Coping With A Child's Suicide

QUESTION: Coping with a Child's Suicide - Where Do I turn?

ANSWER:

In the aftermath of coping with a child's suicide, a parent often asks, "Where do I turn for help?" A grieving mother or father needs the active love and support of extended family and close friends when dealing with the loss of a child. If you are a parent who is coping with a child's suicide, it is important to reach out for the emotional and spiritual support that you most certainly need during this difficult time. Resources that may be found within your community include the following:

Find a local chapter of a support group for grieving parents such as Compassionate Friends ( 1-877-969-0010).

Locate counseling and spiritual help that may be found through your local church.

Utilize the services of a professional counselor who specializes in grief related to suicide.

Help and resources through the National Suicide Hotline (1-800-Suicide).

As a parent who is dealing with the aftermath of a child's suicide you may be asking some very important spiritual questions. Other parents have asked many of those same questions, before you. "Where is my child now?" "Is there really a heaven?" "Will suicide keep my child from entering heaven?" "Where do I turn for spiritual help?" The best resource available to you to help you answer these questions is the Bible, God's written Word for mankind. The Bible contains comfort and answers to the most important questions and offers hope to parents who are grieving a child's suicide. Consider Psalms 34:17-19:

"The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all."

King David wrote in 2 Samuel 12:23, after the death of his infant son: ". . .I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." David knew that God loved him and had forgiven him for all his past wrongs. He had the assurance that he would one day be with his son in heaven.