide loss can affect all aspects of your being: mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. In just a short period of time, you can use up your energy and feel overwhelmed and exhausted, and the intensity of some feelings might feel overwhelming at times. You can expect some physical reactions to your grief, e.g., headaches, loss of appetite, and inability to sleep. Your GP can give you advice about coping with these reactions, if needed.</p><h3>Nurturing Yourself Through Grief</h3><p>It is really important to nurture yourself on your grief journey. Here are some things to remember:</p><ul><li>Know you can survive. You may not think so but you can.</li><li>You might struggle with “why” it happened, until you no longer need to know “why” or until you are satisfied with some, or no answers. Wear out your questions, anger, guilt, or other feelings until you can let them go. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting.</li><li>Be aware you may feel inappropriate anger at the person, at the world, at God, at yourself. It’s okay to express this anger safely.</li><li>Accept that you may feel guilty for what you think you did, or did not do.</li><li>Know that having suicidal thoughts is common. It does not mean that you will act on these thoughts. However, seek help if you have frequent suicidal thoughts or if you are thinking of acting on them. Talk to your GP anytime, or to the Emergency Department of your nearest hospital if you feel at risk of harm.</li><li>Take one moment or one day at a time.</li><li>Find a good listener with whom to share.</li><li>Don’t be afraid to cry. Tears are healing.</li><li>Try to put off major decisions.</li><li>Be patient with yourself and with others who may not understand.</li><li>Know that you will never be the same again, but find hope – that you can survive and even go beyond just surviving.</li><li>Be kind and gentle with yourself.</li></ul><p><i>This article is adapted from </i><a href="https://www.healthpromotion.ie/products/you-are-not-alone-suicide-bereavement-support-guide"><i>You Are Not Alone, the national suicide bereavement support guide.</i></a></p><p><i>For more information from the HSE on bereavement, loss and suicide bereavement, visit </i><a href="https://www2.hse.ie/mental-health/life-situations-events/bereavement/"><i>www.hse.ie/grief</i></a><i>.</i></p><p><i>From the HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention.</i></p>

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Bereaved by Suicide: Understanding Your Grief, Your Way

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Condolence Books - Printed and Bound

RecaptureOne - QR Coded Memory Plaques

Mini Condolence Books - Printed and Bound

RIP.ie Sympathy cards

RIP.ie Acknowledgement cards

Condolence Book for Home Printing

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Hand-carved Celtic Wall Hangings

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Creating a printed hardbound book of online messages of condolence can be a meaningful way to preserve and honour the memories of a loved one.

This is a thoughtfully penned sympathy card to show someone you’re thinking of them this Christmas. Each card is printed in Ireland by RIP.ie, ensuring quality and care in every detail.

Hand-pressed wild Irish flower wall-hanging with verse/photo. Suitable for framing.

HSE National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP)

Rebuilding After Suicide Loss: Finding Hope in the Aftermath

Bereaved by Suicide: Finding the Right Support for You

Bereaved by Suicide: The Initial Impact of Suicide Loss

Bereaved by Suicide: Understanding Your Grief, Your Way