Today is a very important day. Today is World Suicide Prevention Day.
While it’s never an easy topic to talk about, it’s an incredibly important topic to try and understand, because:
- Every year in Canada, close to 4,750 people die by suicide — about 13 people a day.
- Roughly 840,000 people experience serious thoughts of suicide in a given year, which works out to around 2,300 people every single day. And,
- Research suggests each death by suicide touches the lives of as many as 135 people who knew that person — family, friends, coworkers, classmates, neighbours.
I'm not sharing those numbers to make this heavier than it needs to be, I'm sharing them because they mean you almost certainly know someone this touches, even if you don't know it yet.
Maybe that someone is you.
While I thought long and hard about creating anything for today, I decided to deviate from what I’m used to and I decided to create a list of real places you or someone you love can reach out to, right now, if you need it.
Below is a list of real supports across Calgary, Alberta, and Canada. Save this post, share it, or just scroll through it once and know it's here.
If you're in immediate danger, please call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.
Calgary Supports
(Full list and details via the City of Calgary)
Distress Centre Calgary — 403-266-HELP (4357). Free, 24/7 crisis support by phone, text, or chat.
9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline — Call or text 988. Available 24/7, in Calgary and across Canada.
ConnecTeen — 403-264-TEEN (8336). Crisis support built specifically for youth, 24/7.
Access Mental Health — 403-943-1500, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A free service for Calgarians of any age — no referral needed.
Community Connect YYC — Affordable, barrier-free counselling with no waitlist. Book online, in person, by phone, or virtually.
Alberta-Wide Supports
(Full list via MyHealth Alberta)
Alberta Health Services Mental Health Help Line — 1-877-303-2642, 24/7.
Health Link — Call 811, any time.
211 Alberta — Call, text, or chat 211. Connects you to mental health, addiction, and community supports across the province.
Recovery Alberta Addiction Line — 1-866-332-2322, 24/7.
Canada-Wide Supports
9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline — Call or text 988, 24/7, in English or French.
Kids Help Phone — 1-800-668-6868, or text/chat online. Built for young people.
Hope for Wellness Helpline — 1-855-242-3310, with online chat. Support for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.
Trans Lifeline — 1-877-330-6366. Run by and for trans people.
A Note on "Deserving" Support
You don't need to be in crisis to use any of the supports above, and you don't need to earn the right to reach out.
I wrote a whole post about that idea a while back — about how so many of us wait until things are unbearable before letting anyone help, as if support is something we have to qualify for first. If that sounds familiar, it might be worth a read: How to Seek Support (Even If You Don't Feel Like You Deserve It)
If Someone Opens Up to You About Suicide
It’s important to understand, this part isn't about “fixing” anything or anyone and even if that were the case, it's not your job to “fix” and trying to can actually get in the way.
What actually helps, according to organizations like CMHA and CAMH, is simpler, and harder, than it sounds.
Here are some things to keep in mind if someone opens up to you about suicide:
Stay steady. Your calm matters more than having the right words. Panicking or going quiet tells the other person their disclosure was too much to handle.
Ask directly. "Are you thinking about suicide?" doesn't plant the idea, it tells them you're taking this seriously and gives them permission to say yes.
Listen more than you talk. You don't need to offer solutions. Space to talk, without being redirected or reassured too quickly, is often what helps most in the moment.
Ask what's kept them going. What's helped before? What matters to them? These questions point toward reasons to stay, without you having to manufacture hope out of nowhere.
Take a plan seriously. If they mention a specific plan or means, this is the moment to help them connect to real support opposed to handling it alone.
Offer to sit with them while they call. Don't just hand someone a number and step back. Offer to be there while they make the call, if that's what they need.
Don't leave them alone if it feels immediate. If you believe they're in danger right now, stay with them and call 9-1-1 or get to an emergency department together.
Look after yourself too, after. Holding space for someone in crisis is real weight. Talk to someone. This isn't something you need to carry alone either.
Before You Go
There's no perfect way to have this conversation, and you don't need one.
Showing up, asking directly, and listening without trying to “fix” anything is more than enough.
If today is hard, or if it's ever hard, the list above isn't going anywhere.
For more tools and stories for your mental wellness journey, check out thejeffturner.ca
Until next time, remember to take care of yourself — however that looks for you.
Jeff
