CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. The Nature and Scope of Suicide
2. Recognizing the Progressive Development of Suicide
3. Substance Abuse as a Major Contributor to Suicide
4. Suicide Across the Life Span
5. Special Populations and Suicide Risk
6. Prevention and Early Intervention for Suicide and Substance Abuse Problems

Supplements
References
Resources

Holding the Lifeline
A Guide to Suicide Prevention

Surviving a Suicide

The journey of a suicide survivor after the loss of a significant loved one can be excruciatingly painful, devastating, and traumatic. Cultural, religious, and social taboos surrounding suicide can make this journey all the more difficult. An understanding and knowledge of factors relating to suicide will assist the survivor along the road to recovery and make the experience less bewildering and frightening. Some of the deaths may have been anticipated, but most survivors are faced with a death that is unexpected and often violent. Shock and disbelief are generally the initial reactions to the news. The reality of the loss will gradually penetrate, and a variety of feelings will emerge. These feelings may range from anger to guilt, denial, confusion, and rejection.

Past experiences from childhood and adolescence to adulthood have a great impact on how individuals are able to handle loss in the present. Automatic responses will surface and take over to the certain degree. Gaining an understanding of the impact that intense grief has on everyday functioning will also assist in working through the complex emotions that accompany the loss.

Physical, behavioral, emotional, and social reactions may remain with the individual in varying degrees for periods ranging from months to years. The aim of survivors will be to "survive," initially from day to day, and eventually to resume life having learned to live with the loss and adjusting their lives accordingly. In the early stages of grief this does not seem possible; survivors are consumed with thoughts of their loved ones and with often strong feelings of "wanting to join them." With the loss of a significant loved one the survivors often experience changes in their values or belief systems and emerge from the experience as different people. Self-help groups for suicide survivors can assist individuals to grow with the changes that confront them.

Excerpted from "Preventing Suicide: How to Start a Survivors' Group," Mental and Behavioural Disorders, Department of Mental Health, World Health Organization, Geneva, 2000.