The use of services at the Montreal Suicide Prevention Center (CPSM) has increased by 31% since last year, according to the 2022-2023 report of the organization that deals with thousands of suicidal individuals every year.

In response to this increased demand, the director of the Montreal Suicide Prevention Center (CPSM), Sylvie Bouiffin, who launched the organization's annual fundraising campaign today Monday, pointed out the necessity for the Montreal Suicide Prevention Center (CPSM) to continue working with both suicidal individuals and those contemplating suicide.

Also, according to the Quebec National Institute of Public Health (INSPQ), nearly 6,300 suicide attempts and 3,600 hospital admissions related to suicide attempts are recorded every year in the province.

In Montreal, an average of four people commit suicide each week, and about 4% of Montreal residents said they have attempted suicide during their lives, according to the Montreal Suicide Prevention Center (CPSM).

A worrying situation among youth...

According to the Quebec National Institute of Public Health INSPQ, the suicide rate among men is three times higher than that among women. Over the past six years, an increase in suicidal thoughts has also been observed among girls aged 15 to 19 years and women aged 20 to 34 years.

According to recent data released by the Quebec Institute of Statistics, 11% of teenage girls aged 15 to 19 and 6% of young women aged 20 to 34 report having serious suicidal thoughts during the past year. This is nearly double what it was five years ago.

At the Montreal Suicide Prevention Center, we say that we conduct an average of 115 interventions each month with young people aged 15 to 19 and about 405 interventions with those aged 20 to 34.

Do you need help for yourself or a loved one?

Online: www.suicide.ca (new window)

By phone: 1 866 Call (277-3553)

By text message: 535353

Since its establishment in 1983, the organization formerly known as Suicide Action Montréal estimates that it has provided support to more than 867,000 people.

Considering that training a worker to be fully equipped to specifically intervene with a suicidal person costs an average of $5,200, Sylvie Bouiffin pointed out the importance of donations and resources received by the Suicide Prevention Center.

Also, according to a report obtained by CBC earlier this year, the number of young people waiting for psychiatric consultation at the Saint Justine University Hospital Center CHU has increased significantly since 2020. Over two years, the number of young people requesting hospital psychologist services jumped from 106 in the 2019-2020 period to 450 in the 2022-2023 period, an increase of 325%.

However, it is not only those who are not doing well who need care.

Emphasizing that suicide leaves between 6 to 10 people in mourning, the Montreal Suicide Prevention Center (CPSM) must also provide many related services and offer various resources such as awareness workshops, postvention for their relatives and loved ones, not to mention support provided to the bereaved.

Postvention is the term that refers to interventions with bereaved individuals after a suicide, but also interventions with individuals who were affected or exposed to the suicide of someone in their surrounding environment.