10 Ways to Show Support After Learning of a Suicide
- Provide comfort to those who have lost someone. Every card, meal, phone call, and attempt to reach out will be appreciated. Do not underestimate the power of what might seem like small gestures.
- Check in frequently. Do not forget about the event. This person has just lost a lot. Your presence helps fill a deep void.
- Listen without judgment. It helps absolutely no one to assign blame.
- Be available physically as well. If your friend reaches out make it a priority to respond. Keep in mind that you are dealing with someone who needs you. Just sitting beside them may provide great comfort.
- Do not try to normalize the death. It is tragic, and it is not something that anyone could ever be prepared for.
- Over time, encourage your friend to talk about good memories as well as their sadness. These are all necessary for dealing with a loss. A death by suicide does not erase the many pleasant and wonderful moments of a person's life.
- Pay attention to when your friend, relative, or colleague needs a topic change and perhaps a distraction.
- Suggest a support group. These are often extremely helpful since no one benefits from being or feeling alone.
- Be sensitive to your words. The right way to refer to suicide is death by suicide, not "committed suicide." It's gentler and more compassionate.
- Be sensitive when talking about your own life. For example, if your friend has just lost a 22-year-old daughter, consider a little less discussion of your own child right away. You are dealing with a very sensitive person at this point in time.
Read the complete article available at Psychology Today!
Reflection:
Do you have any more tips to add to this list?
#Suicide #Support #MentalHealth
@comfortableNight4463
Don't announce the death to a whole school. Saying something like that over an intercom system will shake people up, even those who already know that something happened.
Make sure to grieve on your own time and try to not judge yourself for what that looks like.
Involve the person in a graduation as a way to remember them
Check on loved ones on anniversaries of the date of loss, it's not just the one event, this will haunt people for a long time and they may need support years after the fact.
Make sure everyone knows where they can get support, provide crisis resources
@loveisstrongerthanfear03 Thank you for sharing these helpful tips!
