Suicide awareness week stresses theme ‘You Are Not Alone’
Suicide is still occurring both locally and across the country far too often, so nearly 300 people gathered Sunday to mark World Suicide Prevention Day and kick off awareness week.
Roughly 4,000 Canadians each year decide to take their own life — an average of more than 10 per day. They leave behind shattered family and friends who are often filled with guilt for missing the signs and not doing enough to reach out.
“Today helps people start the conversation because that is where it begins,” said Claudia den Boer, CEO of the local Canadian Mental Health Association. “We need to talk about the anxiety we all feel in different periods of our lives. It’s important to keep talking about it with our family and friends.
“People should know the signs and reach out when it gets beyond an ability to cope. Today, people are more aware and the stigma is less. We can all talk about (suicide) more and that’s where it all starts.”
Sunday’s kickoff event at St. Clair College themed, “You Are Not Alone,” included a five-kilometre walk, plus speeches from area mental health officials and those touched personally by suicide.
“Today means community support for those affected by challenges of mental health and suicide,” said Andrea Milne, who participated in honour of Jordan Caine of Tecumseh, who took his life at the age of 27 in August 2014.
“In my opinion, what needs to change is how we perceive mental health. It should be treated the same as any physical health care issue — that way we are not missing the whole picture.
“We need to treat the whole person and not just what we can physically see. We need more services and that would help decrease the (suicide) numbers.”
Those most susceptible to suicide include men in the ages between 40 to 55, plus youth, den Boer said. Possible signs may include talking about suicide, substance abuse, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, increased withdrawal or anger and reckless behaviour.
“That’s why it’s so important to have events like this to raise awareness and get the messages out there,” den Boer said. “There is help available.” For information, support or emergency assistance, there is a local crisis line available at 519973-4435. People can also contact the Canadian Mental Health Association at 519-255-7440 or visit online at windsoressex.cmha.ca.
Other events scheduled for the upcoming awareness week include walk-in counselling clinics, workshops, panel discussions and the third annual Cainerfest, a suicide prevention fundraiser in honour of Jordan Caine Saturday at Average Joe’s located in the 1200 block of Lauzon Road starting at 1:30 p.m.