Call of despair to Suicide Help Line saved my life

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/09/2020 (1880 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THOSE close to me know that in October 2018, I made the decision to end my life. I sat in my car with the motor running in the garage with the door closed, a stomach full of sleeping pills, and waited to die.

And then I changed my mind, went inside and called the Suicide Help Line.

I was referred to the Crisis Response Centre where I was immediately admitted. From there, I was sent to Winkler for two weeks, where I recovered. The final diagnosis was post-traumatic stress disorder following years of sexual violence and bullying.

I write this on Sept. 10, World Suicide Prevention Day.

My story is not particularly unique. An average of 10 people die by suicide every day in Canada and the rate of suicide is rising among women more quickly than men in Canada. Plus, the risk of becoming suicidal is usually higher for women who have experienced violence.

Statistically, however, men are still dying of suicide more often than women. Men and boys are at the highest risk of death by suicide than any other demographic. Males account for around three-quarters of suicides after the age of 15. For Canadian Indigenous men, the suicide rate for ages 15 to 24 is 126 per 100,000, compared to 24 per 100,000 for non-Indigenous men.

The question in these trying times is whether these rates will climb even higher, particularly given the stressful financial times and the isolation. Both may have a negative impact on mental health and may exacerbate stress, depression and alcohol abuse. Certainly, at the beginning of the pandemic, crisis lines and mental health professionals saw a spike in calls as Canadians attempted to understand COVID-19.

Preliminary studies published in June in QJM: An International Journal of Medicine indicate that the pandemic will have a significant impact on the mental health of many, largely as a result of the economic fallout, the continuing uncertainty and the social isolation. The researchers point to an increase in suicides after the influenza in 1918-19 and a “significant increase in suicide deaths among people aged 65 and over during the 2003 severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in Hong Kong” as precedents.

The article recommends different approaches in suicide prevention during COVID-19. First, a universal approach for everyone is to decrease stress, anxiety, fears and loneliness. This would include media campaigns promoting mental health and encouraging people to stay connected, either by phone or other means, to eat healthy and to exercise.

For those who are at an increased risk of suicide — including people with a history of psychiatric disorders, COVID-19 survivors, frontline health workers and the elderly — active outreach is suggested, with access to counselling even if it’s through tele-medicine. The researchers also suggest minimizing exposure to news, as it may just worsen stress.

The final category is for those who have recently attempted suicide. According to this research, they should be provided special attention, with a clinician followup as they are in a higher category of potential risk.

All of this of course is difficult during a pandemic and in a province where mental health care is difficult to access. Psychiatrists have long waiting lists. It’s hard to find counsellors accepting new patients in person. The good news is that the province launched an online therapy service for those needing help coping with COVID-19 in March. The service is offered free to anyone over the age of 16.

There is a bit of optimism in another report from JAMA Psychiatry. It states that following major events like 9/11, people feel a sense of community because they’ve come out of an event together and suicide rates may actually drop. Their research also suggests that “recent advancements in technology (e.g., video conferencing) might facilitate pulling together. Epidemics and pandemics may also alter one’s views on health and mortality, making life more precious, death more fearsome, and suicide less likely.”

We have the ability to reach out to our friends and family through technology that didn’t exist during the 1918 influenza. During the fall and winter, it may be another way of creating connection.

Two years later, I’m still here. I’m glad I am. I have a counsellor, Lynda, who I call the Shannon-whisperer. But, I know that the next six months may be tough for a lot of you. You just have to ride it out. On the other side of that big wave of feelings, there’s joy.

And if you really need help right now, please reach out to 1-877-435-7170.

Shannon Sampert is a retired political scientist.

www.mediadiva.ca.

shannon@mediadiva.ca

Twitter: @CdnMediadiva