Silent Grief: Living in the Wake of Suicide

About the Book

Silent Grief is a book for and about "suicide survivors" - those who have been left behind by the suicide of a friend or loved one.

Author Christopher Lukas is a suicide survivor himself - several members of his family have taken their own lives - and the book draws on his own experiences, as well as those of numerous other suicide survivors. These inspiring personal testimonies are combined with the professional expertise of Dr. Henry M. Seiden, a psychologist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist.

The authors present information on common experiences of bereavement, grief reactions and various ways of coping. Their message is that it is important to share one's experience of "survival" with others and they encourage survivors to overcome the perceived stigma or shame associated with suicide and to seek support from self-help groups, psychotherapy, family therapy, Internet support forums or simply a friend or family member who will listen.

This revised edition has been fully updated and describes new forms of support including Internet forums, as well as addressing changing societal attitudes to suicide and an increased willingness to discuss suicide publicly.

Silent Grief gives valuable insights into living in the wake of suicide and provides useful strategies and support for those affected by a suicide, as well as professionals in the field of psychology, social work, and medicine.

Table of Contents:
Preface to the Revised Edition. Part One: The Short Term: 'What's Happening to Me?' Introduction: Lukas's Story. 1. What Happens to the Survivor After Someone Commits Suicide. 2. Emotional Reactions to Suicide. 3. A Family's Story. Part Two: The Long Run: 'What's Going to Happen to Me?' 4. The Bargain: A Deal We Make with Life. 5. Bargains: The Long Good-bye. 6. Bargains: Scapegoating. 7. Bargains: 'I Am Guilty; I Am a Victim.' 8. Bargains: Cutting Off. 9. Bargains: A Miscellany. 10. The Saddest Bargain: 'Because You Died, I'll Die.' 11. The Grand Bargain: Silence. 12. Reactions to an Adolescent's Suicide. Part Three: Giving Help and Getting Help: Listening and Talking. 13. Responding. 14. Giving Help by Listening. 15. Getting Help by Talking. 16. Talking with Children. 17. Living with Suicide: Some Stories About Responding. Epilogue: Lukas's Story: A Personal Summary. Notes. Appendix: Where to Find Self-Help Groups. Bibliography. Index.

About the Author :
Christopher Lukas is a 45-year veteran of the public television world in the US, a writer and television producer whose documentaries include films on end-of-life care, psychology, and the arts. Dr. Henry M. Seiden is a psychologist and psychoanalytic psychotherapist, living and practicing in New York. He has taught and supervised in a number of graduate schools, clinics, hospitals, and training institutes in New York City.

Review :
A well-done, very readable work for virtually all populations; highly recommended. This book is intended specifically neither for suicide survivors nor for professionals, yet it is well-suited to both audiences. Survivors will definitely find kinship - if not comfort - in the many personal stories featured here; they are also likely to feel less isolated and more accepting of their emotional reactions upon learning that they are not alone. Similarly, mental health professionals will benefit by gaining greater insight into and compassion for their clients who are suicide survivors. Overall, a well-done, very readable work for virtually all populations; highly recommended.