National Survivors of Suicide Day

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day
Observed by United States, worldwide
Date Saturday before American Thanksgiving
2015 date November 21
2016 date November 19
2017 date November 18
2018 date November 17
Frequency annual

National Survivors of Suicide Day was designated by the United States Congress as a day when the friends and family of those who have died by suicide can join together for healing and support. This day always falls on the Saturday before American Thanksgiving.[1]

In 1999, Senator Harry Reid introduced a resolution to the United States Senate which led to the creation of National Survivors of Suicide Day.[2][3] Reid is a survivor of his father's suicide.[4] As citizens of other countries began observing the day in their local communities, it was renamed as International Survivors of Suicide Day.

Every year, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention sponsors International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, a program that unites survivors of suicide loss across the world.[5][6] At events in hundreds of cities spanning 6 continents, survivors of suicide loss gather together to remember their loved ones and offer each other support. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention produces a program shown at these events that features personal stories and advice from other survivors and psychiatric professionals.[7] These events help survivors cope with the tragedy of losing someone to suicide.[8]

See also

References

  1. Lukas, Christopher (2009-11-20). "National Survivors Of Suicide Day". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  2. Gates, Dominic (2009-11-22). "National Survivors of Suicide Day helps those who have lost loved ones". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  3. Szabo, Jessica (2009-11-25). "National survivors of suicide day brings support to those left behind". Silver Pinyon Journal. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  4. "Bereaved families gather on National Survivors of Suicide Day". KTUU-TV. 2009-11-21. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  5. "Suicide shouldn't be a taboo subject". News 8 Austin. 2003-11-15. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  6. Dandurant, Karen (2008-11-16). "Local event slated for Survivors of Suicide Day". The Portsmouth Herald. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  7. "Help available to survivors of suicide". North American Precis Syndicate. 2003-11-13. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
  8. Harpel, Joanne (2007-11-04). "Surviving after suicide loss". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on 2009-11-26. Retrieved 2009-11-26.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/18/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.