Suicide Prevention Resources for Caregiver

Suicide is a leading cause of death in young people.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for people of all ages. In 2009, it ranked as the ninth leading cause of death in Canada. Among those aged 15 to 34, suicide was the second leading cause of death, preceded only by accidents (unintentional injuries). Because they do not generally die from natural causes, suicide represents a relatively large percentage of all deaths for younger age groups (15 to 34). In 2009, 202 individuals aged 15 to 19 committed suicide. This represented almost a quarter (23%) of all deaths in this age group, up from 9% in 1974. The relatively higher proportion of suicide deaths for this age group is due to the decline in overall mortality rates, a trend driven mainly by declines in accidental deaths which continue to be the leading cause of death for those aged 15 to 19. —Excerpted from Suicide Rates: An Overview (Statistics Canada).

Risk Factors

  • Mental illness
  • Substance abuse
  • Physical or sexual abuse
  • Exposure to a friend or family member’s suicidal behaviour
  • Ambivalence of sexual orientation
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Access to lethal means of suicide
  • Homelessness
  • Non-lethal self-injury or previous suicide attempts

Warning Signs

  • Making suicidal statements
  • Being preoccupied with death in conversation, writing, or drawing
  • Giving away belongings
  • Withdrawing from friends and family
  • Having aggressive or hostile behaviour
  • Neglecting personal appearance
  • Running away from home
  • Risk-taking behaviour, such as reckless driving or sexual promiscuity
  • A change in personality (such as from upbeat to quiet or the other way around)

How to be Helpful When Someone is Suicidal

  • Take all threats or attempts seriously
  • Be aware and learn warning signs of suicide
  • Be direct and ask if the person is thinking of suicide.  If the answer is yes, ask if the
    person has a plan and what the time line is.
  • Be non-judgmental and empathetic
  • Do not minimize the feelings expressed by the person
  • Do not be sworn to secrecy …seek out the support of appropriate professionals
  • Ask if there is anything you can do
  • Draw on resources in the person’s network
  • Do not use clichés or try to debate with the person
  • In an acute crisis take the person to an emergency room or walk in clinic or call a
    mobile crisis service if one is available
  • Do not leave them alone until help is provided
  • Remove any obvious means e.g. firearms, drugs or sharp objects) from the immediate vicinity

Source: International Association of Suicide Prevention

Phone Numbers

Vancouver Island Crisis Line

Phone: 1-888-494-3888

This line is answered 24/7/365 to support callers experiencing suicidal thoughts. Workers provide skilled suicide assessment, de-escalation, intervention, referrals, and short-term support.

1800SUICIDE

Phone: 1-800-784-2433

This line is answered 24/7/365 to support callers experiencing suicidal thoughts. Workers provide skilled suicide assessment, de-escalation, intervention, referrals, and short-term support.

Canada Suicide Prevention Service

Phone: 1-833-456-4566

Canada Suicide Prevention Service includes 24/7 Crisis Line service.

KUU-US Crisis Line (Support for Indigenous Peoples Only)

Youth Phone: 1-250-723-2040 
Adults/Elders Phone: 1-250-723-4050 
Toll Free Line: 1-800-588-8717

This support service was created due to the amount of suicide attempts among aboriginal youth. This a 24 hour crisis line. KUU-US means “people” in Tseshaht Language. As such, the KUU-US Crisis Line was established as a Society on August 16, 1993.

Vancouver Island Crisis Text

Phone: 250-800-3806

Available from 6:00pm to 10:00pm Crisis Text services provide non-judgemental emotional support via online SMS texting services, as well community resource links. All crisis text conversations are confidential; your privacy is important. We ask for your age and gender for statistical purposes and to provide appropriate resources.

Chat & Forum Support

Vancouver Island Crisis Text

Phone: 250-800-3806

Available from 6:00pm to 10:00pm Crisis Text services provide non-judgemental emotional support via online SMS texting services, as well community resource links. All crisis text conversations are confidential; your privacy is important. We ask for your age and gender for statistical purposes and to provide appropriate resources.

Vancouver Island Crisis Chat

URL: https://www.vicrisis.ca/

Available through our website’s HOME PAGE every night from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm.

Through Crisis Chat, our goal is to provide non-judgemental emotional support via online chat services, as well as offer resource information. All crisis chat conversations are confidential; your privacy is important and no video communication is used.

We ask for your age and gender for statistical purposes and to provide appropriate resources.

Youthspace: Online Chat, Email Counselling, & Forum

URL: https://www.youthspace.ca/

Youthspace is a place for any youth across Canada, under 30, that is experiencing any sort of crisis to come and talk. We are open every day between 6:00pm and midnight. We are a diverse community of trained volunteers who would love to listen to how things are going for you. We care, and believe that talking can help you sort through your feelings and thoughts. We hope that you feel less alone after chatting with us. All volunteers are certified in ASIST (Applied Suicide Interventions Skills Training).

Website Resources

Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP)

URL: https://suicideprevention.ca

The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) provide informations and resources to communities to reduce the suicide rate and minimize the harmful consequences of suicidal behaviour.

Mental Health Commission of Canada

URL: https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English

The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) leads the development and dissemination of innovative programs and tools to support the mental health and wellness of Canadians.

Vancouver Island Crisis Society

URL: https://www.vicrisis.ca/

Our services include 24-hour Crisis Lines, as well as Crisis Chat and Crisis Text services, through which we provide short-term non-judgmental support, crisis intervention, information, and resources; training in schools with youth, teachers, counsellors, and parents; regional consultation and workshops regarding suicide bereavement support; and various workshops and customized training addressing suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and communication skills for individuals and agencies throughout our communities.

Need2

URL: https://need2.ca/

NEED2 educates and prevents deaths by suicide through its youth focused programs and services and plays a role in educating the community through workshops and presentations. As well, we offer a support group for suicide loss that meets monthly where a safe space is created for folks who have lost a loved one to suicide to connect with those who can share a similar story.

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Welcome to our new website! The Foster Parents Support Services Society (FPSSS) is now the Caring Families Society. We still are the same organization, supporting BC family caregivers with a wide range of education and support services.

 

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