National Suicide Prevention Month

​Did you know that September 10, 2017 was World Suicide Prevention Day and that September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month? This may be a topic you have heard about before, or maybe it is one you can connect with personally. Either way, it is one that must be addressed openly and honestly. Why? Because approximately 11 people will end their lives by suicide today alone in Canada. 

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. Help us spread the message that help, hope, and healing are possible.

Suicide is a very complex issue. Not all people who die by suicide have been diagnosed with a mental illness and not all people with a mental illness attempt to end their lives by suicide. People who experience suicidal thoughts and feelings are suffering with tremendous emotional pain and typically have overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, despair, and helplessness. Many individuals considering suicide feel as though their pain will never end and that suicide is the only way to stop the suffering.
 
Many factors and circumstances can contribute to someone considering suicide. Factors such as loss, addictions, childhood trauma or other forms of trauma, depression, serious physical illness, and major life changes can make some people feel overwhelmed and unable to cope. It is important to note that it isn’t necessarily the nature of the loss or stressor that is as important as the individual’s experience of these things feeling unbearable.
 
If you are concerned about someone, try reaching out and asking them if they want to talk. Sometimes all it takes is a caring, compassionate person to turn things around. Please do not hesitate to reach out for help. There are many options available to you and those you may be worried about, including calling our office, any others in your community, 911, or visiting your local emergency department or nursing station. It can be scary when a friend or loved one is thinking about suicide and it can be difficult to know how to act. You can call any of the crisis lines below for support:
 
Crisis Lines
Thunder Bay Crisis Services -- (807) 346-8282
Beendigan -- (807) 346-4357
Children's Aid Society Crisis Line -- (807) 343-6100
Elizabeth Fry Crisis Line -- (807) 622-5407
Faye Peterson Crisis Line -- (807) 345-0450
Kids Help Phone -- 1 (800) 668-6868
​Crisis Pregnancy Services -- 1 (800) 665-0570

​If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for help. Help us spread the message that help, hope, and healing are possible.