According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2013, someone in the U.S. died of suicide every 12.8 minutes. There is much we do not know about suicide and much to learn. For teens, talking about suicide after losing someone they love may feel uncomfortable, and they may question why someone would take his or her own life. Some may feel a sense of guilt and loss because they feel as though they could have prevented the death.

Talking in a group setting can help teens feel they are not alone. “The rate of suicide continues to rise, and those left behind are impacted in many ways,” says Karlene Phillips, director of inpatient Behavioral Health at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. Phillips adds that grief support groups for survivors of suicide are successful in helping decrease the sense of isolation and in normalizing the many feelings that occur after a death.

Mayo Clinic Health System offers a support group to teens that have lost a loved one to suicide. Teens up to age 19, if still in high school, are encouraged to attend. Attendance is free. Call (715) 838-3274 for more information.