|
Despite the best efforts of friends, loved ones and professionals, suicides do occur. The family members and friends left behind after a suicide are known as "survivors." Although the number of deaths by suicide almost doubles that of homicide each year, suicide is still misunderstood and is often not discussed. Survivors often face difficulties of coping with the normal process of grief, while dealing with stigma and the misconceptions of suicide. Survivors can struggle with conflicting emotions, such as grief, anger, guilt, shame and relief, while searching to understand the suicide in a quest to know “why”-which can be almost impossible to answer.
Although coping with a suicide takes time, there is hope as survivors should know that they are not alone. Finding support through grief support groups or individual therapy can be very helpful to those struggling to cope with a suicide. To find resources in your area, please visit:
Struggling to cope with a suicide is difficult. Sometimes survivors may begin struggling with suicidal feelings as well. If you feel that you are suffering from a potentially life-threatening problem, please visit your nearest emergency room or call 911 to seek immediate help. Additionally, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1.800.273.TALK (8255). The lifeline is available 24-hours a day and is free and confidential.
Survivors continue to make a huge impact in suicide prevention as they put a real face to the problem of suicide. Coping with a suicide can be a life long process; however, many survivors find strength to go on by sharing their story and increasing awareness throughout their communities and/or on a national level. With their own painful experiences to drive them, they are able to help prevent other families from experiencing the same fate. To learn more about becoming an advocate for suicide prevention, please visit:
For more information on how to cope with a loss from suicide, please see the resources:
If you feel that you are currently suffering from a potentially life-threatening problem, please visit your nearest emergency room or call 911 to seek immediate help. Additionally, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1.800.273.TALK (8255). The lifeline is available 24-hours a day and is free and confidential.
Those who attempt suicide, but survive, are referred to as “attempters”. Although it is hard to estimate the number of attempts each year, as it is often unreported, it is estimated that over 1.4 million people attempt suicide each year in the United States alone. Having a previous suicide attempt is a risk factor for suicide; however, there is hope as research shows support from loved ones, the community and from professionals are important protective factors.
For more resources, please visit:
|