Suicide Informatio
Most people who think about suicide or who attempt suicide want to live. However, they feel overwhelmed by emotional pain and feel hopeless that things will change. They believe that suicide is the only way out of an unbearable situation. Recognizing the signs and getting your youth help is an important step in prevention. Unfortunately suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people in Canada; it accounts for 24% of deaths among 15-24 year olds.
Talking about suicide DOES NOT cause someone to experience thoughts of suicide or increase the risk. It is important to openly talk to your child or youth about suicide if you notice they are experiencing any of the signs below:
Talking about suicide DOES NOT cause someone to experience thoughts of suicide or increase the risk. It is important to openly talk to your child or youth about suicide if you notice they are experiencing any of the signs below:
- Direct and indirect verbal expressions: “I don’t want to live anymore”, “there is nothing to live for ”, “people will be better off without me”
- Major changes in mood (from high to low or from low to high) or a constant low mood
- Loss of interest in activities they previously enjoyed
- Agitation, aggression, high impulsivity, or risky behaviour
- Drug or alcohol use
- Feeling hopelessness
- Changes in eating (increase or decrease) and sleeping patterns (more or less sleep)
- Withdrawal from family, friends, and interests
- Giving away prize possessions or writing a suicide note
- Previous unresolved or recent suicide attempts
- Researching methods to suicide
Who to Call if You or Your Child is in Crisis:
Services |
Contact |
Police/Fire/Ambulance |
911 |
Kids Help Phone |
1-800-668-6868 |
Vancouver Crisis Line (24 hrs) |
604-872-3311 |
Vancouver After Hours (MCFD) |
604-660-4927 |
Suicide Hotline |
1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) |
Mental Health Emergency Services |
604-874-7307 |
Rape Crisis Centre (24 hrs) |
604-255-6344 |
C.A.R.T. (Child and Adolescent Response Team) |
604-874-2300 |
Child/Youth Urgent Assessment |
604-875-2654 |
Resources on Suicide Prevention:
- Centre for Suicide Prevention offers information, workshops, and resource toolkits on the topic of suicide.
- Suicide Prevention is a website that provides a wealth of information on suicide prevention, including: statistics on suicide, warning signs, and what to do in a crisis.
- Crisis Centre in BC offers information, training resources, and links to online chats for youth and adults in crisis.
- Youth in BC is a 24 hours online-chat crisis line for youth.
