In the aftermath of a death by suicide, loss survivors—family, friends, and others impacted—are often confronted by a complex tapestry of emotions that may feel insurmountable. This kind of grief, known as suicide loss or suicide bereavement, can be overwhelmingly intense, multifaceted, and unique to each individual. It is key that suicide loss survivors have access to the support needed to process and live through the loss.
The Complicated Nature of Suicide Grief
Understanding suicide grief is the first step toward coping with it. Grief for suicide loss survivors is often marked by an array of conflicting emotions, including shock, anger, guilt, and profound sadness. Loss survivors often grapple with “why” questions that cannot be answered, or feel a sense of guilt or responsibility for the suicide. Additionally, a portion of suicide loss survivors experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
Suicide grief is complicated not only because of its emotional depth, but also due to societal stigma attached to suicide, making it harder for loss survivors to express their feelings openly or seek support. The journey through suicide loss can feel isolating, and many have found hope and healing on the other side of this loss with the support of other loss survivors.
Strategies for Dealing with Suicide Grief
Everyone experiences grief differently and it is important to find the approaches that are most effective for you and your experience. Here are a few strategies that may help:
Finding Suicide Loss Support
There are many different types of resources available to support suicide loss survivors in their journey toward healing. You can find suicide loss support in these areas and more:
Navigating suicide loss is an arduous journey, but no one has to walk this path alone. With understanding, self-care, and support, loss survivors can find their way to healing and hope.
About The American Association of Suicidology (AAS)
The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest and nation’s oldest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center professionals, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have an interest in suicide prevention. Learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
Donate today to support AAS’ mission to promote the understanding and prevention of suicide and support those who have been affected by it.
Every year in the US, about 1 million people are directly impacted by the suicide of someone close to them. These individuals become survivors of suicide loss, a term that refers to those who have lost a loved one to suicide. This sudden loss often leaves survivors in a state of shock, confusion, and deep-seated grief, as they grapple with a host of complex and overwhelming emotions.
Understanding the needs and struggles of these loss survivors is essential in providing them with appropriate support, both in the short and long term. In this article, we offer guidance on how to navigate this painful situation, providing comfort and companionship to suicide loss survivors.
The Emotional Aftermath of Suicide Loss
Suicide loss can thrust survivors into a state of immense grief, often compounded by feelings of guilt, anger, and shame. They may experience a unique type of mourning known as complicated grief, characterized by debilitating sorrow and difficulty in resuming their everyday lives.
Survivors may also grapple with the stigma associated with suicide, which can make the grieving process even more challenging. This can lead to isolation, as they may feel reluctant to discuss their loss due to societal judgments and misconceptions about suicide.
Because of these muddled and complex feelings, and the societal tendency to shy away from suicide, one of the most important things you can do to help a survivor of suicide loss is to listen. Listen actively, without judgment, criticism, or prejudice. Let them share on their own timing and with their own discretion. Remember to be patient and to take a back seat; do not impose your own ideas about grief. Their experience is personal and unique, and you are there to support them, not shepherd them.
Here are some ways you can support a suicide loss survivor, now and later.
Providing Short-Term Support to Suicide Loss Survivors
In the initial aftermath of a suicide, survivors need tangible, immediate support. Here are a few ways you can help:
Long-Term Support for Survivors of Suicide Loss
Providing long-term support is equally critical, as the grieving process is often extended, lasting months or years. Here’s how you can be there for survivors in the long run:
Advocating for Suicide Loss Survivors
Supporting survivors of suicide loss is not just a personal obligation. It is also about advocating for societal and systemic changes to improve support for those grieving suicide loss. This can include promoting suicide awareness, fighting stigma associated with mental health concerns, and lobbying for better access to mental health services. Support suicide prevention, research, and advocacy by donating today!
Suicide loss is a deeply personal and devastating experience. It is essential that we, as a society, step up to provide the necessary support to those left behind. By offering a helping hand, a listening ear, and an understanding heart, we can make a difference in the lives of those affected by suicide loss.
About The American Association of Suicidology (AAS)
The American Association of Suicidology is the world’s largest and nation’s oldest membership-based suicide prevention organization. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. The membership of AAS includes mental health and public health professionals, researchers, suicide prevention and crisis intervention centers, school districts, crisis center professionals, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and a variety of laypersons who have an interest in suicide prevention. Learn more about AAS at www.suicidology.org.
Responsible reporting on suicide, including stories of hope and resilience, can prevent more suicides and open the door for help for those in need. Visit the Media as Partners in Suicide Prevention: Suicide Reporting Recommendations for more details. For additional information, visit SuicideReportingToolkit.com and Stanford University’s Media and Mental Health Initiative. For crisis services anywhere in the world, please visit FindAHelpline.org and in the continental United States chat, text or call 988.Donate today to support AAS’ mission to promote the understanding and prevention of suicide and support those who have been affected by it.
