About suicide
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Suicide loss survivor | The increasingly preferred term in postvention practice to describe any person who has experienced the loss through suicide of someone close to them. This includes family members, friends, colleagues, peers, and others who feel significantly impacted by the death. |
| Bereavement | The situation or state of having recently lost someone close through any form of death, including suicide. This can affect the person’s relational and social circumstances. |
| Grief | The natural emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural response to bereavement. It encompasses sadness, longing, guilt, confusion, physical symptoms and changes in behaviour that arise after the death of someone close. |
| Mourning | The process of adapting to loss and integrating grief into one’s life. Mourning includes the expressions of grief through cultural, spiritual, personal, and relational rituals and behaviours that help people adjust to a changed life as the result of a death. |
| Postvention | The range of supports and responses provided after a suicide to assist individuals, families, and communities to cope and heal, with the aim of reducing further harm. |
| Suicide cluster |
A group of suicides or suicide attempts that occur closer together in time or place (geographically or digitally) than would be expected. It is recommended that GPs do not use this term with patients or in public communication, as it refers to an act rather than people, it may be perceived as dehumanising data and upsetting. |
| Category | Latest Statistics |
|---|---|
| Deaths by suicide in 2024 | 3,307 deaths (12.2 suicides per 100,000 people)1 |
| Estimated suicide attempts per year | 65,0002 |
| Gender distribution | More than 75% of people who die by suicide are men, the majority of whom are aged 40-59 and 85+3 Females are hospitalised for intentional self-harm (with and without suicidal intent) almost twice as frequently as males; and females are hospitalised for intentional self-harm (with and without suicidal intent) almost twice as frequently as males4 |
| Attempts-to-deaths ratio | 20 attempts per 1 suicide |
| Geographical distribution |
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| Socio-economic index | People in the lowest socio-economic group as per the ABS Index of Relative Socio-economic Advantage and Disadvantage have a suicide rate 2.5 times higher than people in the highest socio-economic group7 |
| Indigenous suicide rates | The suicide rate of Indigenous peoples is 2.6–2.9 times the national rate8. These rates must be understood in the context of social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB) – which recognises the central role of culture, community, Country, family, spirituality – and the continuing impacts of colonisation, racism and intergenerational trauma. |
Suicide bereavement is often prolonged, and those who are bereaved may repeatedly revisit the circumstances of the death, especially if there is trauma, stigma, or unanswered questions. This highlights the need for continuity of care in general practice that may extend beyond immediate postvention into long-term, and sometimes lifelong, support.
While bereavement after suicide has many of the elements of other sudden or traumatic losses, emerging evidence1,2,3 indicates that some experiences, including those listed below, may be more common or more intense among people bereaved by suicide.
- Stronger feelings of rejection or abandonment, particularly when the death challenges deeply held assumptions about how close they were to the deceased person, and their perceived responsibility for the suicide.
- Greater shame and stigma, which may lead to them hiding the cause of death, avoiding conversations, or delaying seeking help.
- Heightened self-destructiveness or suicidality, reflecting the trauma exposure and the well-documented elevated risk of suicide.
- Stronger feelings of guilt and self-blame, often linked to ruminative questioning (eg ‘Why?’, ‘What did I miss?’).
- Rumination, activism, or preoccupation with suicide, sometimes as an attempt to make meaning or prevent future deaths.
- Anger, directed at self, others, or systems they perceive as having failed the deceased.
- Highly individual experiences: while suicide bereavement is both similar to and different from other traumatic losses, no two experiences are the same.
People who are bereaved by a death by suicide, including children and adolescents, are at increased risk of developing adverse physical and mental health reactions1, including:
- suicidal ideation and suicide
- complicated grief or prolonged grief disorder
- PTSD
- depression and anxiety
- substance-use disorders.
Social stigma remains a major barrier to accessing support for suicide‑bereaved individuals1. Shame, fear of judgement, cultural expectations, and concerns about being misunderstood may prevent people from engaging with postvention services or even disclosing the suicide. This can significantly compound their distress and delay recovery.
Reactions to suicide loss vary widely between individuals, families, and cultures. Some people might experience intense emotional, physical, or behavioural responses, while others might feel numb and disconnected, while others may report little immediate reaction. These variations are normal, culturally mediated, and not indicative of a lack of care or future risk of suicide.
Regardless of whether a person’s reaction is strong, mild, or delayed, you can encourage them to seek support, and remind them that help is appropriate at any stage of the bereavement journey.
When supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples after a suicide, you should work within a Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) framework, recognising that wellbeing is collective, cultural and relational. The following table explains what this means in a practical sense. Please see the resources found at the end of this guide for more information on these principles.
| Principle | Action |
|---|---|
| Prioritise Aboriginal-led care |
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| Ask, don’t assume |
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| Respect Sorry Business |
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| Use culturally safe communication |
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| Support connection as a protective factor |
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| Work with community, not around it |
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| Monitor wellbeing gently and over time |
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| Reflect on your role and limits |
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The experience of suicide loss varies across communities, cultures and contexts, and as people can belong to many different groups (intersectionality), each person’s experience will be individual and varied.
Therefore, the postvention support you provide should always be:
- culturally safe
- trauma-informed
- based on listening non-judgementally
- based on asking questions, so that you understand this person’s individual experience.
The following table, which explains how suicide risk varies across populations, highlights the need for variations in postvention support.
Support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples must be grounded in self‑determination, cultural governance and Aboriginal‑led models of care, rather than solely on a person’s clinically determined risk.
| Population | Why are they at higher risk? |
|---|---|
| People with mental health risk factors | |
| People with lived or living experience of suicide | A history of suicidal distress or attempts is one of the strongest predictors of future suicide. |
| People bereaved by suicide | They face an elevated risk of complicated grief, mental ill-health and suicide, particularly in the short-term after a suicide. |
| People with mental illness or psychological distress | They experience higher risk of suicide, especially when their access to timely, continuous care is limited. |
| People with alcohol and other drug use issues | Substance use can increase impulsivity, worsen mental health symptoms and reduce protective factors. |
| People experiencing family violence or abuse | They are at increased risk due to trauma, fear, coercion and loss of safety. |
| Communities exposed to suicide clusters | They are at heightened risk of further suicidal behaviour in the community and of cumulative grief. |
| People with ongoing suicidal ideation | They have prolonged psychological exhaustion, combined cognitive habituation to the idea of dying |
| People with cultural and other identities | |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples | They experience disproportionately high rates of suicide, due to the ongoing impacts of colonisation, racism and systemic disadvantage. Cultural continuity, community leadership and connection to Country are key protective factors supporting healing and recovery. |
| People from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds | They may face barriers related to language, migration stress, stigma and limited access to services. |
| Refugees and asylum seekers | They may experience high levels of trauma, uncertainty and isolation, and restricted access to supports. |
| LGBTQIA+ people | They face an elevated risk due to stigma, discrimination, minority stress and social exclusion. |
| People with disability or chronic illness | They may experience pain, functional limitations, stigma and reduced independence. |
| People of specific ages and genders | |
| Children and young people | They may have a reduced coping capacity, heightened vulnerability to transitions and stressors, and limited access to appropriate supports. |
| Older people, particularly older men | They may experience social isolation, bereavement, chronic illness and reluctance to seek help. |
| Men, particularly middle-aged and older men | They have:
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| People experiencing relevant socio-economic circumstances | |
| People living in rural and remote areas | They have higher rates of suicide, and may experience service shortages, social isolation and reduced access to specialist care. |
| People experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage | They usually face unemployment and financial stress, which are strongly associated with psychological distress and suicide risk. |
| People experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity | They are exposed to high levels of trauma, instability and barriers to healthcare. |
| People in contact with the justice system | They face elevated risk due to trauma and isolation. People who have been incarcerated also experience transition stress. |
| People with particular occupations | |
| Veterans and defence personnel | They may experience cumulative trauma, moral injury, transition challenges and barriers to help-seeking. |
| Emergency service workers and first responders | They have greater exposure to trauma, death and occupational stress. |
| Health and care workers, including clinicians affected by patient suicide | They experience occupational stress, responsibility and exposure to suicide. |
| People in blue collar work industries | These industries involve suicide risk factors such as workplace culture, job insecurity and stress, isolation and physical toll. |
References
- Overview of suicide and intentional self-harm. Available at www.aihw.gov.au/suicide-self-harm-monitoring/overview/summary [Accessed May 2026]
- ABS cause of death statistics – national suicide data summary. Available at www.suicidepreventionaust.org/news/statsandfacts/ [Accessed May 2026]
- ABS cause of death statistics – national suicide data summary. Available at https://cdn.lifeinmind.org.au/assets/src/uploads/ABS_COD_2024/Australian-Bureau-of-Statistics_Causes-of-Death-2024_National-suicide-data-summary.pdf [Accessed May 2026]
- Deaths by suicide by sex over time. Available at www.aihw.gov.au/suicide-self-harm-monitoring/overview/suicide-deaths#Rates-of-suicide-by-sex [Accessed May 2026]
- Protective and risk factors for suicide among Indigenous Australians. Available at www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/96639f0a-365b-41d4-bfd1-964707d6d368/aihw-imh-11-protective-and-risk-factors-for-suicide-among-indigenous-australians.pdf [Accessed May 2026]
- Suicide in rural Australia: A retrospective study of mental health problems, health-seeking and service utilisation. Available at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8294514/ [Accessed May 2026]
- ABS cause of death statistics – national suicide data summary. Available at https://lifeinmind.org.au/suicide-data/australian-bureau-of-statistics/abs-causes-of-death-data-2024 [Accessed May 2026]
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicide and self-harm statistics. Available at www.gayaadhuwi.org.au/media-releases/new-data-shows-urgent-action-on-aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-suicide-is-needed [Accessed May 2026]