Narratives, Meanings and Voices of Suicide Loss Survivors: A Systematic Qualitative Review

The aim of this systematic qualitative review is to synthesise and interpret the main narratives and meanings concerning Suicide Loss Survivors (SLS) experiences, in order to achieve a better understanding of first-person testimonies.Searches were conducted in PubMed-Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases using terms related to SLS, including studies published in English between 2014 and 2025.A total of 35 studies were included.The qualitative evidence was synthesised through a meta-synthesis using inductive content analysis (ICA), leading to the identification of five descriptive categories structuring the narratives: a) the disruption caused by the loss, b) stigma as a form of symbolic and structural violence, c) institutional responses and postvention experiences, d) coping strategies in the face of grief, and e) meaning-making after a suicide loss.The results show that SLS samples were predominantly composed of participants reported as women.Furthermore, the narratives highlight the importance of improving postvention measures, particularly based on care, human rights, and a destigmatizing social recognition of bereavement from a critical global mental health perspective.