Understanding Family Member Suicide Narratives by Investigating Family History

Abstract

The complex family environments in which a suicide death had previously occurred were explored in a qualitative study of narratives of suicide-bereaved participants. The participants searched for reasons why the suicide occurred in their family. Family patterning stories and the context of the environment in which the suicide death occurred provided an additional depth of meaning into the relational aspects of the family. Fractured families emerged as an important theme. Shared in the narratives were stories of conditions within the family that may have contributed to vulnerability towards persistent negative feelings about their lives, their family, and their future. The study also identifies the strengths of family culture that led to resilience in the suicide bereaved. These stories highlight the importance of support for those bereaved by the suicide of a close family member and the issues that places people in vulnerable situations that perhaps may explain the increased risk of suicide for those bereaved family members.

Suicide attempts and clinical features of bipolar patients

“… 12 , 16 , 18 Our study is consistent with the studies reporting that as significant difference exiss between these 2 groups in terms of suicide history in first degree relative. 8 While there was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of family BD history, any family mood disorder history was significantly higher in the suicide attempter group ( p =0.008). This result appears to be inconsistent with the existing literature.…”

“… 7 Thus, it is essential to determine the risk factors associated with suicide attempts. Suicide attempt history is found to be associated with family suicide history, longer hospitalization due to psychiatric reasons, early age of onset, 8 , 9 extent of depression, worsening affective episodes, mixed states, rapid cycling, and Axis-I comorbidity, including specifically anxiety disorder, 10 and substance use disorder (SUD) 11 comorbidities, personality disorders 12 comorbidity, and physical and sexual abuse. 13 This study aims to determine the suicide attempt rates in bipolar patients, and to identify clinical predictors of increased risk of suicide attempts in subjects with BD, by comparing the characteristics of suicide attempters and non-suicide attempters in Turkey.…”

Experiências vivenciadas por familiares sobreviventes ao suicídio: abordagem de narrativas biográficas

“…A análise aponta que Fritz tenta ocultar o aparecimento de possíveis conflitos em seu relato, na intenção de transmitir uma imagem diferente, já que, durante sua trajetória de vida, a família aparece como um valor fundamental. Nesta perspectiva, estudo internacional que buscou evidenciar os motivos pelos quais o suicídio ocorreu no ambiente familiar apontou a existência de desavenças ou de um contexto disfuncional (21) . Dessa forma, voltar a atenção para a harmonia familiar pode significar possíveis conflitos existentes e sentimento de culpa em relação ao suicídio da esposa.…”

“…As qualidades internas de racionalização, autoconfiança e determinação, provavelmente construídas pela cultura familiar, podem fortalecer a resiliência do familiar para lidar com o luto (21) . Assim, identificou-se que a análise do caso Rev Gaúcha Enferm.…”

Live-Chat Support for People Bereaved by Suicide

“…Because the ways people mourn have changed with digitalization, an important part of the creation of meaning and of research into understanding and support has shifted onto the online dimension (Falconer et al., 2011). The web allows individuals to find practical information (Chapple et al., 2015), to be connected through great distances, share memories, express emotions publicly and collectively (Falconer et al., 2011), or create stories and memorials that could foster the transition "from his death to our life" (Ratnarajah et al., 2014, p. 51). Moreover, they find supportive environments among people who have gone through similar loss experiences (Barak et al., 2008; Feigelman et al., 2008) along with an additional feature they could not find in person: the ability to write behind a screen and, if needed, in complete anonymity and at any time (Kramer et al., 2015).…”