After the Funeral: The Forgotten Crisis of Suicide Bereavement in Ireland

When someone dies by suicide, the loss reverberates far beyond a single household. For years it was believed that for every suicide, six people were affected by the loss. However, we now have more reliable and inclusive data and it shows that for every suicide, approximately 135 people are significantly affected. This stretches across family members, friends, classmates, colleagues, first responders, even our online friend network. For many of these people, the grief that follows isn’t just painful, it can be life-threatening.

We know that bereavement after suicide is one of the strongest risk factors for future suicidal behaviour. Yet in Ireland, there is little to no focus here in terms of national strategies, no dedicated funding, and very little public awareness around the needs of those bereaved by suicide.

This is a huge blind spot in our health, social and community systems.

Grief After Suicide is Different

Grief is never easy, but suicide grief is often marked by trauma, shock, guilt, shame, and silence. People bereaved by suicide are more likely to experience a type of grief known as complicated/complex grief, as well as post-traumatic stress, depression, and suicidal ideation themselves.

What makes it worse is that many bereaved individuals don’t seek help, not because they don’t need it, but because they feel stigmatised, judged, or have no idea where to turn. Parents often worry they’ll be blamed, children and teens are told not to talk about it, teachers and employers are terrified of making it “worse”.

So what happens? A secondary crisis plays out quietly in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities.

New Data, Same Old Issues

Recent findings from HUGG (Healing Untold Grief Groups) and the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF) confirm what lived experience advocates have been telling us for years – people bereaved by suicide feel forgotten, unsupported, and are at risk.

Many respondents in the HUGG/NSRF survey reported struggling with anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal in the aftermath of suicide. Some said they had suicidal thoughts themselves, which is not uncommon. Others noted the complete absence of formal supports or follow-up after the death.

This isn’t just a tragic consequence, it’s a public health failure and in a country with a high rate of suicide, it is a national scandal.

What is Postvention? Where is Postvention?

In suicide work, postvention refers to the care and support offered to those affected after a suicide has occurred. Done well, postvention helps reduce trauma, prevents further suicides, and supports healing in meaningful and specific ways over time. Having conducted postvention work with bearevaed individuals, it is clear to see the immediate positive impact of such supports for people in the community.

Globally, countries like Australia and the UK have begun to integrate postvention into national suicide strategies, recognising that preventing suicide also means caring for those left behind. Ireland has yet to get serious and focused about accessible postvention work.

While wonderful organisations like HUGG offer vital peer support, they are underfunded, overstretched, and not a replacement for a national, coordinated approach.

Postvention is Everyone’s Business

Suicide bereavement touches every corner of Irish society which means a whole-of-society response is required.

• Policymakers must act now to integrate postvention into Ireland’s health strategies and allocate dedicated funding.
• Schools and universities need clear protocols for how to support students and staff after a suicide.
• Media should receive training on how to report suicides responsibly and how to cover bereavement stories with sensitivity and depth. More than this, the media must face consequences for irresponsible reporting.
• Employers need to understand the long-term nature of suicide grief and make room for grief, not just condolences.

Suicide Postvention is Prevention

Suicide postvention supports literally save lives and so need to be considered a vital part of suicide prevention. Prevention doesn’t stop at educational projects and social meet-ups, it continues in how we respond to those left behind after suicide and how we support them. How we talk to individuals bereaved by suicide and how we build systems that recognise their needs is life-saving work and should be supported NOW, not next quarter, next year, next budget – now.

Too many bereaved families and friends are navigating this pain alone and it doesn’t have to be this way.