information for practice

news, new scholarship & more from around the world


advanced search

What Do We Know About Needs for Help After Suicide in Different Parts of the World?

Background: “A person’s death is not only an ending: it
is also a beginning – for the survivors. Indeed, in the case of suicide, the largest
public health problem is neither the prevention of suicide (…), nor the management of
attempts (…), but the alleviation of the effects of stress in the survivor-victims of
suicidal deaths, whose lives are forever changed and who, over a period of years, numbers in
the millions …” (Edwin S. Shneidman,
1973). Aims: As there is no doubt that suicide
postvention should be given a more prominent position on the agenda than is presently the case,
this paper explores what we now know about perceived needs for help on the part of suicide
bereaved in different parts of the world. Methods: A search of related
literature in the field was undertaken using the PubMed/PsychInfo databases. In
addition, professionals throughout the world working in the field of suicide postvention were
invited to submit reports about suicide postvention measures or literature.
Results: Very little research was found that reflected the perceived needs
for help on the part of the bereaved – and all the studies stemmed from countries in
the Western world. However, the bereaved in these studies agreed about a common need for peer
and social support, and that professional help must be adapted to and offered with respect for
individual needs. Thus, it seems that in societies in which the stigma about suicide has
diminished, the bereaved experience very similar needs for help, whereas in other societies it
is difficult to talk about their need for help because of the sanctions and taboos connected to
suicide. Conclusions: We need far more culturally sensitive research in order
to explore and clarify how each community understands suicide and reacts to families who have
lost someone by suicide.

  • Content Type Journal Article
  • Category Research Trends
  • Pages 1-9
  • DOI 10.1027/0227-5910/a000098
  • Authors
    • Kari Dyregrov, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway, and Center for Crisis
      Psychology, Bergen, Norway