Studies have found that 1 in 2 psychiatrists, and 1 in 5 psychologists, clinical social workers, and other mental health professionals, will lose a patient to suicide in the course of their career. This statistic suggests that losing a patient to suicide constitutes a clear occupational hazard. Despite this, most mental health professionals continue to view suicide loss as an aberration. Consequently, there is often a lack of preparedness for such an event when it does occur.
This 2-part article summarizes what is currently known about the unique personal and professional issues experienced by clinician-survivors (clinicians who have lost patients and/or loved ones to suicide). In Part 1, I cover: the impact of losing a patient to suicide, confidentiality-related constraints on the ability to discuss and process the loss, legal and ethical issues, colleagues’ reactions and stigma, and the effects of a suicide loss on one’s clinical work.
Part 2 (Losing a patient to suicide: what we know. Navigating the aftermath) discusses the opportunities for personal growth that can result from experiencing a suicide loss, guidelines for optimal postventions, and steps clinicians can take to help support colleagues who have lost a patient to suicide.