Resources for individuals experiencing suicidality:
o Health Link – 811
o Mental Health Help Line (available 24/7)
§ 1-877-303-2642
o Brite Line (available 24/7)
§ Local initiative to create a safe space where 2SLGBTQIA+ folks can connect with supports free of judgement or stigma.
§ 1-844-702-7483
o Canadian Mental Health Association Edmonton (available 24/7)
§ Distress line: 780-482-4357
o Police and Crisis Team (PACT) – 24/7 crisis line
§ Team comprised of police constable and a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse or a social worker.
§ Phone - 780-342-7777
o Calgary ConnecTeen – text or online chat options (available M-F 1500-2200, Sat – Sun 1200-2200)
§ Available to all Alberta Youth
§ Online chat - www.calgaryconnecteen.com
§ Text- 587-333-2724
o First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line – phone or online chat (available 24/7)
§ Phone – 1-855-242-3310
§ Online chat – www.hopeforwellness.ca
o Crisis Services Canada – phone or text
§ Phone 1-833-456-4566 (available 24/7)
§ Text 45645 (available 1600-2400 ET)
o Distress Center – Calgary resource (available 24/7)
§ Phone 1-403-266-4357
§ Walk in counselling services available in Calgary.
o Support available for caretakers at Health Link or Mental Health Help Line
Suicidality
- 2SLGBTQ+ people are 7x more likely to attempt suicide
- Over half of 2SLGBTQ+ students in K-12 report to have had suicidal thoughts
- Suicide attempts are associated with depression, low self-esteem, history of forced sex, drug and alcohol treatment and gender-based discrimination.
o There is a strong association between homophobic victimization and mental health because social isolation may make individuals more vulnerable to bullying and harassment.
o Victims and/or perpetrators of bullying are at greater risk for suicide. 2SLGBTQ+ individuals are more likely to be bullied and harassed than their heterosexual peers because of sexual and gender-based discrimination. 42-68% of 2SLGBTQ+ youth have experienced verbal harassment, 20% of 2SLGBTQ+ youth have reported physical harassment and 33-49% have reported sexual harassment in the last year.
o Sexual minority males have higher risk of suicidal attempts and ideation compared to their heterosexual peers; environmental factors include bullying, victimization and fear of violence in the community. Additionally, bullying and victimization of gbMSM related to ‘feminine’ behaviors may contribute to higher levels of suicidality. Prevalent heteronormative ideas reject traditional gender role non-conformities resulting in sexist attitudes and prejudice towards men exhibiting ‘feminine’ behaviors.
o Bisexual individuals report greater psychological distress and mental health issues because they feel may feel isolated from the rest of the 2SLGBTQ+ community. The isolation may be a result of bisexual erasure, which is a problem in which the existence or legitimacy of bisexuality, either in general or individually, is questioned or denied outright.
- 22-43% of transgender individuals have attempted suicide in their lifetime and over 10% have reported to have had a suicide attempt in the past year
Suicide: intentionally ending one’s own life. People who die by suicide often want to stop significant mental, emotional or physical pain and suffering.
Suicide related behaviors include:
- Suicidal ideation: thinking about taking one’s own life
- Suicide plan. For example, preparing supplies to take their own life, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills.
- Suicide attempt: when someone tries to end their life. This often means that the individual needs help and is at high risk for suicide
Suicide survivors:
- People who have lost someone through suicide
- A person who survived a suicide attempt and may continue to have ideations or suicide-related behaviors
Signs and behaviours that indicate risk of suicide:
- Withdrawing from family, friends or activities
- Feelings of purposelessness or having no reason to live
- Increased substance use (drugs, alcohol, inhalants)
- Feeling hopeless the future or like life is never going to get better
- Feeling trapped or like there’s no other options
- Talking about being a burden or being in unbearable pain
- Anxiety or significant mood changes (anger, sadness or helplessness)
- Change in sleeping or eating patterns
- Making arrangements or giving away belongings when there is no logical explanation for the behavior
- Saying goodbye to people as if they won’t be seen again
- Being preoccupied with death, dying or violence
- Talking about suicide. For example, statements such as “I’m going to kill myself”, “I wish I were dead” or “I wish I hadn’t been born”
How to help:
- Listen and show concern; offering an opportunity to talk about feelings may reduce the risk of acting on suicidal feelings
- Talk with them and provide reassurance that they are not alone
- Let them know you care
- Find out whether the person is in danger of acting on suicidal feelings. Asking about suicidal thoughts or feelings won’t push someone into doing something self-destructive. Be sensitive, but ask direct questions such as:
o How are you coping with what’s been happening in your life?
