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Film screening in Red Deer for World Suicide Prevention Day

Sep 9, 2019 | 2:05 PM

World Suicide Prevention Day is on Tuesday and local advocates say the act of preventing someone from going down that path is a community effort.

To mark the day, Suicide Information and Education Services is screening ‘The S Word,’ a film about people who have attempted and survived suicide. It goes from 6-8 p.m. at CrossRoads Church.

“Suicide is a human issue, so the screening is an opportunity for people to come together and look at suicide from a different perspective. The film is about survivors and how they’re moving forward, and consciously choosing life,” says Dawne Adkins, a certified grief specialist.

“Suicide comes with a ton of stigma in our community and society unfortunately, and we work very diligently every day to break that down. It’s not a certain type of person that can struggle with suicidal thoughts, it can truly affect anyone. So it’s about how do we prevent people from getting to that place and how do we each do our part in supporting each other as community members?”

There have been positive changes over the last couple years in the way we talk about suicide, she acknowledges.

“The conversation has changed as far as the permission, if you will, or the opportunity for people to reach out without fear of judgment or stigma and being more comfortable in saying ‘I’m not okay,’” she says. “The question then becomes ‘What am I going to do about it?” and ‘Who’s out there to support me in that process?’ That’s where we can potentially come in.”

New at Suicide Information and Education Services is an online support program for people who are concerned about another family member or friend, and may have never had an experience with suicide before.

Adkins says the program will help those people break away from myths such as suicide being a selfish act, or that it only affects “crazy” people, so to speak.

Additionally, the centre is launching a 12-week support group on Sept. 19 called Living Beyond Suicide Loss. There are only a few spots remaining.

For more details on Tuesday’s film screening (and to RSVP), or for information the organization, visit SuicideHelp.ca.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or needs support, call 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433).

Other resources include the Mental Health Helpline (1-877-303-2642), Kid’s Help Line (1-800-668-6868) and the Native Youth Crisis Hot Line (1-877-209-1266).