Hormones…
Relationship struggles…
Family issues…
Grief…
Homework struggles…
I could go on and on with many challenges teenagers face. Today in the newspapers there was a ton of coverage about Suicide rates in Canadian teen girls rising.
I always notice a common thread in the comments that follow after mental illness or suicide is brought into the spotlight. What saddens me about the comments is there is, for the most part – BLAME…
Abusive partners, Bad Parenting, Gun laws just to name a few.
It’s called the BLAME GAME…
Instead of putting energy into laying blame - TAKE ACTION…
Do you know the signs of suicidal thoughts or patterns?
Do you know the signs of depression or mental illness?
Do you know how to support a loved one with a mental illness?
1.2 millions Canadian Youth and Children are impacted by a mental illness.
95% of those who die by suicide have either a mental illness or substance abuse.
What ACTION can you take?
1. Educate Yourself
Living Works has many programs offered across the world. I have personally taken the ASIST – Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training Program as well as the safeTALK workshop – both of which I highly recommend anyone to take part in.
Here in Calgary – ANYONE can attend these great workshops through Centre for Suicide Prevention:
Tattered Teddies – Preventing Suicide in Children
Half day workshop
April 19, 2012 (am)
May 17, 2012 (am)
June 14, 2012 (am)
safeTALK ~ Suicide Awareness
Half day workshop
April 19, 2012 (pm)
May 17, 2012 (pm)
June 14, 2012 (pm)
Straight Talk ~ Youth Suicide Prevention
Full day workshop
April 17, 2012
May 15, 2012
June 12, 2012
2. Open and honest relationship
When was the last time you had a deep and meaningful conversation with a loved one?
Have you noticed someone you love is not themselves – do you turn a blind eye or ASK if they are okay?
Connect with people on a heart level. Look into their eyes – the eyes are the windows to a persons soul: you can see love, hate, pain, joy and sadness in them – IF you take the time to truly connect.
The next time you have a conversation with a loved one, look into their eyes and truly connect with them.
An excerpt from A Quiet Strong Voice
“Is living in fear really a way to live life? It holds me back from the real connection that I crave and need so deeply. Then I realize that there is one person with whom I have been honest about every detail, from my childhood until the present: my therapist. In three short weeks she has provided for me a safe space in which to reveal myself completely. Why is this? How can it be that I can open myself to a complete stranger? She now knows more about me than anyone in my life, including Neil.I discuss this with her and ask her how I can have this type of candor in my relationships outside this program.
“You have no past or future attachment to me,” she explains. “The fears of judgment, abandonment and rejection are not here. You are allowing yourself to be fully open with me and I am here to listen and to support without judgment – that is my job. Once you let go of your fears and learn to trust in yourself and in the people you love and who love you, you will find your relationships deepen and reach a whole new level, when you are open and honest. Building an open and honest relationship takes work and commitment. We have had the opportunity to talk every day, and there is the commitment to your mental health that counts on that.”
3. ASK for help!
We live in a society where the majority of people are brought up to believe that asking for help is a sign of weakness.
NEWSFLASH – Asking for help is a sign of STRENGTH!!!
If I had not ASKed for help and called the Distress Centre in October 2004 – chances are I would not be sitting here writing this blog post and I would have missed many wonderful moments in my life.
Do you know where to turn to or where to send a loved one for help?
As an adult who is either a parent or around children – do YOU model asking for help?
An excerpt from A Quiet Strong Voice
“So, how do I move past these barriers and actually ask people for help?” I ask the instructor, sharing with her that throughout this journey I have done a good job of wearing a mask so that people see me as a happy and healthy person.She gives me many wonderful tips, but one comment in particular really hits home with me. She looks directly at me and says, “Imagine one of your daughters going through a difficult time. Now, imagine she has no one to support her because she chooses not to ask for help.” I stop dead in my tracks, tears welling up in my eyes as I imagine my elder daughter alone, in pain and not asking for help. Immediately I understand how important it is to do this, not only for myself, but also as a model for my daughters. The wall of resistance I have built comes tumbling down. I think about what it would look like if the girls chose to hide behind masks, too.
“Lee, asking for help is a sign of strength!” says the quiet, strong voice. AHA – I get it!
Thank you to Heather Yourex of Global TV Health FYI for yet another educational piece. I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Bone (interviewed in the story) at the Alberta Communities take action to Reduce Suicide Learning Symposium. His courage to share his painful story of losing his daughter to suicide touched my heart deeply. To this day, actually today – he speaks at schools sharing his story and educating teens through his volunteer work with the Canadian Mental Health Association – Calgary Region.
