Alex's Answer

Hi there,

 

You are very welcome to ask, Alex, and you have been really brave to come on and ask us this question. Thank you for taking the time to do this.

 

We are very sorry to hear that your friend died by suicide. This is a very difficult time for you. Please ensure that you are chatting about your thoughts and feelings with a trusted adult in your life.

 

When someone dies by suicide, it can be very hard on those left behind, and it can leave us sometimes with unanswered questions. People choose to end their life because of their own reasons, and this isn’t something you should feel guilty about, as this was the choice of your friend. No one is responsible for this; please try and remind yourself of this as much as you can. We can only support people so much, regardless of what we might do for them. Always keep in your mind that this is not your fault. Please be kind to yourself and be patient with yourself and how you are feeling.

 

When we have lost someone in our lives, it can be a good idea to have some things that we do for self-care. These are different things for different people, but this might be going for a walk, playing football, or putting on a face mask. You do whatever feels right for you and your mind. You have lost someone important in your life, so it can be a real emotional rollercoaster, and it’s ok to have different feelings; this is totally normal. You may find this article helpful www.childline.ie/experiencing-a-death-or-loss/.

 

As we mentioned above, talk about how you are feeling with someone in your life that you trust. Always know that we are here to listen in Childline too, whatever time of the day or night. You are very welcome to reach out to us if you would like to have a chat. We have an online chat service on www.Childline.ie (Live Chat) or give us a call on 1800 66 66 66. We will never judge you; we will be here to listen to you chat about what’s going on for you and how you’re feeling. We can look at some of the options that may be available to you.

 

Take care of yourself and remember how brave you have been to come on to ask your question.

Alex