National Survivors of Suicide Day

News provided by

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Nov 17, 2010, 09:45 ET

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Connects Thousands of Families and Friends for Support and Healing

NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Over the course of our lifetime, 80 percent of us will lose someone we know to suicide. On November 20th, tens of thousands of people who have lost family members or friends to suicide will join the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's (AFSP) 12th annual National Survivors of Suicide Day, which takes place each year on the third Saturday of November.

Offering healing, support, information and empowerment, AFSP's broadcast that will be shown at more than 275 conference sites worldwide and will also be available online at www.afsp.org with an online chat immediately following the program. The online broadcast ensures that survivors can participate even if there is not a local event in their area or if they find it difficult to participate in person. The program is then archived and available on www.afsp.org for two years to further extend its reach.

"Over the past few months there has been a great deal of media attention surrounding the suicides. Yet almost none of the media coverage has addressed what happens to those left behind, the survivors of suicide loss," said Joanne Harpel, director of survivor initiatives for the Foundation. "National Survivors of Suicide Day is designed to help those bereaved sort through the difficult and powerful emotions they may be experiencing, and find comfort by being with others who truly understand and can help each other cope with the tragic loss."

In many cases this is the first time survivors will share their grief, reach out for support and support others. The broadcast will feature a panel comprised of survivors from all over the country who have someone they love to suicide, as well as medical experts.

For more information about AFSP's National Survivors of Suicide Day, to find a conference site near you or to view the program online, go to www.afsp.org.

About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy as well as to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those affected by suicide. For more information visit www.afsp.org.

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention