Survivors: Those Who Have Lost Someone to Suicide

Surviving the Loss of a Loved One by Suicide

If you have lost someone to suicide, the most important thing you should know is that you are not alone. One of every 65 Americans has lost a loved one to suicide, and there are 4.6 million survivors in the United States alone. Like you, the millions affected are trying to cope with this heartbreaking loss. Each of these deaths reverberates through families, workplaces, schools, communities and the other social networks in our lives.

Every year more than 33,000 people in the United States die by suicide — the devastated family and friends they leave behind are known as “survivors.”  Many survivors have gone on to deal with their loss by developing tools and resources to help prevent suicide and spare others the pain they have experienced. They often share their experience of loss in “suicide survivor support groups” that help them deal with their shattering grief.

To find a suicide survivor support group in your area click here.

To find a therapist in your area click here.

VISIT

 

American Association of Suicidology Resources for Survivors of Suicide
Grief Support for Survivors of Suicide
Friends For Survival
Suicide Prevention Action Network
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
Compassionate Friends
Crisis, Grief and Healing: Articles of Interest and Forum
Fierce Goodbye: From a Documentary Focusing on Survivors
Grief Net: Grief Support
HeartBeat – Peer Support Group

watch
The Shaken Tree: Families Living With Mental Illness

Fatal Mistakes: Families Touched by Suicide (DVD)
From AFSP.org – This 45-minute film chronicles the recovery of several families in the aftermath of suicide. These “survivors” share their common experience with the hope that they will comfort others experiencing similar grief and prevent others from experiencing the pain of losing a loved one to suicide. The film includes interviews with several of America’s leading researchers and clinicians on the latest advances and trends in suicide prevention research, as well as warning signs, risk factors and appropriate treatments for suicidal patients.
Learn More Here

READ Touched by Suicide 978-1-84310-847-4grieving-child-a-parents-guideNo_time_to_say_ mysoncov20465007287.01.LZZZZZZZPB090398

About the Author

Lisa Firestone, Ph.D. Dr. Lisa Firestone is the Director of Research and Education at The Glendon Association. An accomplished and much requested lecturer, Dr. Firestone speaks at national and international conferences in the areas of couple relations, parenting, and suicide and violence prevention. Dr. Firestone has published numerous professional articles, and most recently was the co-author of Sex and Love in Intimate Relationships (APA Books, 2006), Conquer Your Critical Inner Voice (New Harbinger, 2002), Creating a Life of Meaning and Compassion: The Wisdom of Psychotherapy (APA Books, 2003) and The Self Under Siege (Routledge, 2012). Follow Dr. Firestone on Twitter or Google.

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