His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC has prepared a message to the people of South Australia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It can be viewed here and the text can be read here.
The term ‘first responder’ refers to the men and women of the emergency services – police, ambulance, fire and rescue and State Emergency Services employees and volunteers – who support public health and safety by responding to, and preventing, emergency situations. When a first responder takes their own life there...
For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who already bear an existing burden of disadvantage, chronic illness and premature death, the death of a loved one through suicide adds to the many losses that they have already experienced. Grief is the response to the loss of someone that you have...
The range of normal reactions and responses to the loss of a loved one to suicide is very broad and may include shock, denial, numbness, shame or physical symptoms such as sleeplessness or loss of appetite. Losing someone close through suicide can be an overwhelming and devastating experience. While...
The death of a loved one who has taken their own life can trigger intense and confusing emotions. Many people feel overwhelmed with a need to know why their loved one chose to end their life, and consumed by a sense of guilt that there was something they could, or...
Suicide is a growing problem, especially in Australia, and in people 15-44 years, it is the leading cause of death. Suicide is now recognised as a major public health concern, challenging us not only in terms of the individual people who take their own life but also in terms of...
Grief following the death of someone close who has taken their own life will differ from one person to another depending on the nature of the individual’s relationship with the person who has died, their previous experiences of suicide, and their age and cultural beliefs. At the same time, there...
What is grief? Grief is something every one of us has to face when we lose something or someone we love. Grief is the way we respond to that loss – the way we feel and react when we realise our future is not going to look the way we...
Suicide can cause significant distress in rural and remote communities. These communities are often small and interconnected which means that suicide can affect everyone. In rural areas that are less close-knit, suicide can cause trauma that is experienced in isolation, and without accessible or trusted support. About suicide in rural...
Refugees and asylum seekers are at an increased suicide risk, and this is particularly so amongst younger men and those confined in mandatory detention. In most instances, refugees and asylum seekers have experienced high levels of loss and grief, stemming from the loss of their homes, being forced to leave...
