Suicide and Long Term Grief in Significant Others - Research Proposal Example

Heading: Suicide and Long Term Grief in Significant Others Your name Course name Professors’ name Date Introduction Suicide can be defined as self injurious behavior which may lead to loss of life. Suicide can be classified with reference to time period spent by the victim before committing the act. While a range of suicides are hasty and spontaneous, a good number takes the form of a rigorous process of evaluation an appraising the effective and efficient way to execute the act. This will take a time span beginning days, weeks and even a number of years. When a victim deliberates on committing suicide, the process goes through psychological stages before arriving at the final point of execution. The course is marked by intense stress and internal conflict which increases with time. There is high probability that the victim will commit suicide as the stress level builds up. Another important factor to note is the weakening self esteem whereas the person cannot be controlled. Furthermore, chemical compositions (serotonin and neurotransmitter restraining self-injury) of these persons are seen to fluctuate highly. A close range of suicide has a narrow span of choices leaving such person with a single point of focus, to put to an end suffering through death. When pain is intense and unbearable, suicide reaches its completion stage. The literature review will cover past research work conducted to establish the consequences of suicide on family and close relations. Consequently, aspects of a suicide griever will be given in detail with emphasis on past statistics obtained by researchers. This will involve an analysis of data and deriving meaning out of it while creating areas which needs further developments. The analysis will help future researchers to move a step ahead in unearthing the descriptive literature of suicide griever. Literature on the needs of grievers and the risk of suicide will be reviewed. In the same line, the paper presents an investigation of professional help and assistance given to suicidal victims. The finding creates an avenue to reach for unexplored areas to support the victims. Along with this, effectiveness of support groups and role played by victim’s friends is worth exploiting to determine the best way forward given the present socio economic changes. ` Literature review Research in the field of suicide is difficult mainly because of psychological frame of families affected by the demise. The process of choosing a sample size from a population is not an easy task given the emotional breakdown. Explicit qualitative research on teenage suicide and subsequent family reaction has contributed to better understanding of society and its component. The studies further elaborate on the role played by each individual in making the community a place to stay peacefully. It is critical to note that past research help in chanting the best way forward through planning and projecting. Suicide committed by young persons results from a major rejection of friends, immediate family and ultimately significant others (Barry, 2002). After the suicide, family involved goes through a process of investigating signs and clues that could have led to the demise with an objective of explaining the disaster (Barnes, 2006). Research reveals that social stigma is still a stumbling block in handling grief. The parents, who are supposed to take custody of their children, face self- reproach for failing to guide their children appropriately (Clark, 2001). Grief resulting from suicide has a feature of shame, neglect, and an endless search for reasons behind the suicide. Suicide and car accident compares well with both parties experiencing a sudden death with no time to bid farewell close friends and relatives (Barnes, 2006). Methodology Most of the research work to be reviewed was based on a qualitative methodology with interviews and questionnaires acting as research tools for data collection. Snowballing method was highly utilized since it was difficult to sample out from the population individuals who have been affected directly or indirectly by suicide. Research by Barlow (2002) involved an analysis of 88 suicides from the year 1995 to 1998. The method used in data collection was interviewing 10 families after suicide had happened. Analysis basis was grounded theory model which required data to be classified in terms of “post-suicidal reactions, impact on daily living and family support needs” (McMenamy, 2008). There is need for a more integrative methodology when researching on suicide and long term grief for significant others. How suicide ensues In a case study done by Neimeyer (2000), death and fatal harm are the requirements for suicide to reach a completion stage. A yearning for death starts with a perception that a person is a burden to the immediate family or close friends consequently lacking a sense of belonging. As noted by Murphy (2000), the mentioned circumstance happens when a person is at an extreme end of hopelessness and helplessness. The observation makes the individual to think that there is no solution or assistance to obtain from anywhere. Ellenbogen (2000) emphasised that mental practise supplemented by self inflicted harm which are severe in nature makes a person capable of completing a suicide attempt. Behaviour such as a deliberation on death and subsequently visiting a ground likely to execute suicide, such as a bridge, will automatically orient a person to commit suicide. In addition to this, Ellenbogen (2000) concluded that “overcoming psychological pains and engaging in self inflicted injury which are none lethal in nature have an effect of conquering instinctive shyness against self harm and complete suicide”. Suicide griever Suicide griever is a person who lost a close friend or an immediate relative to suicide and is now experiencing loneliness and heartache. An estimate done by Jordan (2004) reveals that each suicide has a range of 5-6 survivors. Minimum research has been done in this area of suicide grievers but there exist several articles giving details on suicide griever. The reason behind the minimum research conducted on suicide griever is the difficulty of interviewing or rather sampling out suicide griever given the emotional breakdown. Nevertheless, little research covered on widows and the parent’s suicide victim. This research detailed existence of less support as compared to other kinds of losses. The most recent focus was on the reaction of a griever to suicide. It is important therefore, to conduct an intense research on the number of grievers combined with the kind of assistance directed to them. So as to explicitly address grievers, classification with reference to family set up (socio-economic background) is of paramount importance. This will enable a researcher obtain information on the basis of suicide. In the wide area of