What Albertan’s really need to know about suicide

Jan 7, 2015

The Centre for Suicide Prevention in Calgary focuses on prevention, because prevention is the only solution to suicide. I recently spent a morning with Mara G. the Executive Director of the Centre for Suicide Prevention (CSP), a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association here in Alberta. Our conversation focused on the need for a greater awareness of the high incidence of suicide in our province. Suicide is consistently a leading cause of death among Albertans. Suicide claims more lives annually than other more openly discussed issues such as motor vehicle collisions and homicides. Alberta typically has a higher rate of suicide than the national average. Approximately 500 Albertans die by suicide each year.

Mara stated that there is a need for a “champion” to represent and promote suicide prevention on a provincial level; someone who would also unite the many grassroots, community suicide prevention initiatives currently in place. “CSP focuses on prevention, because prevention is the only solution to suicide.”

The CSP educates people with the information, knowledge and skills necessary to respond to the risk of suicide.

Information you can use right now!

If you are in crisis now please call any of the crisis line numbers listed below or dial the local emergency telephone number (often 911) in your area.

You can also call if you are not in crisis, seeking additional information.

http://suicideprevention.ca/thinking-about-suicide/find-a-crisis-centre/alberta-crisis-centres/

Depression and Suicide

https://suicideinfo.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=BNWiRj1E_uo%3D&tabid=563

Centre for Suicide Prevention

http://suicideinfo.ca/

Frequently Asked Questions

http://suicideinfo.ca/Library/AboutSuicide.aspx

ASIST – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

http://suicideinfo.ca/Training/AlbertaWorkshops.aspx

Teen Suicide Resource Kit

http://suicideinfo.ca/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=EEFnaeAEnMc%3d&tabid=563