Suicide Prevention Day

Let's talk Suicide Prevention today. Did you know today is officially #SuicidePreventionDay ?

As an RN and a person who is at elevated risk for suicidality (mental illness, brain injury, chronic illness, major life losses, previous suicidal ideation etc.), I am a big believer in reducing stigma and educating others around this topic. I know it is a very painful and uncomfortable topic for many, but I challenge you not to turn away. The only way for us to combat suicidality is head on, & rooted in our ability to be informed, accessible, vulnerable and willing. For individuals at risk like myself, it is all about being vigilant and addressing issues before they outstrip our coping ability. But that requires considerable vulnerability and a willingness to say "Hey Marta...you are starting to slip...we have to get help". For individuals who can help, it is about being open, available and willing to keep us company in these negative spaces. I am blessed to have loved ones and a medical team I can talk to about my mental wellbeing...and know I will be heard. This was the case in October of 2017. At the time I had taken blow after blow after blow after blow to my mental and physical wellbeing and was functioning well beyond my safe zone...and I found myself on a train platform fighting an overwhelming compulsion to jump in front of a train. Lucky me, I was blessed to have a small part of me say "This isn't the way to solve things...we gotta go get help"...and I did. Unfortunately that isn't the case for many others. Every day in Canada 250 individuals attempt and 10 die from suicide. World wide 1 person dies from suicide every 40 seconds. And no one is immune from suicide and the toll it exacts; it crosses the demographic lines and affects all races, genders, ages, ethnic and socio-economic lines. As the WHO points out "The pain that leads individuals to take their lives is unimaginable, and their deaths leave countless family and friends bereaved and their communities impacted." Thank you for reading and being willing to learn.