$99 US
Members in this category include non-professionals who are interested in learning more about the field and seeking a community that includes loss survivors, attempt survivors and community supporters.
$179 US
Members in this category include individuals who recently graduated in the suicidology program or any related programs in suicide prevention and are transitioning into the early years of their career in the workforce.
$209 US
Members in this category include Individuals who are experts and/or leaders and have rich experience in a specific area such as crisis services, clinical care and research with suicidality, public health and suicide prevention care.
$49 US
Open to students who are enrolled full time in an undergraduate or graduate-level suicidology program or any related program in suicide prevention. Individuals applying in this category must provide proof of full-time student status from their college/university.
$49 US
Open to individuals who were professional in the field of suicidology and no longer practice but want to engage and get involved with the association.
This membership is open to nonprofit 501(c)(3), (4) or (6) organizations engaged in mental and behavioral health services, crisis services, and suicide prevention care or can complement the work of AAS via their mission and vision.
This membership is open to federal, state and local government agencies engaged in public health or related work.
This membership is open to consulting firms or companies that provide products and/or services that serve individuals or other organizations to achieve important personal or professional outcomes.
*Does not include subscription to Suicide and Life Threatening Behavior Peer-Reviewed Journal
Organizational memberships provide member benefits to the employees of the company/organization, crisis center, or coalition. All qualifying employees must register under the organizational name for membership discounts in training, conferences, and products. Volunteers may also be included in the organizational membership, but must submit a letter of service from the organization. Individual memberships are also available for those who do not qualify for recognition under the organizational membership.
| Revenues | Dues |
| <$100,000 | $220.00 US |
| $100,000 – $199,999 | $270.00 US |
| $200,000 – $499,999 | $390.00 US |
| $500,000 – $749,999 | $530.00 US |
| $750,000 – $999,999 | $650.00 US |
| $1,000,000+ | $800.00 US |
AAS Guests can register for events and partake in trainings at non-member rates. Guests can create a profile, but do not have access to AAS Member benefits.
We believe that the only way for the field of suicidology to reduce suicide and build lives worth living for BIPOC is to dismantle systems of oppression.
The purpose of the American Association of Suicidology is to prevent suicide and better understand its causes, while supporting those who have been affected by it. We seek to build lives worth living. It is critical to embrace a world where Black, Brown and Indigenous lives matter. We can only do this by dismantling systems of racism and oppression that implicitly or explicitly endorse the individual biases and racist systems that marginalize and erase the experiences and contributions of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). These are the same systems that actively destroy the physical and mental wellbeing of BIPOC. We pledge to recognize and address the intersectionality of the impact of suicide and its prevention when we traditionally have not as a field, even though we certainly should have.
We believe that the only way for the field of suicidology to reduce suicide and build lives worth living for BIPOC is to dismantle systems of oppression. Systemic racism not only affects how we understand and provide access to mental health care and crisis support, it frames how suicide and mental health are conceptualized, how resources including funding get allocated, and what questions are deemed worthy of research funding. Furthermore, we pledge to examine AAS’s structure and operation to understand how racist and oppressive systems are embedded in our functioning in order to shift our own organization to have anti-racist perspectives and practices.
As a predominantly and historically white organization, AAS, its board, staff, and leadership understand that we must deepen our commitment and resolve to include the voices and experiences of our BIPOC members. AAS must lead by example when it comes to inclusivity, diversity, and equity and demonstrate to current and future members that this is an organization committed to doing the work to dismantle systemic racism.
The AAS Board, Staff and Leadership pledge to:
This is your AAS. The Board, leadership, and staff pledge to remain transparent in our efforts to create real, anti-racist, decolonized outcomes for the organization, our members, and suicide prevention at large.
The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) is the world’s largest and nation’s oldest organization dedicated to suicide prevention. Founded in 1968 by Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, AAS promotes the research of suicide and its prevention, public awareness programs, public education, and training for professionals and volunteers. While AAS includes members, it operates beyond a traditional membership-based model.
By joining as an AAS Member, you will be part of a global community of suicidologists and experts in suicide prevention, gaining access to professional development, resources, events, networking opportunities, and a supportive community.
Individual Membership
By becoming an individual member, you not only gain access to exclusive benefits but also contribute directly to AAS’s mission to empower all toward resilient lives, inspiring hope and preventing suicide through the advancement of suicidology. Discover all the advantages listed below and choose the member option that best fits your specific needs.
