PORT McNEILL—Vancouver Island Crisis Line will host a suicide prevention workshop here Sept. 20, wrapping up a series of nine workshops Island-wide, Vancouver Island Health Authority announced last week.
The workshop will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Black Bear Resort. It will feature the latest research from the American Association of Suicidology and topics include support services for men and connections between substance use and suicide.
Described as a “silent epidemic”, Canadian suicide rates amongst men is about four times that of women. Part of this may be related to men’s reluctance to seek help for suicide-related concerns and a lack of prevention awareness.
Suicide has no age limit and is the second leading cause of death amongst youth aged 15 to 24 years in B.C., and the leading cause of death for adults aged 25 to 49 years and adults in the primary parenting years. In Canada, seniors total approximately 12 per cent of all suicides.
Space is still available for the Port McNeill workshop. For workshop registration, please visit http://www.vicrisis.ca/world-suicide-prevention-week-2013/.
For more resources and information on suicide prevention, please contact the Vancouver Island Crisis Line: Call 1-888-494-3888 or visit http://www.vicrisis.ca