Tomorrow is WORLD SUICIDE PREVENTION DAY and Canada has a crisis.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadian youth aged 15 to 34. Only motor vehicle accidents claim more young lives.
A 2016 Kids Help Phone Canada-wide survey revealed that suicide is on the minds of more Canadian teens than we might imagine, and many are not seeking help because they don’t know who to turn to.
Twenty-two per cent of Canadian teens (aged 13-18) surveyed by Kids Help Phone said they had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 12 months. Of these teens who had considered suicide:
- 67% were girls and 33% were boys
- 47% did not speak to anyone about these thoughts
- 46% had formulated a plan for suicide
- 16% were afraid to talk to their parents about suicide
- 11% did not know who turn to
- 55% searched the web or social media for information about suicide
- 75% also had problems with body-image or self-image
- 27% also experienced violence at home or at school
- 23% also experienced drug or alcohol addictions
Talk to children about suicide. Asssure them suicidal feelings are temporary and having these feelings does not mean they are bad, weak, or insane; it means they are overwhelmed. It means they are carrying more than they feel they can bear. It means they need help, and you will help them get it. Because children have the right to health, protection, and life.
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Sources:
Click to access kids-help-phone-teens-talk-2016.pdf
Suicide prevention: What every parent needs to know
22% of Canadian teens considered suicide this past year: Kids Help Phone study
Featured image: Copyright: Aleksandar Vrzalski (via iStock)
Righting It 
I linked this article to my own, “September 2016: Focus on Suicide Prevention,” under your graphic. Thanks for participating.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMore dot com)
– ADD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder –
“It takes a village to transform a world!”