Sept. 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), which, every year, encourages people to have open, honest conversations about suicide.
“Suicide Prevention Day is really important because suicide impacts many people,” said Maria Weaver, the associate director of suicide prevention and life promotion for the Canadian Mental Health Association's (CMHA) B.C. division. "It is an opportunity for us to remember that suicide is preventable and for us to start these conversations and to remind folks that help is available.”
Globally, more than 720,000 people die by suicide every year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) – the third leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29. In Canada, approximately 4,500 people die by suicide annually, according to Statistics Canada. That’s equivalent to approximately 12 suicides every day – the second leading cause of death among 15- to 34-year-olds.
Though suicide is a major public health challenge, talking about it is stigmatized. Reducing that barrier is what WSPD’s theme this year – changing the narrative – is designed to mitigate.
"Changing the narrative on suicide is about transforming how we perceive this complex issue and shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding and support," said the WHO in a news release.
“There are many reasons why historically it has been challenging to talk about suicide or mental health more generally, and I do think a lot of them tie back to misunderstandings or a lack of information,” said Weaver. “There used to be a myth that talking about suicide would put the idea in someone’s head.”
In the same news release, the WHO, which helped create WSPD in 2003, issued a call to action urging people to talk to their friends and loved ones about suicide.
“Every conversation, no matter how small, contributes to a supportive and understanding society,” said the organization. “By initiating these vital conversations, we can break down barriers, raise awareness and create better cultures of support.”
Weaver echoed that sentiment.
“I always say that suicide is everyone’s business in the same way that other public health concerns are everyone’s business,” she said. “We all have a part to play in creating a culture where mental health can be talked about openly and honestly.”
Creating an open, honest environment begins with learning.
“When that stigma often comes from fear, the best way to combat that fear in ourselves is through knowledge,” said Weaver. “The more we’re able to understand, to read, to learn from our loved ones who might be struggling, the more likely it is that we’re going to be able to show up as our best selves and be supportive.”
For WSPD, the CMHA's B.C. division is holding a free, half-day suicide prevention training course on Sept. 25 at the Monterey Centre in Victoria, which will help attendees learn how to assist someone thinking about suicide.
Click here for information about suicide prevention resources in B.C., and follow this link for more information about World Suicide Prevention Day.
