Psychological experiences of suicide bereavement by family members in Limpopo Province

Abstract

Suicide is one of the major global public health challenges, with evidence showing that an interplay of multiple factors leads to someone taking their life. While suicide is often a solitary act, its impact on other people is far-reaching. When someone commits suicide, family and friends are almost always left behind to grieve, trying to understand the reasons for the suicide and having to learn to continue with their lives. Because suicide happens within families, its impact on the remaining members is of paramount importance. Understanding the impact of suicide on the surviving family members is a critical step in determining how to assist survivors. The study comprised eleven (11) participants who were all nuclear family members bereaved by suicide in the Capricorn District of Limpopo Province, South Africa. They were all from the Sepedi-speaking ethnic group. Data was collected through in-depth, semi structured, individual face-to-face interviews. Data analysis was done through the use of Hycner’s phenomenological explication process. The following themes were extracted from the participants’ case studies: knowledge of suicide; causes of suicide; methods used in the act; the impact of suicide on the family; prevention of suicide; coping strategies; grief following suicide and grief following other causes of death; concerns about the topic of suicide; and, suggestions in terms of support for suicide bereaved families. The current study reveals that there is still a lot of secrecy around psychological problems which lead people to suicide with the survivors not knowing who or what to blame. It is also evident from the findings that suicide bereaved people tended to be psychologically disturbed, less likeable and more blameworthy than non-suicidally bereaved. The psychological impact experienced includes depression, self-blame, aggression, suicidal ideations and also resulting in hospitalisation for some. Suicide can lead to longer and more complicated grief reactions because family members cannot share their experiences or thoughts, particularly the feelings of guilt that they are struggling with. The stigma from society does not make it any easier for survivors to deal with their grief, leading them to isolate themselves with fear of being judged. Based on the study findings, a culturally informed psychological model of suicide bereavement was developed to explain the lived experiences of African family v members bereaved by suicide. The model incorporates some ideas from Bowen’s structural family theory and the Afrocentric theory. This model proposes that suicide may cause a break-up within the family system and that cultural beliefs may be unfavourable in some instances. For instance, in this study, it was found that some Africans still believe that suicide is a taboo and a curse, which contradicts the psychological importance of viewing the victim’s body by family members. Being unable to view the deceased causes complications in the bereavement process, which leads to psychological problems. It further proposes that African culture is broad and still follows the norms and values in most situations, while these norms and values also play a role in the outcome of the bereavement process. These norms and values may lead to a breakdown of the family structure, leaving them with conflicts or complicated grief, leading to more psychological problems.