This article discusses suicide, a sensitive topic. Please proceed with care if you or someone you know is struggling.
Hundreds of people from across Canada recently gathered in Vancouver for the 34th annual National Suicide Prevention Conference. The conference aimed to tackle the sensitive topic of suicide head-on, working to break down the stigma and encourage open conversations.
The conference comes at a critical time for British Columbia, which faces high suicide rates — particularly among young people. For British Columbians aged 10 to 18, suicide is the second leading cause of death, according to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). These statistics are more than just numbers; they represent the tragic losses of real young people like Amanda Todd, Carson Cleland, and Robin Janjua, all victims of online harassment, sextortion, and cyberbullying.
Unsurprisingly, cyberbullying was a significant focus of this year’s conference.
“Cyberbullying is a huge issue, we need to have much better and stronger regulation around it,” said Sean Krausert, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention (CASP), to Global News.
Krausert emphasized the need for stricter regulations to combat cyberbullying, similar to initiatives taken in other countries.
Suicide is preventable
Despite the concerning statistics, a core message emerged from the conference: suicide is preventable.
More resources and support systems are available today than ever before. However, a critical barrier to seeking help is people’s hesitation to talk about suicide.
“There’s a lot of fear involved because there is a lot of lack of knowledge,” said Maria Weaver, Associate Director of Suicide Prevention and Life Promotion with the CMHA in B.C. She highlighted the importance of open conversations as a way to dispel fear and stigma surrounding suicide.
The conference brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to share knowledge and best practices. Clinicians, frontline workers, researchers, and people with lived experience participated in the event, fostering connections and building a stronger support network for suicide prevention.
Veronica Marshall-Bernard, a Nova Scotia clinical therapist and co-vice president of CASP, offered a unique perspective. She lost both of her brothers to suicide, an experience that fueled her passion for mental health work.
“Instead of it immobilizing me, I then took that and I channeled it into something else, which was my schooling and my career path,” Marshall-Bernard said.
The power of open conversations
Marshall-Bernard’s story shows the importance of open conversations about suicide. Silence and stigma only serve to isolate those who are struggling. The conference emphasized that reaching out and having those difficult conversations can offer a lifeline to those in crisis.
Marshall-Bernard concluded by saying that there is always hope too, and urging people to reach out and have those difficult conversations. By working together and having open conversations, the conference attendees hope to make a significant impact on suicide prevention efforts across Canada.
If you are in crisis, there are resources that can help:
- In Canada: Call 9-1-1 or 1-833-456-4566, or visit the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention website (https://suicideprevention.ca/about-us/) for crisis support and resources.
- In the United States: Call 9-8-8 or visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline website (https://988lifeline.org/current-events/the-lifeline-and-988/) for 24/7 confidential support.
- You can also text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor in the US.
We are always stronger when we are together.
