Surviving the suicide of a loved one is one of the most difficult challenges a person will ever face. The “survivors,” the ones whom suicide leaves behind, are often besieged with intense grief. Due in part to the stigma that accompanies the death of a loved one by suicide, reinvestment in life can be difficult for the family and friends of the person who completes suicide. Innumerable suicide survivors have found support groups to be of immeasurable help to them.

The Survivors of Suicide (SOS) support group for Tuscarawas and Carrol counties is a place for help, hope and healing for those who have lost a loved one by suicide. The mission of the group is to provide a safe place for survivors to share their experience, thoughts and feelings; to educate survivors in healthy coping and healing skills; to provide an opportunity for survivors to learn from the struggles and victories of others in the group; and to help survivors discover that each person’s or family’s experience and feelings, while unique to them, are normal responses in the suicide bereavement process. This mission will be accomplished by offering peer support, empathy, encouragement and direction.

Meetings are open only to those who have lost a family member, friend, or coworker to suicide, not to observers or those who have survived a suicide attempt. All members will be encouraged to share openly, as shared feelings enrich and lead to growth and healing. Still, no one will be pressured to participate- there is also healing in listening.

We will provide a safe place where members may share their loss and feel free to discuss the anger, fear, guilt, shame, embarrassment, disappointment, sadness or any other feelings associated with their loss without fear of judgment or criticism. This group is a place where survivors can come and receive support from people who understand their pain.

All group discussions will be kept confidential. Because of the stigma that unfortunately still exists with suicide, it can be difficult to find people who really understand and are not judgmental. Any thoughts, feelings and experiences shared in the group are not made public.

We will discuss the struggles of suicide survival and help the survivor develop an informal plan for overcoming these struggles by gaining insight from other survivors, reviewing information on bereavement and grief so each person can better understand their own experiences, through acceptance without judgment and affirmation of self-worth, and by the assurance that no member is alone in his or her grief.

One cannot work through grief quickly or “get over it” easily. We recommend that anyone interested in the Survivors of Suicide support group attend regularly for a while, as any new experience can be difficult to adjust to. Those who benefit most from a support group generally have experienced 3 to 6 months of life after loss. Some, feeling unresolved or delayed grief, may choose to participate in a support group years after their loss. No matter how long since the loss, a survivors group can be of benefit by providing support, understanding and real life experience from a person sitting right next to you.