How relatives look back at suicide risk after their close one’s death by suicide

Abstract

The aim of the current study is to analyze how relatives understand in retrospect the suicide risk of their next of kin who died by suicide. We interviewed 103 adult relatives who lost their significant others to suicide, using qualitative content analysis to explore the data. Participants expressed difficulties understanding suicide risk by identifying personal traits incompatible with suicide, reasons to doubt the risk, life oriented actions, the situation seemed better than it was, or that the loved one denied suicide risk; only a few recognized suicide risk. Prevalent myths about suicide and denial are possible explanations for these findings.

Additional information

Funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research was supported by the Research Council of Lithuania under Grant No. S-MIP-17-113 and Vilnius City Municipality.