Magdaline Desousa

The Forgotten Mourners: Sibling Survivors of Suicide Magdaline Desousa

Alone in the Shadows of Grief This book is meant for anyone who has lost a brother or sister to suicide - the forgotten mourners - and those who want to provide them support. Any loss is difficult, but a loss to suicide is heightened because of the helplessness and confusion surrounding it. A sibling loss to suicide is even more unique because the sibling(s) left behind are often forgotten - mourning the loss of their brother or sister alone in the shadows of their grief. This book discusses some of the challenges sibling survivors of suicide will face, both individually and as a family unit, including: -- What can I expect during the grieving process as a sibling survivor of suicide? -- How can I set boundaries to take care of myself? -- Will my relationship with my parents change? -- How do I answer questions about my now-departed sibling? -- Who am I without my sibling? -- What can I do to get through the holidays and anniversaries? -- How do I keep my brother or sister alive in my life, without him or her physically present? These questions and more are answered directly from the author's experiences following the loss of her eighteen year-old brother to suicide in November 2001. Hopefully, these experiences will give sibling survivors of suicide a bit of strength, hope, and peace in navigating the long road to healing ahead.