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Mental illness and suicide have a great many factors in common. Aside from any cause-effect relationship, their biggest similarity is that people are extremely hesitant to discuss, self-disclose or acknowledge that either exists. Because of this reluctance, a lack of information (and considerable misinformation) surrounds both.
Friends for Life is first and foremost a suicide prevention program, designed to provide awareness and knowledge to educators, students and the general public of suicidal symptoms and situations; and provide skills which allow them to be a support and resource to the suicidal person.
Suicide prevention does not always mean talking about suicide. Any information or action which improves the social, emotional and mental health of an individual is, in effect, suicide prevention. Working with schools to develop a sense of self-esteem in students; providing information to stop bullying; providing strategies to lower stress in the workplace; providing knowledge and changing attitudes surrounding mental illness; all have the added benefit of preventing suicide.
A Mental Disorder is a major factor in 70 to 90 percent of suicides. (Mood Disorders Association, NIMH)
It follows, then, that increased awareness, knowledge and openness to mental illness creates a powerful tool in the prevention of suicide. Consider the following: In any given year the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the U.S. estimates that approximately:
- 20 percent of the population will have a diagnosable Mental Disorder. (In Saskatchewan that would be 200,000 people.)
- 5 to 10 percent of the population (an average of 7.5 percent) will suffer from Depressive Disorder. (In Saskatchewan that's 75,000 people.)
- Considerably fewer than 50 percent of these people will seek treatment. (U.S. figure is only 16 percent)
Additional research indicates that:
- Saskatchewan has a higher rate of attempted suicides than any other Canadian province. (Statistics Canada)
- In any given year one in 17 people, or six percent of the population will experience Suicidal Ideation (consider suicide as an option). In Saskatchewan that equals 60,000 people.
(Suicide Information and Education Centre, Calgary, AB) - The average number of suicides in Saskatchewan for the past five years is 131 deaths per year. (SaskHealth)
- For every attempted suicide, there are 100 non-fatal suicidal behaviours ranging from failed attempts, to engaging in behaviours where death is a very real possibility, e.g. combining drugs and alcohol with potentially lethal weapons such as fast cars. (SIEC). In Saskatchewan the number would be 10,000 plus per year.
It is obvious that knowledge, skills and changed attitudes are required if we are to effect improvement in both Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.
Our hope is that by providing information and strategies, people will feel empowered to be more responsive to their own Mental Health needs, as well as those of their families, friends and colleagues.