International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day
Losing someone to suicide is a unique loss and can lead to several conflicting feelings and many unanswered questions. There is no one way to feel or grieve a death by suicide – we all react and grieve differently. It is important to remember that you are not alone – that suicide impacts more people than we often know about.
International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is an annual event in which survivors of suicide loss come together to find connection, understanding, and hope through their shared experiences.
This year, International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is Saturday, November 19, 2022
Events help suicide loss survivors find a connection in a safe, supportive space. Talking about suicide bereavement allows survivors to normalize feelings, find hope, and learn ways to cope and heal. In addition, participants find resources and help others also suffering from loss.
International Suicide of Survivors Loss Day
The Crisis Centre of BC, following the scope of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, hosts this two-hour online gathering for suicide loss survivors. This event offers the possibility to connect in a small group with others who have experienced suicide loss .
- November 18, 2023 – 11am – 1pm PST
- Online Event
This event is for Survivors of Suicide Loss only.
Registration will be available soon.
What is Suicide Bereavement?
What is Suicide Bereavement? is an informational video created to support those who have experienced suicide loss. Produced, shot, and edited by Scott Mason for the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC
Scott also wrote about his experience in filing the video for the Centre. You can read his story online:
The Power of Sharing: What I learned while filming a suicide bereavement video
Why Participate
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which organizes global events, has collected quotes from past participants of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day events.
“It was incredibly helpful to hear about the losses that others have experienced, and share my own. It’s not often that I am able to connect with others on that level, and it was very comforting to be in the company of those who truly understand what it means to lose someone to suicide.”
“It gave me a chance to talk with other people that have gone through or are going through the same thing as I am. By doing so, I got to find out that the things I am thinking and feeling are actually quite normal, and that there is nothing wrong with me.”
“It was so helpful to realize there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way of dealing with suicide loss. I have learned to be less judgmental and have more empathy.”
“I felt like I was able to offer some help to a recent survivor this year. This is the first time I realized I had something to give back.”
Additional Resources
The following resources are made available by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:
Documentaries: each year a documentary about suicide loss is included as part of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. Previous documentaries are available online.
Books: an online listing of books from which we hope loss survivors will find helpful information and guidance as they navigate their healing journey.
I know Somone Who Has Lost Someone to Suicide
Talking to those who have lost a loved one to suicide presents challenges beyond the discomfort we commonly feel in the presence of grief. Despite our best intentions, our eagerness to comfort someone or to fill a long silence may unwittingly cause us to say hurtful things. Similarly, the fear of compounding the loss survivor’s pain by saying the wrong thing may cause us to self-edit in unhelpful ways or lead to our avoiding those grieving altogether.
Here are ten helpful tips to help you navigate conversations with suicide loss survivors in a kind, thoughtful, and responsible way.