Irish Suicide Bereavement Survey

– Access the anonymous and confidential survey until the end of January 2022 at www.hugg.ie/suicide-bereavement-survey

In October 2021, Ireland’s first national survey on suicide bereavement was launched. Over 1,500 people participated in the survey up to December 2021.

However, researchers want to hear from men who have lost someone to suicide. Currently, males make up approximately 20% of people who have taken the survey.

Of those who die by suicide in Ireland each year, approximately 75-82% are males. The research team wants to learn about men’s experiences with suicide bereavement so that it can inform and enhance suicide bereavement support for males, as they are less likely to seek help for their mental health. The team wants to ensure it represents the experiences of men impacted by the suicide of someone they know. This could be a friend, family member, partner, neighbour, patient, student, co-worker, or client that has died by suicide.

Research in the UK tells us that people who lose someone to suicide are at greater risk of suicide than people bereaved by other causes. This is true for friends as well as relatives of the deceased. Many of these people may experience long-lasting impacts on their physical and mental health, including increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviours and a number will require support for their grief.

Participants in this survey noted the challenges for males seeking support: 

“Being men in our 40s, none of us found that easy to do”

“Our culture is to keep going, man up, so males are not inclined to look for this”

“Making it less of a ‘I’m a man I don’t need help’ attitude, think a lot more advertisements etc need to be put out there to help men get the help required”

You can access the anonymous and confidential survey until January 2022 at www.hugg.ie/suicide-bereavement-survey

The information gained in the survey researchers will be used to:

1. Help to standardise the support available to people bereaved by suicide in Ireland

2. Enhance the general public’s awareness of the impact of suicide and reduce stigma

This survey is being conducted by researchers at the National Suicide Research Foundation, led by Dr Eve Griffin, Research Fellow in collaboration with HUGG (Healing Untold Grief Groups). HUGG provides peer-support groups for those who have experienced suicide bereavement – led by people who have themselves lost a loved one to suicide. HUGG was founded by Fiona Tuomey, its Chief Executive Officer, following the death of her 11-year-old daughter Milly by suicide in 2016. This research is funded by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention (NOSP), as part of the Collaborative Research Grants Call 2021.

If require support regarding any of the issues raised in this article you can contact the following helplines:

Text HELLO to 50808; Samaritans: freephone 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.ie;

Irish Hospice Foundation Bereavement Support Line: freephone 1800 807 077.

Additional information for people bereaved by suicide is available in the guide You are not alone: Support for people who have been bereaved by suicide www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/mental-health-services/connecting-for-life/news/national-suicide-bereavement-support-guide.pdf