Prevention, Intervention, And Postvention

Knowledge truly is power – that is why we want to provide you with the latest information on suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention. Some of the most powerful ways to engage in suicide prevention involve the use of factual information about suicide while having supportive conversations with others. Check out the following links for additional information on suicide preventions, interventions, and postvention.

Prevention:

There are many factors that contribute to suicide . For this reason, prevention requires complex and multifaceted approaches. At the CAST Program, we believe that both individual and community action are essential for preventing suicide. By providing the necessary information and training, communities can become safer from suicide. When community members come together – each with their unique skills and abilities – the results of the group can be far greater than each person’s effort alone.

Those who die by suicide usually tell others in some way about their intentions. A person who dies by suicide without any warning signs at all is very rare. Understanding warning signs and reaching out to others can make all the difference. For more information, please see Risk Factors & Warning Signs. If you’re unsure whether someone is having thoughts of suicide, the best way to find out is to ask. If you are uncomfortable asking this question, you can connect them with someone who can. For more information, please see What To Do If Someone Is In a Crisis.

If you are worried about how someone will react, keep in mind that people are often relieved to share their thoughts of suicide with another person. Doing so lets them know they are not alone and gives them an opportunity to talk about the feelings and experiences that have contributed to their thoughts of suicide.

Alliance of Hope

The Alliance of Hope free online forum transcends time and distance, offering a culture of kindness, hope, and understanding to people who have lost loved ones to suicide. Operating like a 24/7 support group, our forum is supervised by a mental health professional and moderated by a trained team of loss survivors. Members can read and comment, share their stories, and connect with other suicide loss survivors.

Compassion Fatigue: When the Helpers Need Help

Public health orders, restrictions, shutdowns, lockdowns from COVID 19 have upped people’s anxieties and kept mental health professionals busy. Waiting lists are exploding because of the stresses of this pandemic on people. Being immersed in highly emotionally supportive and emotionally draining work over a period of time can be challenging. A reminder to be kind to those in the mental health field. Check out this resource for more information.

Intervention:

There is a lot of stigma surrounding suicide in our society. The misconceptions and myths surrounding suicide result in people fearing, avoiding, and/or distancing themselves from talking about it.

We know that avoidance is not effective. Despite what many believe, safe and respectful talk about suicide will not increase someone’s risk or ‘plant ideas’ in someone’s head. Instead, safe and respectful talk creates room for conversation, connection, and an opportunity to reach out and get appropriate help.

In order for interventions to be successful, we need to normalize talking about suicide and how to prevent it.

Toolkit For Those Impacted By A Suicide Attempt – Mental Health Commission of Canada

This toolkit is a summary of the tools that have resonated most with hundreds of people identified during research done by the Centre for Suicide Prevention.

Interventions To Prevent Suicides From Bridges

Public health organizations and municipalities can play a role in preventing suicide in public places. Specific roles for public health have been described by national public health authorities, including the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Framework for Suicide Prevention, which includes means restriction as a component of the suicide prevention continuum. This report focuses on means restriction and other suicide prevention measures on bridges. It is recognized that suicide prevention requires a multi-component strategy involving a continuum of interventions, ranging from mental health promotion to support for suicide survivors. The interventions described in this report should be considered as one part a broader strategy to effectively prevent suicide deaths.

What To Do If A Family Member Is Suicidal

This article provides information on what to do if a loved one is suicidal, including risk factors, how to keep your home safe, and more. Check out the article for more information.

Postvention:

Those who die by suicide typically have experienced an unbearable amount of pain and feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. They may also have felt a lack of connection to their social environment, even if there were caring people around them. Thoughts of suicide grow in the perceived absence of hope and purpose. Suicide is not a moral weakness or a character defect. Those who have died by suicide were in a place of extreme desperation, often unaware of resources that could help.

If you have lost a loved one to suicide, please know that it is not your fault and support is available. Sometimes, when people experience overwhelming feelings of pain or distress they are unable to see the love and care available around them. For more information, please see Survivors of Suicide.

Peer Support Groups are also available online or by phone – Please reach out!

Information for People Who Have Lost A Loved One To Suicide

Losing a loved one to suicide is different than losing someone to illness or even a sudden and tragic accident. Feelings of sadness and grief are often complicated by other feelings, like guilt, embarrassment, shame, despair, anger and denial. The endless search for answers can be overwhelming. Why did this happen? What could I have done? Will I ever be happy again. This package is intended to give you some basic information and assistance as you begin your journey. It is not a substitute for professional counselling or medical treatment and you are encouraged to seek any help you need.

Survivor Support Program What Survivors Experience

This document is written from the perspective of survivors of suicide. The information below is based on their experiences in their own words. We hope that you will find it helpful as you are beginning the healing process after the suicide of someone close to you.