Loss, grief, and suicide 

What are grief and loss?

Grief is a natural reaction to a significant loss. It encompasses the feelings, thoughts, and experiences that someone can go through when they lose someone or something very important to them. For example, the loss of: 

  • a loved one 
  • an animal 
  • a job 
  • a social status 
  • a way of life 

How is grief experienced? 

Grief doesn’t mean forgetting a loss or minimizing its importance but rather learning to live with the loss and reorganizing one’s life.

grief-and-suicide

Every grieving process is unique and different for each person experiencing it. It can bring on many emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioural reactions.  

Grieving is not a linear process. A person can alternate between moments where the pain of a loss is very present and others where they are able to catch their breath and return to their daily lives.  

Thus, certain periods can be more difficult than others, and these fluctuations are normal. With time, the intensity of the emotions generally tends to diminish and the person can get back to a certain stability and find satisfaction in their everyday life. 

Sometimes, however, suffering can persist over time and in intensity, and it can become difficult to find that stability again or engage in certain activities. 

How to recognize when the grieving process becomes complicated? 

With time, most people adapt to the loss in their lives. However, sometimes the grieving process can become more difficult and extra support is needed. Here are some signs that the grieving process may be becoming more complex:

 
  • Physical 
    • Disordered sleeping 
    • Appetite or weight changes 
    • Fatigue or loss of energy 
  • Cognitive 
    • Difficulty concentrating or taking decisions 
    • Constant thoughts about the loss 
    • Constantly reliving memories or moments associated with the loss 
  • Behavioural 
    • Social isolation or withdrawal from usual activities 
    • Avoiding places or objects that remind one of the loss 
    • Abandoning responsibilities (i.e.: parental, professional, social) 
  • Emotional  
    • Emotional pain that is as sharp as the first weeks after the loss 
    • Persistent and intense sadness 
    • Feelings of despair or emptiness 
    • Feeling like a bad person or worthless 
    • Excessive anger or guilt 
    • Having suicidal thoughts 

You are experiencing grief and thinking about suicide? 

Grief can lead to significant suffering. For some people, the grieving process can bring on suicidal thoughts. If that is your case, it’s important to reach out. 

We encourage you to check out the following sections: 

01 Taking stock of your mental health

The first step toward taking back control is identifying what’s causing your suicidal thoughts.

02 Taking care of yourself

There are a number of things you can do to protect yourself and regain your balance when you’re having suicidal thoughts.

03 Talking about it with your loved ones

Asking for help from your family and friends isn’t always easy. There are different ways of going about it.

04 Finding support services

Every day, all sorts of people contact support services to get the help they need.

What to do if you have experienced a loss or are grieving? 

Coping with a loss or grief is possible. If you are experiencing this, getting support can be helpful. You can first call 811 option 2 (Info-Social) to speak to a responder about your situation and be referred to local resources that can help as needed.

To obtain an evaluation or a follow-up with a healthcare worker, see a general practitioner (like a family doctor), a psychologist or contact your local CLSC.

Other resources can also help people experiencing loss or grief. 

Find resources

Some tips that can help with difficulties in the grieving process

What I'm going through...