Special considerations for telling your own story: Best practices for presentations by suicide loss and suicide attempt survivors

This document outlines best practices for suicide loss and suicide attempt survivors who are considering sharing their story with the public. The best practices were created by a group of experts in the suicide prevention community and include information on: assessing readiness to speak; considering family reactions and potential social ramifications; resources for safe messaging; speaking to the media; self-care; and other considerations.

This document was created through the collaboration of several organizations and experts in the suicide prevention community, including: the American Association of Suicidology, the American Foundation for Suicide  Prevention, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, NAMI New Hampshire, Suicide Awareness Voices of Education, and several individual mental health advocates and public speakers.