![]() ![]() Community hotlines and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-80) should be advertised, and community groups, such as faith communities, may want to convene opportunities for people to come together to mourn and receive support. ![]() The impact of a death by suicide can be vast, as people hear about suicides through the proverbial grapevine. We all have a role to play in prevention and decreasing stigma by sharing our stories. When someone dies by suicide, the aftermath opens up an immediate opportunity to talk about suicide as a public health issue that affects all of us. And silence about a suicide loss does not contain the ripple effect-it just leaves people feeling isolated, as if they are facing this tragedy alone. So, what can be done to manage the impact of a suicide, and work toward future prevention? Work to Decrease Stigma According to a 2016 study, it is estimated that 115 people are exposed to a single suicide, with one in five reporting that this experience had a devastating impact or caused a major-life disruption. Ultimately, in the way that a pond is changed because of a pebble, an entire community can be changed by a suicide. Like emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, clergy and others who respond and provide support to the family and community, either at the time of death or afterward. People who may not have even personally known the individual who died can also be impacted. In a situation where the individual has struggled openly with mental health concerns, those who knew of the struggle will feel the pain of the loss-likely wondering if they could have done more. Some of these people may feel the impact in a way that feels similar to those closest to the person who has died. Those people who are members of an individual’s community, such as members of a faith community teachers, staff and other students in a school or service providers, may also be affected by a suicide. As a result, the people who interacted regularly with the individual who ended their life will miss the physical presence of that person and typically feel the loss most intimately.īut, those people represent only the first wave, or the initial level of impact. When someone dies by suicide, the people impacted most dramatically are those closest to the person who died: family, friends, co-workers, classmates. The reach of the pebble’s waves is much greater than the size of the pebble itself. The first “waves,” close by, are big, and as they move outward, they get smaller and smaller. Visually, when you see a pebble drop into a pond, it’s something small that makes a big impact. Many years ago, my colleague Ken Norton, LICSW, director of NAMI New Hampshire, shared this quote, and it has stuck with me. You can also get crisis text support via the Crisis Text Line by texting NAMI to 741741. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health, suicide or substance use crisis or emotional distress, reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) by dialing or texting 988 or using chat services at to connect to a trained crisis counselor. ![]()
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