About ten Canadians die every day from suicide, and events this week are scheduled with the hope of ending that trend.
Monday marked World Suicide Prevention Day, part of the observance in Windsor-Essex of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This observance is organized by the Windsor-Essex County chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, and several community partners.
It is estimated that in Windsor-Essex alone, more than 150 people took their own lives between 2012 and 2016. Karen Gignac, manager of mental health services at the CMHA of Windsor-Essex County, said one of the saddest aspects of that statistic is that many of them are young people.
"Between the ages of 10 and 24, it's the leading cause of death," said Gignac. "It affects both women and men, it affects the rich and the poor, the working, the unemployed, every culture and every religion."
The CMHA is using the month of September to hold special events to raise suicide awareness. One of those events takes place Monday night at the Capitol Theatre in Windsor, with a screening of the documentary "Suicide: The Ripple Effect". The film features Kevin Hines, who at age 19, attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and became one of a handful of people to survive. Gignac said Hines is now using that incident call attention to the rising tide of suicide in North America.
"He's on a mission now to use his story, to create awareness and tell people that you can overcome, you can cope with these things and you can get help," said Gignac. "His big hashtag is #beheretomorrow. He's really on a mission to make sure that people know they can get help and be here tomorrow."
In addition to the film screening, the CMHA is encouraging people to raise suicide awareness at 8 p.m. Monday by lighting a single candle and placing it in their window.
Gignac said there are quite a few options locally for people who are in crisis, among them a 24-hour crisis line, which can be accessed at (519) 973-4435. Services and resources are also available through that number. The CMHA Windsor-Essex County website also has resources.
"Suicide: The Ripple Effect" will be screened at the Capitol starting at 6:30 p.m. More information on the film is available through Hines' official website.
