Survivors
Whether you’re a survivor of a suicide attempt or loss, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 for free, confidential support. Call or text 988, or go to 988Lifeline.org to chat now!
Attempt Survivors
Coping with the deep hurt after surviving a suicide attempt and finding hope is possible. There are local and national resources available to help survivors of suicide loss cope.
When a loved one has made an attempt...
How You Can Help Yourself
You can recover from a suicide attempt. It takes time to heal both physically and emotionally, but you are worth healing.
Find an
activity you enjoy:
Taking care of yourself is an important part of your recovery. Your “self-care” activities can be anything that makes you feel good about yourself.
Reach Out to someone:
Silence isn’t strength. Don’t keep suicidal feelings to yourself. Lean on your support network, find a therapist or a support group, or get in touch with the Lifeline.
Make a safety plan:
Have a step-by-step plan ready for if/when you feel depressed, suicidal, or in crisis, so you can start at step one and continue through the steps until you feel safe.
Find a counselor:
Suicide attempt survivors and researchers who study suicide recommend counseling to help find long-term strategies to ease the emotional pain that led to your attempt.
Loss Survivors
If you have lost a loved one to suicide, you are not alone. There are local and national resources available to help survivors of suicide loss cope.
How You Can Help Yourself
A loved one’s suicide is a challenging, confusing, and painful experience. If you’re struggling, the Lifeline is always here to help.
Find a support group:
You don’t have to cope with your loss alone. There are support groups specifically for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. Click here to find a support group near you.
Do what feels
right to you:
Don’t feel pressured to talk right away. If you choose to discuss your loss, speaking can give your friends and family the opportunity to support you in an appropriate way.
Write:
You may find it helpful to write your feelings or to write a letter to your lost loved one. This can be a safe place for you to express some of the things you were not able to say before the death.
Ask for help:
Don’t be afraid to let your friends provide support to you, or to look for resources in your community such as therapists, co-workers, or family members.
How You Can Help Someone Else
Supporting someone who has lost a loved one can feel overwhelming and complex. Here are some ways to help.
Accept their feelings:
Loss survivors grapple with complex feelings after the death of a loved one by suicide, such as fear, grief, shame, and anger. Accept their feelings and be compassionate and patient, and provide support without criticism.
Use sensitivity during events:
Events may bring forth memories of the lost loved one,
and emphasize this loved one’s absence. Events such as holiday's, anniversaries, birthday's, or other special events need to be addressed with caution.
Use the lost loved one’s name:
Use the name of the person who has died when talking to survivors.
This shows that you have not forgotten this important person, and can make it easier to discuss a subject that is often stigmatized.
Resources For Survivors
Serving both Kansas & Missouri, SASS (Suicide Awareness Survivor Support) believes the public must be educated about suicide. There are support groups available that are peer led and open to anyone grieving from death of a suicide.
Phone Number: 913-681-3050
Website: http://www.sass-mokan.com/
“Our hope is that Speak Up will provide education and awareness in our community bridging the gaps between community, schools and parents. We want to encourage open conversations with our children and educate our community about the different signs of children who may be at risk. We hope that you will join our fight and pledge to end the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide.”
Website: http://speakup.us/
This is a compassionate, confidential and non-judgmental face to face support group open to anyone who
has lost someone to suicide. regardless of who the person was or length of time since the loss.
There is hope and there is help.
The group meets on the Third Wednesday of every month, 6:30pm-8:30pm
At 6222 N. Chatham Ave., Kansas City, MO 64151
(In the Century 21 All-Pro office)
Contact Tracy Hopkins, Facilitator:
816-803-3772
TracyHopeGroupKC@gmail.com
Or Contact Rachel Michener, Co-Facilitator:
816-572-8363
RachelHopeGroupKC@gmail.com
Special thanks to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for their help https://
