“What I Do Not See and Others See in Me”: Mutual Aid for Suicide Recovery in Colombia

In response to the rise in suicidal behavior and the strategies to address it, community actions represent a comprehensive approach to the factors influencing this situation. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of mutual support on the recovery of individuals who experienced suicidal behavior. A qualitative study was conducted in 2023. Focus groups were used as a data collection technique, followed by thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified in the thematic analysis. The first theme, “Own Reasons Through Others,” was composed of categories such as “What Others See in Me” and “The Importance of Being in the Same Boat.” The second theme was “The Community as a Space for Suicide Prevention,” with categories including “Human Rights for Recovery” and “What We Can Achieve Together.” Pluralism, understood as the integration of diverse perspectives, is crucial for addressing complex phenomena such as mental health and community interventions.
Keywords: Mental Health Recovery; Social Planning; Psychosocial Support Systems; Social Support; Suicide.

Highlights
• Community actions generate conducive environments for strengthening psychological well-being.
• These actions generate connections that go beyond the subject and structure: an individual influences and mobilizes others indirectly.
• Collective actions, as demonstrated in this study, go beyond the sum of individual actions, constituting a realization of human possibilities and an alternative to add to the approach to suicide.