Member benefits:
$99/year
Members in this category include non-professionals who are interested in learning more about the field and seeking a community that includes loss survivors, attempt survivors, and community supporters.
$179/year
Members in this category include individuals who recently graduated from a suicidology program or any related programs in suicide prevention and are transitioning into the early years of their careers in the workforce.
$209/year
Members in this category include individuals who are experts and/or leaders and have rich experience in a specific area such as crisis services, clinical care and research with suicidality, public health, and suicide prevention care.
$49/year
Open to students who are enrolled full-time in an undergraduate or graduate-level suicidology program or any related program in suicide prevention. Individuals applying in this category must provide proof of full-time student status from their college/university.
$49/year
Open to individuals who were professionals in the field of suicidology and no longer practice but want to engage and get involved with AAS.
If your organization is already a member, then so are you! You may request from your organization to join and register as an “Employee of Member Organization”. For more information, email memberservices@suicidology.org.
| Annual Budget | Annual Dues |
| <$100,000 | $220/year |
| $100,000-$199,999 | $270/year |
| $200,000-$499,999 | $390/year |
| $500,000-$749,999 | $530/year |
| $750,000-$999,999 | $650/year |
| $1,000,00+ | $800/year |
This membership is open to nonprofit 501(c)(3), (4) or (6) organizations engaged in mental and behavioral health services, crisis services, and suicide prevention care or can complement the work of AAS via their mission and vision.
This membership is open to federal, state, and local government agencies engaged in public health or related work.
This membership is open to consulting firms or companies that provide products and/or services that serve individuals or other organizations to achieve important personal or professional outcomes.
Your membership will be reviewed and approved 24-48 business hours after signing up. When completing the required information, do not use abbreviations.
Questions about membership?
Email memberservices@suicidology.org.
Questions? Contact communications@suicidology.org.
The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) provides comprehensive resources to help navigate your journey with suicide and mental health. AAS also offers a national directory of support groups that focus on a variety of survivors of suicide.
The American Association of Suicidology has accredited crisis service organizations for nearly 50 years in the United States and internationally. The accreditation process strives to recognize exemplary crisis service organizations, online emotional support programs, mobile crisis services, and other services supporting individuals in crisis. Achieving accreditation defines an organization’s standard of practice, through the review of several areas including but not limited to administration and organizational structure, service delivery, and services in life threatening crises. Crisis Centers that comprise the National 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline often engage with AAS for Accreditation recognition, closely connecting AAS Accreditation services to a critical and growing national support network.
The American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference, held each spring, is the largest gathering of the Suicidology community; including clinicians, researchers, attempt survivors, crisis service professionals, public health and government officials and more. With attendees from all over the world, the AAS Conference features training and certification days, keynote addresses, poster presentations, paper presentations,hundreds of workshops and panel sessions, an Annual Organizational Meeting, award ceremony, multiple networking opportunities, and an exhibit hall featuring industry leaders, academic and training programs, resources, and community advocates.
By becoming an AAS Member you will be among the ranks of the world’s leading suicidologists and suicide prevention experts. AAS offers both individual and Organization membership options. Explore all the benefits and consider which membership meets your unique needs.
Individual Membership
An individual membership provides you with member benefits and simultaneously supports AAS’ mission and vision to promote and elevate public awareness about suicide prevention.
Organizational Membership
An organizational membership provides member benefits and allows an organization to sponsor AAS membership for multiple employees.
The American Association of Suicidology research program focuses on advancing the understanding of suicide and suicide prevention through the promotion of scientific research and the dissemination of evidence-supported information. The AAS Research Program has several key objectives, including:
Our Online Store is the portal to our current offerings, including our current accreditation, training, and certifications. As well as past webinars available at a nominal cost and past slide decks.
The AAS Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior Journal provides the latest research, theories, and intervention methods for suicide and life-threatening behaviors, including research from biological, psychological, and sociological approaches.
The American Association of Suicidology is a world-leader in the development, implementation, and facilitation of research supported training and certification programs. Courses are evidence-supported to uphold the highest standards of care and equity for those impacted by suicide. Dynamic curricula developed by leading researchers offer an array of advanced clinical training for professionals and introductory-level courses for a variety of sectors and disciplines.
Edwin S. Shneidman establishes the American Association of Suicidology (AAS) in 1968
AAS was founded by clinical psychologist Edwin S. Shneidman, PhD, in 1968. After co-directing the Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center (LASPC) since 1958, Dr. Shneidman was appointed co-director of The Center for Suicide Prevention at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, MD. There he had the opportunity to closely observe the limited available knowledge-base regarding suicide.
