Suicide. It is said that most people at one time or another have thought about it. In Canada, the number of people who turned those thoughts into fatal action has been on the rise for the past 12 years.
In 2012, 3,926 people took their own lives compared to 3,560 in 2010. While increase in population means the rate – 11.6 per 100,000 compared to 11.3 respectively – has remained virtually static it is nearly 400 more lives lost.
In Alberta, that rate is normally higher than the national average. In 2012, it hovered at 13 per 100,000 but last year it spiked to 632 – 15.1 per 100,000 – and approximately 100 more than the provincial average. Experts attributed the increase to the economic downturn that cost tens of thousands of people their jobs.
Rates of suicide in Canada are very much regional with the highest rates being in the territories and PEI. Alberta hovers near the middle, ranking between sixth and seventh year after year. The highest rates are in Nunavut, where the average sits at around 100 suicide deaths per 100,000 each year. In that territory, it is said not a single family has not been affected by suicide in some way.
Here in Cochrane, the community has not been spared the hardship of suicide. Over the past year, three young people took their lives – tragedies that left scars on the community and the families.
Solutions are not easy when talking about suicide. Last year, due to the stresses of unemployment and people losing their livelihoods, there was a call for an increase in mental health and addictions services – a majority of suicides are by people with addiction, mental health or a combination of those issues.
Economic crisis, addictions and mental health are also not the only risks when dealing with suicide, especially with youth. Today with rising cyberbullying and increased awareness around gender and sexual identity there are more pressures on young people – pressures that many older generations struggle to understand.
There are a number of resources online that deal with suicide prevention and awareness that can help. From self-help guides to help lines to information on how to identify signs of suicide in loved ones.
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, the best way to deal with suicide is to not ignore it.
“Talking about suicide won’t give them the idea. If someone is seriously considering suicide, they may be relieved that they can talk about it,” its website reads.
With so many factors, suicide is a daunting problem to combat. The first step is awareness, which is why the World Health Organization named Sept. 10 World Suicide Prevention Day. The aim is to help prevent the some 800,000 suicides that occur globally each year.
Being able to recognize warning signs and know when and how to seek help could help save tens of thousands of lives.
