When our sibling has died by suicide

One of a series of leaflets published by The Compassionate Friends The journey ahead Our sibling’s death was like an earthquake. Our life has changed forever. Managing the intense rollercoaster of emotions and thoughts that follow our sibling’s death is not easy, but it is possible. We will not always feel our grief so acutely; it will not always feel so raw. It might seem surprising to us in the early months, but eventually most of us find that we do adjust to this new reality. We find strategies and activities that keep us occupied and are beneficial to our state of mind. We might do relaxation exercises or get out into green spaces; maybe we will take up new hobbies or volunteer for a charity. Taking up a non-demanding, repetitive activity can help calm our minds, or we might find solace in music or in spiritual activities. We are never the same after our sibling’s death, nor would we want to be. We have lost someone we shared a vital part of our life with. We have the rest of our lives to spend without our sibling. If we choose, we can in some ways shape our lives to honour them, while at the same time, living our own lives. They will forever be our sibling and have a place in our heart.