Support Groups for Suicide and Overdose Loss: What to Expect

When you’ve lost someone to suicide or an overdose, it can feel as if no one else could understand. Many survivors say that meeting others who have been through the same thing is what finally eases the isolation. This guide explains what support groups for these losses are like, how to find them, and what to expect. Programs change their schedules and rules, so always check with the organization directly.

If you are having thoughts of ending your life, please call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), or call 911 in an emergency.

Why do people join a group?

Because of what it’s like to be among people who already know. The SOS Loss program run by MHAGC, a local organization in the Greenville area, notes that hearing other people’s stories often helps survivors realize they share many of the same feelings and questions after a suicide loss, and that groups are there for survivors at any stage, whether early in grief or years later. Alliance of Hope, a nonprofit for suicide loss survivors, operates an online forum that functions like a 24/7 support group.

Research is still catching up. A 2022 scoping review of peer-led support reported benefits such as reduced grief symptoms, depression, and suicidal thinking, though only seven of its 32 studies involved people bereaved by suicide, and a 2023 overview of suicide bereavement research called for stronger peer support and postvention. A systematic review in BMC Psychiatry noted that few controlled studies have examined how interventions affect suicide-related outcomes, so there’s no single proven approach. That’s a reason to find what feels right and helpful to you, and to use counseling alongside a group if you wish. For overdose bereavement, researchers at Stanford and RAND describe a peer grief support model as a promising practice that hasn’t yet been rigorously tested.

What kinds of groups are there?

• Drop-in peer support groups. Samaritans’ SafePlace meetings, for example, are facilitated by trained volunteers who have also lost a loved one to suicide, and are free, ongoing, and drop-in, with in-person meetings in the Greater Boston area and virtual meetings you can join from anywhere
• Time-limited cycles. Coping After Suicide runs small, private Zoom groups, professionally facilitated by people who have lost someone to suicide, in 10-session cycles; new members join at the start of each cycle. Unlike the free, drop-in peer groups above, it charges a fee (its Psychology Today listing gives $435 per cycle, so check its site for current pricing). It has groups organized by relationship, such as siblings and spouses or partners
• Groups for specific relationships. The American Association of Suicidology’s directory lists Alliance of Hope online groups, such as an 8-session group for women who have lost husbands or partners, support groups for mothers who have lost children to suicide, and an 8-session group for dads
• Local groups. Towns, hospitals, mental health associations, funeral homes, and faith communities may host groups. One town in Connecticut, for example, lists an open, in-person peer group led by a facilitator who completed AFSP’s training in facilitating a suicide bereavement support group
• One-to-one peer support. AFSP’s Healing Conversations program is one way to connect with another suicide loss survivor, and Samaritans offers “Survivor to Survivor” visits, where a trained survivor volunteer meets with you privately
• Online communities. Alliance of Hope’s forum, and Zoom groups, are options if no local group fits or if you’re not ready to be in a room
• Groups for overdose and addiction loss. GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing) was created to support people who have lost someone to addiction and overdose, according to Weill Cornell Medicine’s substance use and stigma program, which notes that society treats this loss differently. Search for GRASP’s meetings, and ask local hospices, health departments, or recovery organizations about other groups

How do I find one?

• AFSP’s national directory: the Berkshire Coalition for Suicide Prevention points people to AFSP’s nationwide directory of suicide loss support groups at afsp.org/find-a-support-group. AFSP says it lists groups as a public service and does not run, recommend, endorse, or fund any of them, so use the questions below to check a group before you join
• The American Association of Suicidology (suicidology.org): keeps a national directory of support groups for various survivors of suicide
• Samaritans, Coping After Suicide, and Alliance of Hope: for online options
• Your doctor, a counselor, a funeral director, a faith leader, or the medical examiner’s office: often know of local groups. See our guide on finding grief support
• SAMHSA’s National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357), free, confidential, 24/7, for families facing substance use disorders, can point to community resources

What is the first meeting like?

Programs vary, but common features are:

• You don’t have to talk. Samaritans’ FAQ says you don’t have to speak at your first SafePlace meeting, and that many loss survivors attend several meetings before talking about their own loss. If you’re not ready for a group, it suggests starting with a Survivor to Survivor visit
• You might get a call first. Some groups ask new members to register ahead of time or to schedule a short screening call. One local group asks newcomers to contact the group before their first meeting, even though drop-ins are welcome
• Facilitators often share your experience. Many are trained volunteers who are loss survivors themselves
• Groups are small and private in some programs, and drop-in and larger in others
• You’ll hear stories that echo your own. For some people that is a relief. For others, it’s heavy at first, and that’s okay

Questions to ask before you join

• Who facilitates the group, and what training do they have?
• Is it drop-in, sign-up, or a set number of sessions? Can I join at any time?
• Is it only for suicide loss, only for overdose loss, or all losses? Is it for a particular relationship, such as parents, siblings, spouses, or friends?
• How many people usually attend, and is the conversation confidential?
• Is there a cost? (Several programs are free, but not all)
• Do I need to speak? Can I just listen the first time?
• Is it in person, on video, or by phone? What are the hours?
• What do you do if someone in the group is in crisis?

What if a group doesn’t feel right?

Try another. Different facilitators, sizes, and formats suit different people, and so does timing: some people need a group right away, others wait months. A group isn’t a substitute for professional care if you’re struggling to function; see complicated grief and our guide on why suicide loss feels different. Many people use a group and a counselor together.

What about friends and family who want to help?

AFSP suggests helping a grieving friend connect with other survivors through International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, its Healing Conversations program, and bereavement support groups, and, when appropriate, offering to go with them to an event so they don’t feel so alone. See what to say to someone who lost a loved one to suicide.

Where can I get help right now?

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, any time
• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
• Emergency: 911

For overdose loss, see losing someone to an overdose, and for secular community options see secular grief support and community resources.

This is general educational information, not medical or mental health advice. Program details change; contact each organization to confirm schedules, fees, and eligibility. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 or call 911.