Tag: trauma-responses

Many suicide loss survivors experience post-traumatic stress symptoms including intrusive thoughts about the death, nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance of reminders, emotional numbing, heightened startle response, and difficulty concentrating or sleeping. The sudden, violent, and often unexpected nature of suicide creates trauma alongside grief, sometimes meeting diagnostic criteria for PTSD requiring specialized trauma treatment. Recognizing trauma symptoms as normal responses to abnormal circumstances rather than signs of weakness or mental instability helps survivors seek appropriate support including trauma-informed therapy, potential medication, and self-care strategies specifically addressing trauma rather than grief alone.