According to Statistics Canada, there are about 3,600 suicides in our country each year. For each suicide let us assume there are five loved ones left in mourning. That’s about 18,000 Canadians left to wonder what happened. There is a role here for the church to provide support. Clergy, lay leaders, youth leaders and churchgoers should learn how to identify a person who shows signs of depression or behaviour that could eventually lead to suicide. One obvious sign, of course, is a failed suicide attempt, which is often a cry for help; but there are other signs that are much subtler and easier to miss.
Depression is often a factor in suicide. A severely depressed individual will withdraw from friends, family and activities. Their appearance may change due to neglect. They lose the motivation to take care of their basic needs. They may be victims of circumstances and may not have a lot to look forward to. There could be a flattening of mood. Some depressed individuals have inherited symptoms or suffer from chemical imbalances that cause depression. Any change in behaviour, appearance or attitude can be a warning that someone is depressed.
Suicide rates among the elderly are high. It is important to understand that those who are aging and elderly are some of the most vulnerable to depression. And unfortunately this depression is often regarded as senility. They are the most likely to have suffered the loss of friends, family, financial resources, familiar places, health and a sense of belonging and usefulness.
A large percentage of people who attempt suicide for the first time will try again and succeed within two years. We in the church can help them by providing an attitude of acceptance—of verbal and non-verbal empathy. We can become listeners by concentrating on what is said and then providing support until professional help is available.
The church must respond nationally and locally. Discussion groups with youth, adults and outreach groups can provide opportunities for education. Every opportunity can be presented to invite the community in when holding an education or support event. When workshops and presentations are held in local communities the church should have a visible presence and bring in experts to help parents and families learn about the enigma of suicide.
There must be comprehensive training of clergy and lay people within the schools of theology. These candidates will go out to minister in churches and must be trained in aspects of suicide prevention, intervention and postvention.
I encourage the church to develop a national strategy through General Assembly to address education and support and set up a structure to accomplish this goal.
Support is a major contributor to the survivor’s ability to cope and move forward. Support is imperative to help people cope with their immense burdens of hopelessness, anxiety, fear, depression, sense of failure and anger. Often suicidal individuals need to find their way through systems which are heavy with bureaucracy and burdened with clients in need.
There are many resources available online. Funeral homes often have resources in print form and there are suicide prevention organizations that can help. The church nationally and locally can be an effective means of education, advocacy and support and indeed a leader and helper in the understanding of suicide and its aftermath.
About Elizabeth Slump
Elizabeth Slump is a death educator, grief therapist and suicidologist. She is also a contributor to Social Support: A Reflection of Humanity edited by John D. Morgan. She is a member at Trinity, Kanata, Ont.