“I still think there’s like a huge stigma”: Understanding suicide-related stigma among those with lived experiences

The present study aimed to understand the experiences of those with a history of suicidal thoughts versus suicide attempts with regards to suicide-related stigma and whether there were differences between these groups. Thirty participants aged 18 to 71 years (70% female) took part in one-to-one interviews about their experiences of suicide-related stigma, 50% had a history of suicidal thoughts, and 50% had a history of suicide attempts. Five main themes were identified: 1) "suicide is stigmatised;" 2) "it's like the elephant in the room, nobody wants to talk about it;" 3) "I was so ashamed;" 4) "I think generally people think suicide is selfish, cowardly, inexplicable, mad;" and 5) "So I guess it's about being taken seriously and being believed almost." Both groups (suicidal thoughts group and suicide attempts group) described similar experiences of suicide-related stigma. Suicide-related stigma often made them feel more suicidal, unsupported, and hesitant to seek help.