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For the immediate family of people who die by suicide, complicated grief, depression, and suicidal ideation are strongly associated with one another and may persist for years, according to a BMJ study.
Researchers in the Netherlands followed some 150 first-degree relatives and spouses of people who died by suicide. Soon after the event, 26% of relatives suffered from suicidal ideation; the proportion decreased to 9% at 8 to 10 years after the event. Family members who had previously attempted suicide were at increased risk for suicidal ideation during bereavement (odds ratio, 5.5).
Relief from bereavement symptoms in the first year was small. Family members who reported receiving mutual support (i.e., spoke with someone who underwent a simila…