On Wednesday, September 10, 2014, individuals, organizations and communities worldwide gathered to show their support for World Suicide Prevention Day. Led by the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP), the day was dedicated to raising awareness about suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. This year’s theme is “One World Connected,” as recent research has identified connectedness as a protective factor to strengthen resilience and prevent suicide.In Canada, approximately 4,000 people die by suicide every year, and suicide is the second-most common cause of death among young people. A new report released by the World Health Organization estimates that suicide kills one person worldwide every 40 seconds. Titled Preventing Suicide: A global imperative, the report provides a number of recommendations for countries to counter risk factors of suicide, including:
- Universal prevention strategies such as increasing access to health care and responsible media reporting;
- Selective prevention strategies to help vulnerable populations such as individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress;
- Indicated prevention strategies which assist vulnerable individuals through community support and education.
For more on the WHO report on preventing suicide, visit the WHO website.
To show our support for World Suicide Prevention Day, CMHA Ontario will be participating in a Twitter chat hosted by Children’s Mental Health Ontario today. Follow the hashtag #WSPD14 between 11-3 pm EST today as we share information and resources on suicide prevention.