For World Suicide Prevention Day, the Vancouver Island Crisis Society is holding an event in Nanaimo to raise awareness about suicide prevention, provide resources and encourage open conversations about mental health.
"The main message is just you are not alone," said Neil Cutler, V.I. Crisis community awareness coordinator. "Some people feel that they're completely alone in their experiences around suicide or having lost someone to suicide … there's other people that have gone through this and that there's hope."
The event's theme is changing the narrative. According to a news release from V.I. Crisis, Changing the Narrative: #StartTheConversation is an initiative from the International Association for Suicide Prevention "aimed at inspiring open, honest discussions about suicide and suicidal behaviour. These essential conversations break down barriers, raise awareness, and foster understanding and support."
Cutler explained that changing the narrative means being able to openly discuss suicide without a "darkness," which tends to make the person change the subject whenever suicide is brought up. But he said there are ways people can change that.
"It's mostly by listening. Being willing to not change the subject when someone uses the word 'suicide,' being there for when they just need to just talk because the thing about suicide is it has a darkness to it that people really don't ever get the chance to talk. If you're stuck in that hole where you cannot express it, that hole is just going to get darker."
During the event, the film Through the Shadowlands will be screened. Through the Shadowlands is a documentary made by two Gabriola Island filmmakers who set out to explore the world of equine therapy. As the documentary was underway, one of the filmmaker's family members died by suicide, leading to a refocusing of the film into the exploration of the emotional, social and psychological impacts of mental health struggles and suicide.
Following the screening, both filmmakers, Anastasia Hirst and John Fulton, will be present for a question-and-answer session.
The event will be held on Sunday, Sept. 8, starting at 1 p.m. at the Best Western Dorchester Hotel, 70 Church St., in the conference room. While the event is targeted to those who lost someone to suicide, Cutler said it's also open to allies.
For those who have lost someone to suicide, V.I. Crisis offers a suicide bereavement peer support group and one-on-one lay counselling free of charge, providing a compassionate space for healing and connection. To learn more, people are asked to e-mail info@vicrisis.ca.
People struggling with thoughts of suicide are asked to call 988 or 1-888-494-3888 to speak with someone 24/7. For those who prefer texting, they can text 988 anytime, day or night.
