Southeastern Ohio LOSS provides suicide grief support in Coshocton, Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, and Perry Counties.
What is “Postvention?”
Oxford Dictionary: Postvention is counseling and other social care given after the experience of a traumatic event, especially to those directly affected by a suicide.
Wikipedia: A postvention is an intervention conducted after a suicide, largely taking the form of support for the bereaved (family, friends, professionals and peers). Family and friends of the suicide victim may be at increased risk of suicide themselves. Postvention is a term that was first coined by Shneidman (1972), which he used to describe “appropriate and helpful acts that come after a dire event.” In Schneidman’s view, “the largest public health problem is neither the prevention of suicide nor the management of suicide attempts, but the alleviation of the effects of stress in the survivors whose lives are forever altered.”[1] Postvention is a process that has the objective of alleviating the effects of this stress and helping survivors to cope with the loss they have just experienced.
The aim is to support and debrief those affected; and reduce the possibility of copycat suicide. Interventions recognize that those bereaved by suicide may be vulnerable to suicidal behavior themselves and may develop complicated grief reactions.
Postvention includes procedures to alleviate the distress of suicide-bereaved individuals, reduce the risk of imitative suicidal behavior, and promote the healthy recovery of the affected community. Postvention can also take many forms depending on the situation in which the suicide takes place. Schools and colleges may include postvention strategies in overall crisis plans. These strategies are designed to prevent suicide clusters and to help students cope with the emotions of loss that follow the suicide of a friend.[2] Individual and group counseling may be offered for survivors (people affected by the suicide of an individual).
Why Southeastern Ohio LOSS?
Suicide Grief Support is needed in the six county region. There were suicides in the six county region in 2017 leaving behind hundreds to make sense of it. The newly bereaved may experience a depth of feelings and shock that can lead to isolation. As survivors of a suicide loss we know how important it is for the newly bereaved to know they are not alone.
Southeastern Ohio LOSS exists to be an instillation of hope to the bereaved by suicide, empowering them so they can thrive. We support and equip survivors so they can integrate their loss into their lives, standing together as a connected community for suicide postvention.
Southeastern Ohio LOSS provides community resources the newly bereaved is likely unaware of.
The impact of a suicide loss is far reaching. It is estimated that for every suicide loss there are 135[3] survivors left behind. Many people believe that number is significantly understated.
The sooner people can get help the less likely they are to develop unhealthy coping skills.
Studies show the likelihood of a survivor of a suicide loss taking their own life increases significantly after the loss.
How are Southeastern Ohio LOSS First Responders trained?
Every Southeastern Ohio LOSS First Responder attends a minimum of 14 hours of training. Each First Responder volunteer has successfully completed Psychological First Aid and spends several hours training, learning and sharing their survivor experience with other volunteers.
Every volunteer is also part of an ongoing training curriculum including:
- Cultural Diversity Training
- Crime Scene Etiquette
- On the Scene Communication Skills
- Community Services/Resources for Survivors
- Information exchange with LOSS Team’s outside of Southeastern Ohio
Contact Info
If you would like to contact Southeastern Ohio LOSS please call 740-454-8557 or mistyc@mhrs.org 1205 Newark Rd., Zanesville, Ohio
If this is an emergency please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available at all times by calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text to 741741.
The local Crisis Hotline is available at all times by calling 614-221-5445
