The ripple effect

A death by suicide can cause distress for many people – the individual’s family and friends; school, college or university peers; workplace colleagues; health professionals or carers; and the wider community such as places of faith, sports clubs or performing arts.

It is estimated that for every person who dies by suicide 6 people are directly affected and up to 135 people may be indirectly affected*. This is sometimes referred to as the ripple effect ​.

First Hand is an on-line resource, developed in England, for people who have witnessed a suicide of someone they don’t know​.

_{* How Many People Are Exposed to Suicide? Not Six – PubMed (nih.gov)}