suicide, less research has been conducted on people with mental illness (such as schizophrenia). This class of individuals are more exposed to suicide than the whole population. Mentally ill being is vulnerable to crisis and suicide. More emphasis should then be placed on effects of bereavement on persons with mental retardation and alcoholic. The needs of suicide grievers In consideration of the fact that suicide is a disturbing loss which is sudden, violent and unexpected, grief will take the form of long term internal reconciliation. Study done by Runeson (2003) aimed at defining the family set up of suicide victim in the social context. The findings were that such families still suffer from stigma and alienation. This feeling of stigma makes grievers to evade seeking professional assistance as they try to own the loss. Runeson (2003) found out that people who were witness to death or retrieved the body from the suicide execution point suffer post traumatic stress. A common observation is that of rage towards the victim or even themselves. What follows is a period of depression making them suicidal. Statistics given Jordan (2004) gave a statistic which revealed that the risk of committing suicide among the suicide griever is high by 5 times. The study disclosed that a family of the suicide victim has a history of suicide which is a proof that the grievers are at a higher risk. Multistate research stated that 14% of suicide grievers had lost a family member or rather a relative to suicide. This is a strong correlation between the suicide victim and the probability of suicide happening in the future within the family set up. They must therefore be given an immediate professional assistance and attention to overcome grief. Jordan (2004) argues those adolescents who have lost a loved one to suicide, are 3 times more likely to follow the same path of suicide than those who have not experienced suicide in their proximity. Cohen (2004) held that “the grievers who were in consanguineous relationship with the victim may share neurobiological features consequently increasing risks of suicide”. This clearly describes risk factors such as abuse, bipolar disorder abuse of alcohol and other mental disorders to be deeply rooted in suicide families. Kinds of assistance for suicide grievers Healing process after suicide is not an easy task but requires patience and a strong will power. It might not be possible to heal but the effects of suicide may reduce to a lower level. Cvinar (2005) agrees that a person can experience extreme change. He notes that suicided is capable of shattering the values of a person consequently changing the emotional believe. At the time of loss, griever must be offered support and guidance least they face internal crisis which may have a subsequent effect of suicide. The best people to execute support for the suicided grievers are those who have had similar experiences. One of the types of support is the individualised or the family counselling in addition to medical care. The grievers must be made to understand the sphere of suicide and its direct effect to their lives. Through the professional assistance, victims will be able to recognise a fact that life has to continue despite loss of a close friend or relative. Groups such as ‘Survivors of Suicide’ and the ‘Compassionate Friend’ have been formulated to offer general support to parents, siblings, and immediate relatives. Various states have local hospice which give attention to grief stricken individuals. More research should be carried out on the possibility of offering a direct counselling service after a suicide experience. This service will be extended to rural areas and small towns. It is also important to carry out a research on the success of community support groups so as to establish an area of contention. A research done by Neimeyer (2000) clearly brings out a scarce suicide support groups for children while it really does not exist for elderly persons. This observations call for an investigation to be carried out detailing on how best to handle the elderly persons affected by grieve. The emergence of information communication technology has made it possible for support to be done via e-mails and other internet resources. These services focus on specialised needs of suicide survivors, siblings. There are still some available avenues yet to be explored for its efficiency and effectiveness in supporting grief after a suicide experience. Researchers must examine the option of entrenching a new subject in the curriculum to help inculcate responsible living. Suicide grief support group is an invention by grief stricken individuals to enter into dialogue with other people in the society on how best to handle the loss. The groups may be led by a volunteer or a professional in the field of grief. They can also be described by nature of being open ended (where they meet a number of times in a month for a whole year) or closed ended (running for several weeks in a year). The groups base their discussions on a variety of topics which have emotional effect on the victims. Effectiveness of suicide support groups Jordan (2004) gave an explicit research on the effectiveness of suicide support group. One of the reasons why suicide support groups are classified as effective is its role in making the griever realize that his or her feeling is normal in the present predicament. Normalization effect is achieved in a group setting when an individual learns that other persons have had a similar experience of loss. Empathy usually creeps into the group consequently, reassuring the grievers that their loss and fear is shared across the board (Runeson, 2003). Members in a support group gain ability to open up after a verbal conversation. The whole process of exchanging ideas and thoughts is the first step in understanding the reasons for the recent happenings. Group setting further makes it possible to monitor and evaluate the risks associated with suicide in a family by providing good role model. The extended benefit is social support to grieving survivor which shapes their social life for the better. Deriving sense after a demise of a loved one is not an easy task since it involves an emotional passage over time. It is also in the support group that survivors are provided resources to educate them on the nature of suicide and grief. 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Methodology Most of the research work to be reviewed was based on a qualitative methodology with interviews and questionnaires acting as research tools for data collection. Snowballing method was highly utilized since it was difficult to sample out from the population individuals who have been affected directly or indirectly by suicide. Research by Barlow (2002) involved an analysis of 88 suicides from the year 1995 to 1998. The method used in data collection was interviewing 10 families after suicide had happened.

