Death by suicide is barred none one of the most difficult ways in which a loved one can die. The aftermath presents an emotionally challenging situation for survivors of suicide loss. This includes facing the prospect of suicide cleanup following a traumatic death of this nature. Survivors of suicide loss, typically family members, face the tremendous task of seeing to the remediation of the scene. The additional emotional toll that suicide cleanup can vest upon survivors underscores the need for compassionate professional assistance. 

Understanding Suicide Contagion

Time and again, there are media reports about a person dying by suicide and then another person somehow connected to that individual also dying by suicide. This phenomenon happens with such frequency at this juncture in time it has been given its own name: suicide contagion. Because suicide contagion is a recurring and relatively widespread…

suicide contagion and a student

Schools and Suicide: Understanding Suicide Contagion and Strategies To Prevent It

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has developed a concise, direct, plain English definition of suicide contagion: Suicide contagion is the exposure to suicide or suicidal behaviors within one’s family, one’s peer group, or through media reports of suicide and can result in an increase in suicide and suicidal behaviors. Direct and indirect…

shocking suicide statistics

Alarming Suicide Statistics

Suicide is a major public health issue in the United States and in other countries around the world. Ultimately, understanding the facts and circumstances associated with a particular death by suicide are crucial. With that noted, considering broader statistics can also be illuminating and help us to better understand the pervasive nature of suicide in…

suicide loss survivor

Core Suicide Postvention Principles

Suicide postvention is defined as activities that are designed to reduce risk and promote healing in the aftermath of a death by suicide, according to the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. There are a set of principles associated with suicide postvention. These postvention principles are: Public health problem Appropriate grief process Proper suicide prevention actions Suicide…

social media and suicide postvention

Suicide Postvention and Social Media

When a person dies by suicide, including a student or young person, that individual’s social media page or pages become virtual gathering points for family, friends, and others. Moreover, in addition to the deceased individual’s social media page or pages, social media more generally nearly always becomes active with posts and discussions regarding the specific…

postvention following death by suicide

10 Primary Postvention Tasks Following the Death by Suicide of a Student

The Riverside Trauma Center has developed a 10-component array of comprehensive primary postvention tasks that are recommended following the death by suicide of a student. The 12 primary postvention tasks are: Verify death and essential facts surrounding the death Coordinate internal and external resources Disseminate accurate information Specific support for those impacted by the death…

Understanding Bullying and Suicide

In recent years, the media has broadcast an increasing number of stories that link bullying and suicide. However, researchers are still looking to establish a concrete connection between these two behavioral phenomenons. The world’s suicide rates are on the rise. Meanwhile, bullying is declining around the world. The stark contrast between these statistics has helped…

Understanding and Stopping Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Are you struggling to understand non-suicidal self-injury? Is someone you know self-injuring? Here is a comprehensive guide to non-suicidal self-injury. Read along for information and resources about NSSI. What Are Non-Suicidal Self-Injuries (NSSI) According to the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury, non-suicidal self-injury is deliberate, self-inflicted damage to body tissue. These sorts of…

Coping With Bullying and Suicide

Bullying is when someone intentionally causes another person harm or injury. Bullying behaviors tend to be repetitive. If it seems as though bullying-related suicides are becoming more prevalent, that’s because they are.  Children who reported being bullied or were reportedly bullying others are at risk for developing suicidal tendencies. However, the relationship between suicide and…

Suicide Postvention in a High School Setting

An understandably considerable amount of attention is paid to suicide prevention among young people, including high school age students. The vital necessity for ambitious, comprehensive suicide programs directed towards high school students cannot be overstated. With that important reality recognized, attention also needs to be paid to suicide postvention in a high school setting. Specifically,…