Progress in postvention: A call to a focused future to support those exposed to suicide

This editorial presents a call to a focused future to support those exposed to suicide. In the late 1960s, Edwin Shneidman first focused attention on the needs of those bereaved by suicide and coined the term postvention. While we have not forgotten to cite Shneidman over the past 50 years, the crucial part of his message, that we “ought routinely provide postventive mental health care” for those exposed is yet to be realized. His key message that “postvention probably represents the largest problem and thus presents the greatest area for potential aid” is undisputed. We are now aware of the magnitude of the problem, the level of unmet need, and the urgency to address it. Thus, our challenge now is to strengthen the “postvention pillar” of suicide prevention originally proposed by Shneidman. Current research enables us to confidently claim that exposure to suicide is widespread. The urgency to address this phenomenon, to help influence policy and practice in order to save lives cannot be underestimated.