My research question:

Main Idea 1

Stages people go
through after losing
a loved one to
suicide:
Denial, Anger,
Guilt, Shame,

How has suicide of my father impacted my life

Source 1

Source 2

Source 3

Source 4

Elisabeth Kbler-Ross
& David Kessler)

Anna Cocke & Our

griefjourney.com &

health.harvard.edu

Story of Suicide

Weston F

Denial is one of the

first things I went
through when I was
told my father had
shot himself. I had the
first thought of maybe
the gun shot did not
kill him and then my
dad wouldnt do that
to me. Denial is
understood as a
defense against that
brutal reality. It blunts
the impact of the loss,
offers you a temporary
respite and allows you
to process those
overwhelming feelings
more gradually. On
one level you
recognize that your
loved one has died;
on another level
youre unable to grasp
all the ramifications of
that harsh and
unwelcome reality.

Many survivors feel

angry at the loved one
who has committed
suicide for leaving
them and for the
emotional pain
inflicted by their
death. Understanding
that anger is a normal
and acceptable
reaction can help
survivors avoid selfblame and
depression, according
to a review of studies
published in Crisis

Although guilt serves

a function for some
people and is
something they may
need to dwell on for a
while, eventually it is
helpful to examine
evidence to the
contrary of their
perceived shortcomings. Frequent
reminders of the times
when they went the
extra distance to
support their relative,
will eventually assist
them to move beyond
this painful feeling.

For myself I became

angry at the world.
Angry with my step
mother for ruining my
dads life. I couldnt
see right from wrong
or the big picture I
could only feel hate
and anger.
Although the
survivors rage is
often directed at
multiple targets
(incompetent doctors,
demanding bosses,
insensitive neighbors,
uncaring relatives, an
impotent God, etc.

Guilt for me came in a

form knowing my dad
was suffering. He was
going through a very
ugly divorce and was
extremely depressed.
After the suicide I
blamed myself for not
taking the time to see
the signs and
spending more time
with him.

Source 5

Source 6

Theres a powerful
stigma attached to
mental illness (a
factor in most
suicides). Many
religions specifically
condemn the act as a
sin, so survivors may
understandably be
reluctant to
acknowledge or
disclose the
circumstances of such
a death.
This was very true for
me due to the public
manner in which my
father chose to end
his life. It was all over
the news and police
were heavily involved
and I had to hear
people who did not
know him judge him. I
still have a hard time
today even telling
people how my dad
died, I can say that he
is dead, but saying he
shot himself is so
much harder.

Adapted from NC State University Writing and Speaking Tutorial Service, Writing A Literature Review and
Using a Synthesis Matrix. 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2013 from http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/writespeak/download/Synthesis.pdf

Main Idea 2

Suicide Statistics

Main Idea 3

How to help
someone after a
loss to suicide

SHASHI K.
BHATIA, M.D., and
SUBHASH C.
BHATIA, M.D.,
Creighton
University,
Department of
Psychiatry, Omaha,
Nebraska) (Major
depression affects 3
to 5 percent of
children and
adolescents.
Source 2 (AFSP)(Depression is the
most common
condition
associated with
suicide, and it is
often undiagnosed
or untreated.)

Texas A&M)
(Acknowledge the
situation. Talking
directly can be
important; this can
show that you are
not afraid to have
a real
conversation
about the loss
they have
experienced.
Example: "I heard
that _____ died
by suicide." Using
the word "suicide"
can be scary, but
showing that you
are able to talk
more openly

(University of
Washington) (The
great majority of
people who
experience a
mental illness do
not die by suicide.
However, of those
who die from
suicide, more than
90 percent have a
diagnosable
mental disorder.)
Source 2 (NHS)(It's estimated
90% of people
who attempt or
die by suicide
have one or more
mental health
conditions.)
The worst thing
people did to me
was act like it
didnt happen.

Source 1 (Carolyn
C. Ross M.D.,
M.P.H.) (People
with substance
use disorders are
about six times
(link is external)
more likely to
commit suicide
than the general
population.)
Source 2
(HHS.gov) (In a
study of all nontraffic injury
deaths associated
with alcohol
intoxication, over
20 percent were
suicides.)

This is a recent,
tragic
phenomenon in
which typically
young people flirt
with oxygen
deprivation for the
high it brings and
simply go too far.
The only defense
against this, it
seems to me, is
education

Men die by
suicide 3.5x more
often than
women.

Firearms
account for
almost 50% of
all suicides.

People wouldnt
say suicide. They
would just say
sorry. Which in my
opinion is the
worst thing you
can say, but this a
human response.
I had one friend
that did not leave
my side for
months after my
dad died. She
would just hang
Adapted from NC State University Writing and Speaking Tutorial Service, Writing A Literature Review and
Using a Synthesis Matrix. 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2013 from http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/writespeak/download/Synthesis.pdf

about what
happened.
Express your
concern. Show
your friend that
you are aware
that this has
affected them and
that you are there
when they need
help.
Be genuine in
your
communication,
and don't hide
your feelings.
Offer your
support.
Ask how he or
she feels. Don't
assume you know
how they feel.
Main Idea 4

Aftermath

In my opinion,
there are is no
one reason
someone commits
suicide. In my
case I have spent
many countless
nights thinking
and trying to think
about the why and
what I could have
done to stop my
dad from making
such a final
decision.

out with me, never

pushed me to talk
about it, but did
shy away when I
broke down.
The worst thing is
to like you care or
only are around
for the drama. I
had one friend
that was more
interested in what
the suicide letter
said then my
feelings.
I hated when
someone would
say I know how
you feel. I wanted
to scream when I
heard that.
I dont think I will
ever be okay with
what happened.
The nightmares
stopped but, my
personality and
willingness to
open up and trust
has been forever
changed. I have a
hard time making
bigger decisions
because of the
finality of it.

Loss is a part of
life, but not every
loss is dealt with
the same. Time
does not heal
pain; you just
learn to deal with
the pain better
over time. I dont
think this will ever
change for me. I
think about my
dad every day. I
dont break into
hysterics
anymore, but if a
certain song plays
or a smell or

This has caused

different forms of
depression for
me. I developed
PTSD after my
dad died. I had
nightmares every
night. It took a
long time for me
to let go of the
anger and move
to acceptance.

Adapted from NC State University Writing and Speaking Tutorial Service, Writing A Literature Review and
Using a Synthesis Matrix. 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2013 from http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/writespeak/download/Synthesis.pdf

memory hits me
and it feels the
same as it did 11
years ago.
Main Idea 5

My thoughts on this
source. (What this
scholar is saying and
how they communicate
with other scholars in
the field).

Adapted from NC State University Writing and Speaking Tutorial Service, Writing A Literature Review and
Using a Synthesis Matrix. 2006. Retrieved June 26, 2013 from http://www.ncsu.edu/tutorial_center/writespeak/download/Synthesis.pdf