Postvent: When Suicide Prevention Fails

In this article we will discuss what postventing means. Suicidal behavior is a complex phenomenon that is influenced by psychological, biological, social, cultural and environmental factors.

It can affect people of any age, gender, culture or social group. The multi-causal nature of suicide means that a systemic and cross-cutting approach is needed to prevent it. However, if prevention fails, we need to talk about postventiveness.

Postventie is intended to provide support to the families and loved ones of people who have ended their lives. Due to the stigma surrounding suicide, it is not uncommon for those closest to the deceased to have conflicting feelings.

Suicide is the leading cause of unnatural deaths in the US, causing more deaths than road accidents. In 2018, more than 48,000 people took their own lives there. This equates to 132 deaths per day, 5 deaths per hour.

The WHO reports nearly one million deaths from suicide each year and predicts that number could increase to 1.5 million by the end of 2020. They also found that men are more likely to end their lives, while women are twice as likely to attempt.

Suicide Prevention

It is important for anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts to know that there is someone they can turn to for help. Someone they can trust and share their problems with without fear of being stigmatized. It is also essential that they seek help from a professional, who can take appropriate preventive measures.

Remember: suicide is a permanent solution to a problem or problems that are almost always temporary. Just because there isn’t an obvious solution right now, doesn’t mean you won’t find one tomorrow.

It can be very helpful for the person in question to identify situations that trigger a crisis. In other words, they need to find the cause of their suicidal thoughts in order to understand when a crisis might arise.

Devising some sort of “emergency plan,” with or without the help of a close friend or medical professional, can help reduce the likelihood of the person attempting suicide in the future. This plan may include the following (to be used as a guideline only):

• Warning signs.
• Support network: The names of people the person trusts, along with their contact information so they can call them in case of an emergency or an imminent suicide attempt.

• Anchor Points: People or reasons that make life worth living.
• Preventive measures: seeking alternative solutions and removing objects that could cause them to injure themselves.
• A list of telephone numbers of 24-hour suicide prevention helplines.
• A reminder to call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room if the previous steps have not worked and the risk of a suicide attempt is imminent.

Postvention: When All Else Fails

As we have already mentioned, postvention consists of providing social, psychological and institutional support to the loved ones of someone who has taken their own life.

These individuals should receive support to help them grieve in a healthy way. In doing so, all risk factors that may complicate the grieving process must be addressed.

Everyone grieves differently and grief after a suicide is often very different from any other form of grief. There are no right or wrong reactions, all feelings are completely normal and acceptable. Think of shock, denial, guilt, pain and shame.

After a suicide, it is common for family and friends to ask “why” (why did they do it, why didn’t I help them…?). Often they also think “if…but” (if only I had realized it earlier, if only they had sought help…).

As they continue to process their grief, they begin to understand that while suicide can be prevented in some cases, in others no intervention could have prevented their death. They couldn’t have changed what happened.

The grieving process ends when loved ones understand that they will never have the answers to all their questions. Sometimes they will never fully understand why someone ended their life.

Acceptance is the best way to come to terms with a loss. As difficult as it may seem, the person’s decision should be respected and they should no longer be blamed for the suffering they have caused.

Their loved ones can eventually forgive them and also forgive themselves. However, despite their acceptance and forgiveness, feelings of guilt can still persist.

Debunking Suicide Myths: Basic Postvention Strategies

The topic of suicide is surrounded by myths and is still a taboo topic. As a result, the family and friends of people who have committed suicide often feel some conflicting feelings.

In addition to sadness, we often see feelings such as anger and rage. Shame is also common, causing many to hide the true cause of death from outsiders for fear of being judged.

In post-vention, it is important to include psychosocial support and psychoeducational strategies. These are strategies related to the reactions and feelings that many experience during the grieving process, as well as ways to counter social criticism.

It is also important to let family members and loved ones know that they have every right to remain silent, if they wish. Debunking myths surrounding suicide can especially help reduce conflicting feelings and fear of judgment. Some common misconceptions are:

• Talking about suicide leads to and encourages suicide.

• Suicide cannot be prevented because the person in question wants to die.
• Suicide is a cowardly/brave act.
• People who take their own life demand attention.
• Those who seriously want to end their lives do not talk about it.

Conclusion

People who try to commit suicide or who want to take their own life need and deserve help, as do those around them. It is important not to forget those who have lost loved ones to suicide.

If by definition the grieving process is painful and difficult, grieving a suicide is even more so. It is often accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame that can be very persistent and often are often resistant to intervention.

If someone doesn’t grieve well, it can cause problems in the long run. Without the necessary resources and support, it can even lead to depression.

That’s why it’s important that we don’t just focus on suicide prevention. However, we also need to focus on improving post-vention measures.

In addition, steps need to be taken to raise awareness in society and end the stigma that takes such a heavy toll on those who have lost someone to suicide.