o Do you ever feel like just giving up?
o Are you thinking about dying?
o Are you thinking about hurting yourself?
o Are you thinking about suicide?
o Have you ever thought about suicide before, or tried to harm yourself before?
o Have you thought about how or when you’d do it?
o Do you have access to weapons or things that can be used as weapons to harm yourself?
- Connect them with resources:
o Crisis line
o Counsellor
o Trusted person in their life
o Call 211 if unsure who to call, can connect with social, health and government resources
- Call 911 or a crisis line if there is an emergency
What to do if you are not feeling like yourself, experiencing a crisis, or have emotional pain.
- Spend time with loving and supportive people
- Consider becoming involved in 2SLGBTQ+ community organizations or Gay-Straight Alliances
- Try to manage substance use
- Ask for help and support!
Resources for individuals experiencing suicidality
o Health Link – 811
o Mental Health Help Line – (available 24/7)
§ 1-877-303-2642
o Canadian Mental Health Association – Edmonton (available 24/7)
§ Distress line: 780-482-4357
o Police and Crisis Team (PACT) – 24/7 crisis line
§ Team comprised of police constable and a registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse or a social worker.
§ Phone - 780-342-7777
o Calgary ConnecTeen – text or online chat options (available M-F 1500-2200, Sat – Sun 1200-2200)
§ Available to all Alberta Youth
§ Online chat - www.calgaryconnecteen.com
§ Text- 587-333-2724
o First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line – phone or online chat (available 24/7)
§ Phone – 1-855-242-3310
§ Online chat – www.hopeforwellness.ca
o Crisis Services Canada – phone or text
§ Phone 1-833-456-4566 (available 24/7)
§ Text 45645 (available 1600-2400 ET)
o Distress Center – Calgary resource (available 24/7)
§ Phone 1-403-266-4357
§ Walk in counselling services available in Calgary.
o Support available for caretakers at Health Link or Mental Health Help Line
References
What You Should Know About LBTQ Youth Suicide in Canada
https://egale.ca/backgrounder-lgbtq-youth-suicide/
The Department of Health – The Mental Health of Australians: Suicidality
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pubs-m-mhaust2-toc~mental-pubs-m-mhaust2-hig~mental-pubs-m-mhaust2-hig-sui
Government of Canada – About Suicide
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/suicide-prevention/about-suicide.html
The Health of LGBTQIA2+ Communities in Canada – Report of the Standing Committee on Health
https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/421/HESA/Reports/RP10574595/hesarp28/hesarp28-e.pdf
Pompili, M., Lester, D., Forte, A., Seretti, M. E., Erbuto, D., Lamis, D. A., … Girardi, P. (2014). Bisexuality and Suicide: A Systematic Review of the Current Literature. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 11(8), 1903–1913.
Luong, C. T., Rew, L., & Banner, M. (2018). Suicidality in Young Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 39(1), 37–45.
Peter, G., Mariah, W., & Marshall, C. (2015). Masculine Identity, Ambivalent Sexism, and Attitudes Toward Gender Subtypes: Favoring Masculine Men and Feminine Women. Social Psychology, (4), 210.
Preventing Suicide – Injury Prevention & Safety, Information for Health Professionals
https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/injprev/page4875.aspx
Transgender People and Suicide
https://www.suicideinfo.ca/resource/transgender-people-suicide/
Sexual Minorities and Suicide
https://www.suicideinfo.ca/resource/sexual-minorities-fact-sheet/
Erasure of Bisexuality
https://www.glaad.org/bisexual/bierasure
Suicide: What to do when someone is suicidal
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/suicide/in-depth/suicide/art-20044707