A bus load of people die each year in Laval from suicide
But we have lowest rate in Quebec, say prevention experts
Published February 10, 2010
By Martin C. Barry • TLN

Nearly every week, according to prevention experts, someone commits suicide in Laval. Although Laval is the region in Quebec which has the lowest rate of suicide, an average 40 suicides annually over the last few years has become a source of worry for local social services providers. Laval’s public health agency, the CSSS Laval and several groups devoted to suicide prevention are therefore trying to raise more awareness of the problem.
During National Suicide Prevention Week, which took place from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6, a group of local suicide prevention experts gathered to brief the media. They urged the public to be aware of suicide and remain vigilant in trying to prevent it, since as many as 6,000 Laval residents 15 years of age or older are believed to have had thoughts about suicide. Part of the message is that persons who’ve had suicidal thoughts, or persons who know of such people, should avail themselves of the resources available in order to be helped.

Laval’s 40 annual suicides
This was the tenth year that National Suicide Prevention Week was observed. For those working on the front lines of suicide prevention in Laval, the number of people who die each year from it is comparable to the number of passengers typically found on a bus. That’s a bus load of persons who die unnecessarily over 12 months. In 2008, according to provisional statistics produced by Quebec’s National Institute for Public Health, there were no less than 1,108 deaths from suicide across the province. More than 800 of them were men, 260 were women.
Nonetheless, the prevalence of suicide has diminished an average four per cent per year in the province over the last decade. Whereas there were 1,620 suicides in 1999, the number had dropped to 1,103 by 2008. In the overall picture across Quebec, Laval comes out ahead with 10.1 suicides per 100,000 inhabitants, the province’s lowest regional rate. On a daily basis, the experts advise, everyone can do their part to assist someone they know who may be dealing with a problem that is challenging them to their emotional limits. Here are some suggestions:

How to recognize signs
They say suicidal intentions don’t suddenly appear. Persons who are thinking of suicide generally show signs which can alert those close to them, whether they are parents or friends. Sometimes the words used by suicidal persons are direct, such as “I want to get it over with,” or simply, “I am going to kill myself.” There are also indirect ways, such as “You would be better off without me” or, “I would be better off dead.”
Certain types of behaviour (sadness, aggression, isolation, withdrawal, mood changes, someone putting his affairs in order) also offer clues. According to the experts, before trying to take their life, suicidal persons will try virtually everything to diminish their suffering and get things in order. But if the situation doesn’t end up working out, suicide will start to gain importance. They compare it to being in a tunnel, where the more you move forward the less there is light.

Local help available
Laval has several groups which are devoted exclusively to suicide prevention. L’Îlot, the regional crisis service for Laval, is there to lend support and provide help that can allow someone thinking of suicide to regain control of their life. L’Îlot’s services, which are bilingual, are free upon referral and available anytime day or night. MASC is a specialized suicide prevention service for men facing crises (especially separation from children and spouses). Laval has a confidential 24-hour suicide prevention hotline where intervention and information can be obtained: 1-866-2911.