Consequently, under the sponsorship of the NIMH, he organized a meeting of several world-renowned scholars in Chicago, determined the need for and fathered a national organization devoted to research, education, and practice in “suicidology,” and advancing suicide prevention.
With his years of leadership directing a suicide prevention center, Shneidman was quick to recognize a contemporaneous and rapid expansion of the crisis center/hotline movement across the United States.
The newly established AAS embraced these centers as sources of research information on suicidal clients. Soon, the relationship between AAS and these centers was symbolic.
AAS became the central clearinghouse for support and the hub of a many-spoked wheel, networking these centers to common needs, training materials, and goals.
Certification & Training
It was a result of this marriage of research and crisis counseling that led AAS to develop a set of standards and criteria for certification of crisis centers throughout the United States. Since certifying its first center in 1976, AAS now has over 120 centers meeting stringent standards of services and training.
In 1989, AAS began a certification program for individual crisis workers as well. By the end of 2015, over 1,000 individuals had passed a rigorous examination of their knowledge and application of crisis theory to their work clients. AAS continues to take a leadership position in the crisis center and suicide prevention movement.
AAS Becomes a Membership Organization
In addition to crisis center staff and volunteers, AAS membership includes researchers, mental health clinicians, public health specialists, school districts, survivors of suicide loss, attempt survivors, and students.
From a small group of leaders who met in Chicago in 1968, AAS now boasts a membership of more than 1200 individuals and over 150 organizations.
AAS produces a referral directory of over 600 suicide prevention and crisis centers nationwide and a directory of almost 300 survivor support groups.
The Work of AAS
Thousands of calls are received annually in the AAS Central Office from the public and the media regarding referrals and informational needs. Public education and information have become core functions of AAS.
To that end, AAS has produced a variety of fact sheets, brochures, statistical reports, books, and resources offered to the public and professional communities.
AAS has produced major conferences of research presentations and panels, training workshops, and interactive discussions annually since its inaugural meeting. Major papers from this meeting often appear in addition to independently submitting research and case studies, in the Association’s peer-reviewed journal Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior.
AAS also sponsors a second conference each year, Healing After Suicide Loss, which brings together professionals and survivors to share information specific to working through suicide bereavement.
AAS Today
American Association of Suicidology (AAS) is the nation’s largest and oldest suicide prevention membership organization and charitable 501(c)3. As a membership-based organization that aims to support its members in their knowledge and best practices in the field. In addition to offering insight into the latest trends, issues, and opportunities of our diverse members. People of all ages, races, genders, ethnicities, and more are impacted by suicide every day. Our goal is not to eradicate suicide, but through impact, one by one, the lives of those who are or may yet be suicidal.
The principal journal for suicide studies, Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, is published six times per year by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of AAS which offers the latest research, theories, and intervention approaches for suicide and life-threatening behaviors. The journal publishes scientific research on suicidal and other life-threatening behaviors, including research from biological, psychological, and sociological approaches.
AAS continues to be a world-leader in the development, implementation, and facilitation of professional accreditation, certification, and training programs. An active program of externally supported research and prevention programming has begun and complements AAS’s ongoing investment in setting standards for and upgrading the skills and understandings of those who work with at-risk individuals. AAS is a nationally-recognized leader in developing and implementing training and accreditation programs. Our programs include Recognizing and Responding to Suicide Risk, Crisis Center Accreditation, Individual Crisis Specialist Certification, Psychological Autopsy Certification, College and University Suicide Prevention Accreditation, and many more.
Our Annual Conference every Spring welcomes members and non-members alike who are invested in advancing the mission of AAS through educational pre-conferences, interactive poster sessions, panels of subject matter experts and lived experience of suicide, keynotes with today’s thought leaders, and more. The conference welcomes people of all disciplines with shared interest in suicidology, including but not limited to psychologists, psychiatrists, researchers, physicians, social workers, educators, public health professionals, attempt survivors and those with lived experience, crisis service professionals and volunteers.
Your gift – in any amount – supports AAS as we provide training, education, and information to researchers, clinicians, and survivors working in the field of suicidology.
On this page you will find a growing list of resources for students, school mental health professionals, teachers, and administration on how to address suicide in schools.
Community Support & Resources
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the US.
Learn More
On this page you will find a growing list of resources for students, school mental health professionals, teachers, and administration on how to address suicide in schools.
Learn MoreTraining Registration Ready to bring your team together for tailored training? Complete our training request form to register a group or arrange private sessions for your organization or community.
AAS accreditation ensures that your program’s service delivery adheres to internationally recognized standards. Help seekers and their supporters can trust that the services they receive are of the highest quality.
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