Sirpaleista koottu – sisaruksen suru ja selviytyminen itsemurhan jälkeen

Authors

• Saara Inna Tampereen yliopisto
• Marja Kaunonen Tampereen yliopisto
• Anna Liisa Aho Tampereen yliopisto

Abstract

A total of 873 suicides were committed in Finland in year 2012. Suicide is a socially relevant and silenced phenomenon that consumes a deal of human resources. A sibling`s suicide is a complex loss to cope with. Grief changes the quality of life and functionality. Despite the effects that a sister’s or brother’s death must have on the siblings, research has seldom focused on this phenomenon.

The purpose of this study is to describe the siblings` grief, including helping and hindering factors related to coping with the bereavement after the suicide of a sister or brother. The study findings help to understand the surviving sibling’s perceived grief and coping with the grief.

The research data were collected using electronic questionnaire and interviews. The interview focused on the feelings of grief, helping and hindering factors related to coping with the bereavement and the changes a sister’s or brother’s suicide brought to surviving sibling’s life The data consist of the responses of siblings (n=26) and was analysed by using inductive content analysis.

Siblings` grief appeared as holistic experiencing and as fragmentation of the soul. The holistic experience included working through various and even ambivalent emotions. Grief influenced siblings` physical well-being and changed their way of life. The bereaved strived to find their explanation for the sibling`s suicide. Despite to their deep grief, the surviving siblings tried to continue their lives. Fragmentation of the soul included characteristics of complicated grief. This type of grief experience was very strong, and persistent, and it dominated one`s whole life. Siblings’ life seemed confused and coping with the loss was difficult.

Siblings tried to suppress and prevent the feelings of sadness. Siblings tried to fit the fragments of grief in their lives, which helped to cope with the bereavement. Support from close people, reflection of what had happened and finding one`s own approach of grief were important in coping with the loss. The fragmentation of the grieving process inhibited the siblings’ ability to cope with the bereavement. Siblings had often grieved as they would have been outsiders and they were left alone to grieve the loss and cope with the loss. Siblings carried strong feelings of guilt and shame. In addition to their own grief the siblings had to cope and deal with the grief of the other bereaved. The study shows that the siblings grieving process was difficult and that siblings need special support interventions for their grief process.