More support for families bereaved by suicide welcomed by Gloucestershire charity
The county council's new suicide prevention strategy prioritises support for families
A new suicide prevention strategy by Gloucestershire County Council will prioritise support for bereaved families.
The new strategy sets out seven priorities, which also include providing effective crisis support and promoting online safety.
We spoke to Abbie Warren, who set up Gloucestershire suicide support charity, Sunflowers, after losing her brother to suicide eight years ago.
She tells us she set up the charity after finding a lack of support available.
"After we lost my brother to suicide there wasn't really any support available to us," she says.
She says it's invaluable for people with shared experience of suicide to support to each other:
"For a lot of people who've lost someone to suicide, having those conversations with others who 'get it', are really quite transformational."
Abbie says the family members of people who've died by suicide are at higher risk of struggling with their mental health.
"They are more at risk of attempting suicide themselves, they are more at risk of psychiatric admissions, and also more vulnerable to depression," she says.
She says the formal processes that happen after someone has died by suicide are particularly tough for families:
"Often people don't realise that after somebody dies by suspected suicide, there is an investigation that has to take place.
"From my experience, my loved ones belongings were taken, and the police had to look through his computer.
"And for us a family, it very much felt like we were under investigation," she says.
"When you've lost someone in such a traumatic circumstance, to have to hold yourself together in those situations where you're having to get those belongings back, and you're having to sit through serious case reviews, is really, really challenging."
Abbie says there are a range of challenges bereaved families face:
"From our experience of working with lots of different families, we tend to see that individuals struggle with panic attacks, anxiety, they struggle to sleep, they struggle with the 'whys?'.
"And often, that will sit with families for many, many years," she says.
She says sharing her experience with others can make a huge difference.
"Having individuals that know the impact of suicide can help others see there is a light at the end of that tunnel - and to see that they're not alone. Because it can be a very, very lonely journey," she says.
Sunflowers are available for bereaved families of people who have died by suicide in Gloucestershire.
Further support is also available through the Samaritans.