Suicides are up in N.L. This researcher says many factors play into a person’s decision to end their life | CBC News

When determining what leads a person to end their life, experts say recognizing the importance of social factors is crucial.

Nathaniel Pollock, an adjunct professor at the Labrador campus of Memorial University who has researched suicide rates, says a multitude of factors play into someone’s decision to take their own life.

One of them can be a mental illness like depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety or schizophrenia, he said — but that isn’t always the case.

“We also recognize, I think increasingly, that a lot of people who die by suicide don’t have a mental illness and that there are a lot of social factors and relationship factors that also kind of contribute to their risk,” said Pollock.

“Really, it’s multifactorial. It’s several things working together over a long time.”

As CBC News reported last week, suicide deaths have risen across Newfoundland and Labrador, increasing by about 25 per cent from 2020 to 2021, according to numbers from the province’s chief medical examiner.

Social factors — such as discrimination, homophobia, transphobia and racism — play a crucial role when looking at individuals and groups, says Pollock.

On a population level, he says, structural issues — such as lower employment rates during a recession — can lead to an increased suicide rate.

“It’s really important to see that those are not medical issues but those are things that really reflect values and behaviours and structures and institutions in society,” said Pollock.

“We’re starting to get this very complex picture about the factors that really impact people individually and then the factors that really impact us as a society and all of those things coming together.”

Pollock says better access to mental health care and continuity of care are critical in preventing suicides.

But he also stresses that the improvement of social determinants contributing to people’s quality of life and sense of safety is also an important part of suicide prevention.

“Increase people’s food security, make sure they have good quality housing and make sure they aren’t exposed to violence,” said Pollock.

“These are all things that over the long term we can probably start to see the impact of … on things like our suicide rates.”

John Dinn of the Canadian Mental Health Association’s branch in St. John’s agrees about the impact of social factors such as social supports and access to basic resources like housing and food.

“When someone is going through a difficult time or situation, these can make that difficult time or situation even more pronounced for the person,” said Dinn.

Everyone is potentially at risk of suicide, Dinn emphasized, and it’s important to not look at the issue in stereotypes.

Statistics used in suicide prevention training show that about five per cent of any population can have suicidal thoughts at any point.

“So when you think of the population of Newfoundland and Labrador, that would work out to be about 26,000 people. That’s the population of Conception Bay South,” said Dinn.

Some groups more at risk

And while Dinn said people who die by suicide generally feel alone and isolated, there are several groups more at risk of suicide.

The suicide rate is highest in men in their 40s and 50s.

Also at a high risk are men over 80, teenagers, Indigenous people, first responders, members of the LGBTQ community and construction workers.

As for triggers, said Dinn, any life event causing stress, anxiety or grief — such as a separation, the death of a loved one (including pets) or a job loss — can lead to suicidal thoughts or an attempt.

A family history of suicide also heightens the risk, as does family violence or a traumatic experience.

N.L. plan highlights social determinants

The provincial government’s five-year suicide prevention plan notes the impact of “social determinants of health, such as income, education status, and physical and social environments” on people’s health.

“People who experience inequities, such as poverty, homelessness, systemic racism, ageism, gender-based discrimination, transphobia or homophobia, newcomers to Canada and persons with disabilities face barriers to accessing mental health and addictions programs.”

Dinn says everyone should be educated in how to address warning signs in someone, for example by taking training programs like Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training or SafeTalk.

“The one major thing you can do to prevent suicide is talk about suicide. Say the word ‘suicide,'” said Dinn.

“We want to make it a normal part of our conversation as any other health issue that we need to talk about.”

Where to get help if you or someone you know is struggling:

Talk Suicide Canada: 1-833-456-4566 (phone) | 45645 (Text, 4 p.m. to midnight ET only)

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (phone), live chat counselling at www.kidshelpphone.ca

Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre

Hope for Wellness Helpline: 1-855-242-3310 (phone, available in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut upon request)

To learn how to talk to someone about suicide, consult this guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

This guide from the Canadian Mental Health Association outlines the warning signs of suicide.

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador