You can choose the best suicide support group by speaking with your doctor for recommendations if you or a loved one are suicidal. This doctor should have some experience in mental health. If you want to attend a support group for those who have suffered a loss through suicide, you may be able to find groups meeting in your area by searching online, speaking with a mental health professional, or networking online with others who have lost a family member or friend through suicide.
If you are having suicidal thoughts or have attempted suicide, your first step should be to speak with a licensed mental health professional. Your suicidal thoughts could be the result of any number of problems, including life events or chemical imbalances in the brain. If it was a direct event which caused you to consider suicide as an option, speaking with a counselor to learn to deal with whatever happened is a good step to take. Medications to alleviate anxiety or symptoms of mental illness or mood disorders may also help.
Once you are stabilized, your doctor will likely be able to help you find a suicide support group in your area. Some groups are offered directly through mental health organizations, while others are founded by those who have either suffered a loss of a loved one through suicide, or who have been suicidal themselves. If you are given the name of more than one group, you can check each one to see which would be the best fit for you.
Should your doctor have no recommendations, there are often online databases that list support groups in any given area. Just type “suicide support group” and your city into a search engine and see what results you come up with. Even if there are no local groups, you may be able to find an online forum or group where you can get many of the same benefits.
In an online suicide support group, you may not have face to face meetings, but you can still have discussions with other group members who understand the feelings you are having. They may be able to give you advice and comfort through online chats, forums, and sometimes articles or blogs. Additionally, even if you find a local support group, online groups are excellent supplementary tools you can use between meetings.
If you are looking for groups created for those who have suffered the loss of a loved one through suicide, you would use steps that are much the same as those used by those who are suicidal themselves. You would still greatly benefit from speaking to a counselor about your loss and for recommendations. Online groups are available for those left behind as well.
