Weekly News Round-Up Apr. 18 – 24, 2016
Hello Friends,
Every day we scan news headlines
and social media for items of interest to the field of suicide
prevention. Here’s what we found last week:
Featured:
Man who survived suicide jump from Golden Gate Bridge shares
his story to help others: ‘The moment I hit freefall was an instant regret’
– People
April 19, 2016
Kevin Hines, who attempted suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge and
lived, told his incredible story to University of Pennsylvania students
this past week. Robert Olson, Librarian and Writer for the Centre for Suicide
Prevention, provided statistics for the accompanying article.
This Attawapiskat teen survived a suicide attempt, her younger
sister did not: ‘I feel so lonely without her’ – National Post
April 24, 2016
Sheridan Hookimaw, 16, lives in Attawapiskat, Ontario, in a community that has
had a rash of suicide attempts. Hookimaw herself attempted suicide but lived,
unlike her 13 year old sister. Initially Hookimaw turned to drugs and alcohol
to her her cope with her sister’s death, but now she’s trying to help others
through her lived experience.
Rising suicide rates – The Atlantic
April 22, 2016
The National Center for Health Statistics in the US has just released the
latest suicide stats, which show 24% increase in suicide from
1999-2014.
Edmonton students send messages of hope to Attawapiskat youth
after suicide attempts – Global
April 22, 2016
Grade 5 students from Edmonton’s Islamic Academy are making cards with hopeful
and encouraging messages to the youth of Attawapiskat, who are currently
experiencing a suicide crisis.
The Arctic Suicides: It’s not the dark that kills you – NPR
April 21, 2016
Like some Inuit communities in the region, Nunavut’s neighbour Greenland also
experiences high rates of suicide in some areas. Similar risk factors to those
of the Inuit in Canada, like intergenerational trauma, appear for the Inuit of
Greenland as well. After colonization, cultural practices such as fishing and
hunting were taken over by Danish companies, and people started leaving their
communities to go work in larger cities at the fish processing plants. The
Danish government went so far as to completely close certain towns such as
Kangeq, where the store was shuttered and the power turned off. This event
especially triggered a rash of suicides that continues today.
Related – Back from Greenland, the country with the world’s highest
suicide rate – NPR
April 24, 2016
Related – How do you help someone who is at risk of suicide? – NPR
April 22, 2016
Indigenous Canadians complain of neglect as government helps
refugees – Guardian
April 21, 2016
Robert Sutherland, 27, asked Minister of Indigenous Affairs Carolyn Bennett why
Canada was accepting so many Syrian refugees when so many Canadians, like those
in Attawapiskat, are living in third world conditions and dying by suicide at
alarming rates. Sutherland feels that the government is turning a blind eye to
First Nations communities, especially those like Attawapiskat, who are facing a
suicide crisis with over 125 suicide attempts since last Fall.
How Canada is working with indigenous peoples to prevent
suicide – PBS Newshour
April 21, 2016
Igloolik, a small Inuit community in Nunavut is profiled in this success story
about how Indigenous communities can prevent suicide. Igloolik combines means
restriction with community support and activities. The community members
themselves were key in the success of their suicide prevention efforts.
‘Our job is to close the gap,’ Minister of Indigenous Affairs
tells First Nations – CBC
April 19, 2016
During a visit by Minister of Indigenous Affairs Carolyn Bennett,
Attawapiskat’s Chief Wayne Moonais stressed the importance of addressing the
living conditions and overall infrastructure before any suicide prevention
program could work. A DeBeers diamond mine is quite close to the town, but the
jobs created by the mine aren’t enough to keep suicide rates down, and in fact
the rates have gone up since the mine opened in 2009. Minister Bennett
commented that it is the federal governments job to listen to the community and
“close the gap on social indicators, the education and health.”
Opinion: What does depression feel like? Trust me – you really
don’t want to know – The Guardian
April 19, 2016
This opinion piece talks about the complexities of depression in an attempt to
describe to someone without depression what it really feels like.
Attawapiskat: Suicide isn’t a ‘big mystery’ – lessons from
successful suicide prevention strategies – Global
April 19, 2016
The suicide prevention model in Quebec is used as an example of a successful
suicide prevention strategy after halving their youth suicide rate. Creating a
24-hour crisis line and training over 30,000 first responders and community
members in suicide prevention were just two aspects of the strategy.
Governments ‘only beginning’ to realize scope of mental-health
struggles, says Justin Trudeau – Toronto Star
April 19, 2016
Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Trudeau promised to support the lower levels of
government who are helping people deal with mental health issues. PM Trudeau
said he has hope for a lowered suicide rate in indigenous communities, “In
indigenous communities where there has been the support and an ability to do
language and cultural teaching to an extremely high level, suicide rates have
plummeted.”
Transgender college students at higher risk for suicide
attempts after denial of access to bathrooms, appropriate housing, study finds
– Science Daily
April 19, 2016
A study done by Georgia State University examined risk
factors for suicide in transgender students, and found that almost half of the
participants in their study had attempted suicide. Attempt instances were
higher among students who had been denied access to bathrooms and campus
housing that was gender-appropriate.
For First Nations facing suicide crisis, the solution is rooted
in the community – CBC
April 18, 2016
Snuneymuxw First Nation has been suicide-free for 5 years, due in part to
community-driven efforts to organize athletic and, most importantly, cultural
programs for youth. The community has experienced high suicide rates in the
past, but was able to eradicate suicide through these community programs.
Inuit in Nunavut also plagued by suicide epidemic, leader says
– Toronto Star
April 18, 2016
Natan Obed, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, a national Inuit
organization, says he is happy to see such serious discussion on suicide
happening in the House of Commons. However, Obed says that the government needs
to work more closely with communities to come up with answers to the suicide
crisis, instead of solely relying on the affected communities to come up with
their own solutions.
Opinion: Canada needs a national suicide prevention strategy – because
they work – CBC
April 18, 2016
This opinion piece for CBC argues against Health Minister Philpott’s comments
that she is “not convinced that (suicide prevention) strategies are the
way that we’re going to get things done.” The author argues that a
Canada-wide suicide prevention strategy would effectively organize long and
short-term action. These comments echo those of National AFN Chief Perry
Bellegarde, who is calling for a national strategy.