Across 41 studies that examined these differences, the suicide bereaved experienced higher levels of blaming, stigma, shame and rejection.
[4] Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a Swiss-American psychiatrist, developed a model that encapsulates five stages of grief that an individual is likely to experience after a loss:.
The suicide bereaved individuals may feel shame, making them uncomfortable sharing their loss in their religious group.
[10] Support groups can be beneficial for the suicide bereaved, because this is a nonthreatening place where they can experience catharsis among others in a similar situation.
Support groups can be found by visiting the International Association for Suicide Bereavement (IASP) website, which is affiliated with the World Health Organization.
[13] Complicated grief treatment (CGT) incorporates elements of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and motivational interviewing.
The combination of exposure techniques with cognitive restructuring has been shown to help individuals experience life satisfaction and engage in meaningful relationships.