A guide to support those who have lost a sibling to suicide

The Compassionate Friends are a registered charity and peer support group formed by and for parents whose children have died. They have also created a helpful leaflet for those who have lost a sibling by suicide. This leaflet gives clear guidance and advice for anyone going through loss of this kind. It details the different emotions that you may be feeling, including anger, anxiety, guilt and more and discusses how this is all normal and provides tips on how to deal with these feelings. Alongside this, the leaflet has a page on what happens next and provides information on important things such as the inquest, funerals and legal responsibilities. You can find out even more about this on their website page for legal support here.

This leaflet discusses attitudes towards suicide and the stigma surrounding it. It reaffirms the importance of knowing that there is no shame in being someone who has lost a sibling by suicide and reminds readers of the importance of remembering the person as a whole. It then goes on to give advice from others on what helped them after their loss and suggests tips such as getting outside, interacting on social media, taking a break and more.

The leaflet also talks about your different relationships and how others may be feeling in this situation. As well as this, it provides resources throughout and signposts to organisations who can help if you need someone to talk to. At the end of the leaflet, it discusses the journey ahead and also some further reading that can help even more.

Overall, this leaflet provides a calm and comforting message throughout and discusses topics that are useful for someone who has just lost a sibling to suicide, offering resources and signposting for more specific support for sibling loss.