I’m Glad You’re Here: What to say to someone who has attempted suicide
August 30, 2022
Vancouver, BC – What do you say to someone who has attempted suicide? Overcoming a suicide attempt is challenging – both for the person who experienced it and for those in the person’s life. When we love someone, it’s terrifying to think of life without them, and our fear of making things worse can get in the way of connection and healing.
“The difference between just one attempt and many more is the experience itself and how the experience is integrated. What is the meaning behind the attempt?” reflects Jessica Wolf Ortiz, Bereavement Coordinator at the Crisis Centre of BC. “A suicide attempt is always communication – we need to be able to talk openly about suicide and suicide attempts for the healing journey to happen.”
On September 6th, the Crisis Centre of BC is hosting a free webinar – “How to Support Someone Who’s Attempted Suicide” – where participants will learn how to talk about pain and suicide and how to help someone recover and heal from a suicide attempt. Organizers hope the webinar is attended by friends and family of suicide attempt survivors, health and mental health professionals and social service providers, and anyone wanting to be able to speak about suicide in a practical way.
“There might be a fear in those around someone who has attempted suicide to talk about suicide or to talk about pain. Because if I talk about pain, I might make things worse, so I just don’t talk about it… A balanced approach is needed: being able to talk about it without being over vigilant,” says Ortiz. “I tend to say that suicide is like a monster under the table – when we shine light on it, it’s not as scary, it’s more manageable.”
The webinar is one of a series of events and workshops offered by the Crisis Centre of BC for the annual World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) in September (marked on September 10). The slogan of this year’s WSPD is “Creating Hope Through Action”; by listening to survivors and those affected by suicide, sharing resources, and advocating for systemic changes in suicide prevention, the Centre strives to create a future where every person experiencing suicidal thoughts feels supported and finds hope.
“We need to have open conversations about suicide for suicide to be prevented,” says Ortiz. “The more comfortable we feel to talk about this topic, which might make us uncomfortable, the more lives will be saved.”
The Crisis Centre of BC, working with the BC Crisis Line Network, provides immediate access to barrier-free, non-judgmental, confidential support and follow-up through 24/7 phone lines and online services. The Centre also provides education and training programs that promote mental wellness and equip schools, organizations, and communities to assist people at risk of suicide.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please contact the Crisis Centre of BC:
- Mental Health Support Line: 310-6789 (no area code required)
- Anywhere in BC 1-800-SUICIDE: 1-800-784-2433
- Online Chat Service for Youth: www.YouthInBC.com (Noon to 1am)
- Online Chat Service for Adults: www.CrisisCentreChat.ca (Noon to 1am)
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS
Stacy Ashton, Executive Director, Crisis Centre of BC
Jessica Wolf Ortiz, Bereavement Coordinator, Crisis Centre of BC
Limited availability the week of World Suicide Prevention Day
MEDIA CONTACT
Stacy Ashton
Executive Director
sashton@crisiscentre.bc.ca
Jeffrey Preiss
Director, Development and Communications
jpreiss@crisiscentre.bc.ca
FACT SHEET:
- World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is a global event, the goal of which is to make sure everyone knows that suicide can be prevented. The event was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization. Every year, over 60 countries participate by hosting educational events and campaigns.
- 10 Canadians die by suicide each day, with up to 200 others attempting suicide (Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention, 2022)
- Suicide is the 9th leading cause of death in Canada (Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention, 2022) and 1 in 100 death worldwide is the result of suicide (World Health Organization, 2019)
- Between 2020 and 2022, suicide was the 3rd leading cause of death for British Columbians between the ages of 19 and 39 (BCCDC, 2022)
- Suicide creates an aftershock for those who knew the person; up to 100 people can be left affected by the death. 400,000 Canadians are bereaving suicide loss each year (Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention, 2022)
- 99.5% of calls to BC crisis lines are safely de-escalated by volunteers and staff crisis responders
- Crisis Centre of BC volunteer responders contributed 34,539 hours of frontline support in suicide prevention