Update on P.E.I. Suicide Prevention Strategy provided

On average, 15 people on P.E.I. commit suicide each year. However, the Canadian Mental Health Association’s P.E.I. division is hoping a strategy currently being developed will have an impact on that number. “I think with more awareness, we’re going to be creating a more suicide-safer community,” Amanda Brazil, CMHA’s director of programs and policy, said after meeting with the province’s Standing Committee on Health and Wellness to discuss the P.E.I. Suicide Prevention Strategy.

“And, that for us is a real goal of this strategy – that we’re suicide safer.” CMHA P.E.I. provided an update to the committee on Tuesday regarding the development of the suicide prevention strategy, including the plan to meet with stakeholders in the fall.

Brazil was joined by Pat Doyle, CMHC’s suicide prevention coordinator, who told the committee between 2006 and 2015, the suicide rate on the Island was 9.6 per 100,000 – lower than the national average of 11.3 per 100,000.

Doyle explained that besides people dealing with addictions or mental health issues, some of the trends involving suicides include a “slight increase” with young females attempting suicide. In addition, men have a higher rate of completed suicides because men tend to use more lethal means to attempt suicide and are less likely to be rescued.

“They engage in suicidal behaviour at the exact same rate. It’s the outcome that’s different,” said Doyle.

Seniors are also a group that has a high rate of suicides as they tend to live longer with health problems and loneliness. Committee members asked numerous questions about the issue, including suicide in relation to man enduring a mid-life crisis and whether suicide can be rational for socio-economic reasons, such as the stock market crash of 1929.

Other issues raised by the committee included expanding mental health walk-in clinics to other parts of the Island beyond Prince County and training opportunities for people, including MLAs, to spot the early warning signs of suicide and help someone before its too late.

After the meeting, Brazil noted that the number of questions the committee asked showed that its members are invested in working toward a solution.

She explained that the strategy isn’t going to be a “one size fits all” because suicide is different for everyone. In terms of what needs to change on the Island, Brazil said there needs to be more talk about suicide as a society.