A lived experience of suicide is having experienced suicidal thoughts, survived a suicide attempt, cared for someone through suicidal crisis, or been bereaved by suicide.
… and the specific Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander definition:
A lived experience recognises the effects of ongoing negative historical impacts and or specific events on the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It encompasses the cultural, spiritual, physical, emotional and mental wellbeing of the individual, family or community.
People with lived or living experience of suicide are those who have experienced suicidal thoughts, survived a suicide attempt, cared for someone through a suicidal crisis, been bereaved by suicide or having a loved one who has died by suicide, acknowledging that this experience is significantly different and takes into consideration Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples ways of understanding social and emotional wellbeing.
People who have experienced suicidal thoughts, been through suicidal crisis, or made an attempt on their life are best placed to inform how we can best support others in crisis.
People bereaved through suicide, know what is and isn’t useful when it comes to supporting them to understand and adapt to their ‘new normal’.
People who have cared for a loved one through suicidal crisis are acutely aware of fear, helplessness and conflicting emotions feels like – and what helped them help their loved one.
This is lived experience of suicide.
Roses in the Ocean engages and empowers people with a lived experience of suicide to change the way suicide is spoken about, understood and prevented.
People with a lived experience of suicide bring insight, wisdom and perspective that is critical to informing the best approaches to reducing emotional distress and pain and saving lives.
People with a lived experience of suicide have the potential, when supported to draw on their insights, to facilitate impactful local suicide prevention solutions that drive positive change in culture and services, contributing to healthy and sustainable communities.