Analysis basis was grounded theory model which required data to be classified in terms of “post-suicidal reactions, impact on daily living and family support needs” (McMenamy, 2008). There is need for a more integrative methodology when researching on suicide and long term grief for significant others. How suicide ensues In a case study done by Neimeyer (2000), death and fatal harm are the requirements for suicide to reach a completion stage. A yearning for death starts with a perception that a person is a burden to the immediate family or close friends consequently lacking a sense of belonging.

As noted by Murphy (2000), the mentioned circumstance happens when a person is at an extreme end of hopelessness and helplessness. The observation makes the individual to think that there is no solution or assistance to obtain from anywhere. Ellenbogen (2000) emphasised that mental practise supplemented by self inflicted harm which are severe in nature makes a person capable of completing a suicide attempt. Behaviour such as a deliberation on death and subsequently visiting a ground likely to execute suicide, such as a bridge, will automatically orient a person to commit suicide.

In addition to this, Ellenbogen (2000) concluded that “overcoming psychological pains and engaging in self inflicted injury which are none lethal in nature have an effect of conquering instinctive shyness against self harm and complete suicide”. Suicide griever Suicide griever is a person who lost a close friend or an immediate relative to suicide and is now experiencing loneliness and heartache. An estimate done by Jordan (2004) reveals that each suicide has a range of 5-6 survivors. Minimum research has been done in this area of suicide grievers but there exist several articles giving details on suicide griever.

The reason behind the minimum research conducted on suicide griever is the difficulty of interviewing or rather sampling out suicide griever given the emotional breakdown. Nevertheless, little research covered on widows and the parent’s suicide victim. This research detailed existence of less support as compared to other kinds of losses. The most recent focus was on the reaction of a griever to suicide. It is important therefore, to conduct an intense research on the number of grievers combined with the kind of assistance directed to them.

So as to explicitly address grievers, classification with reference to family set up (socio-economic background) is of paramount importance. This will enable a researcher obtain information on the basis of suicide. In the wide area of suicide, less research has been conducted on people with mental illness (such as schizophrenia). This class of individuals are more exposed to suicide than the whole population. Mentally ill being is vulnerable to crisis and suicide. More emphasis should then be placed on effects of bereavement on persons with mental retardation and alcoholic.

The needs of suicide grievers In consideration of the fact that suicide is a disturbing loss which is sudden, violent and unexpected, grief will take the form of long term internal reconciliation. Study done by Runeson (2003) aimed at defining the family set up of suicide victim in the social context. The findings were that such families still suffer from stigma and alienation. This feeling of stigma makes grievers to evade seeking professional assistance as they try to own the loss. Runeson (2003) found out that people who were witness to death or retrieved the body from the suicide execution point suffer post traumatic stress.

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