Postvention
Postvention refers to activities or interventions occurring after a death by suicide, to support those bereaved or affected (family, friends, professionals, peers, responders, community) to cope with stressors and manage the experience of loss and grief.
It is a significant form of suicide prevention as research suggests that suicide bereavement increases suicide risk, and that for every suicide death, there are approximately 135 people who are directly impacted by that death.1
| What does this mean? | What activities support this? | |
| Postvention | Interventions focused on supporting individuals, families and communities affected by a suicide death. |
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Everyone experiences grief differently in their bereavement process. Although individual bereavement experiences vary, they share similar features and reactions. People bereaved by suicide, similarly to people bereaved by other types of death, experience general grief reactions such as shock, denial, sadness, confusion and anger.2
Research has shown that in addition to these feelings, people bereaved by suicide may show higher levels of shame, responsibility, guilt, rejection, blame (self and/or others), personal and public stigma and trauma.
Prevention First (adapted): A Framework for Suicide Prevention
Notes
- 1
Cerel, J., Brown, M.M., Maple, M., Singleton, M., van de Venne, J., Moore, M. and Flaherty, C. (2019), How Many People Are Exposed to Suicide? Not Six. Suicide Life Threat Behav, 49: 529-534. https://doi.org/10.1111/sltb.1...
- 2
Postvention support services
There are a range of services available in Australia to support people who are bereaved by suicide. These include programs to provide direct support (telephone, in person or online counselling), presentations, webinars, training and workshops and research based activities.
- National Indigenous Postvention Service: 1800 805 801
- National crisis support: Access national 24/7 crisis support numbers and helplines
- Organisations: Suicide prevention organisations, programs and services currently operating in Australia.
- Community support and resources: Tools and resources to guide communities on responding and communicating about suicide and its potential impacts.
- Suicide Bereavement and Postvention: Advances in Research, Practice and Policy: A book providing research informed information and guidance.