Objective: In a first part we describe the situation of suicide survivors after the suicide of a family member in USA and Germany by reviewing the literature. In a second part we try to elucidate typical patterns of reactions and coping of relatives.
Methods: On the basis of either own experience or from supervision cases, we try to elaborate reaction types of relatives of inpatients who committed suicide.
Results: Relatives as suicide survivors show reactions from shock, disbelief, grief, guilt, self-doubt, anger and relief to accusation and threat of lawsuit toward therapists. An attempt is made to subsummarize these reactions in three preliminary categories.
Conclusions: Generally, relatives should be offered the opportunity of more than one common talk with the health care professionals. Postvention is preventive work, that aims at avoiding that the suicide survivors becomes a patient himself.