Helping Survivors After Suicide

“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing ~ not healing~ not curing~ that is a friend who cares.”  Henri Nouwen

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Information Booklet for People Bereaved by Suicide

As the Commissioner for Victims’ Rights, I am often helping people suffering as the result of a traumatic incident. People bereaved by a sudden, often unexpected death, are frequently shocked and confused, and can feel a sense of chaos. Other common reactions to bereavement include bewilderment, disbelief, guilt and anger.

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Mental Illness and College Students

More than 36,000 people in the United States die by suicide every year. It is this country’s 10th leading cause of death, and is often characterized as a response to a single event or set of circumstances. However, unlike these popular conceptions, suicide is a much more involved phenomenon. The factors that contribute to any…

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Special Considerations for Telling Your Own Story: Best Practices for Presentations by Suicide Loss and Suicide Attempt Survivors

Sometimes when peoples’ lives have been touched by suicide, they want to help others by sharing their experience. Sharing one’s story with the public through presentations and media interviews is an important way to educate people about suicide. Research indicates that particular care needs to be taken when discussing suicide and here, a group of…

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Grieving the Death of a Spouse

Do Men and Women grieve differently? Women, through their conditioning tend to be lossoriented and are very concerned with their feelings. They want to focus on their loss by remembering theperson who has died. They have a need to express their emotions and to cry.

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