Quebec Suicide Prevention Handbook

Warning Signs

04/04/2019 Raymond Viger 3

Incapable of clearly expressing distress, the suicidal person sends signals to those around them. These signals can be subtle, or jumbo-sized. These signals are appeals for help; a final search for some glimmer of hope before the tsunami hits. Remember, 8 out of 10 suicides […] See more

A Few Basic Facts (Part IV)

03/04/2019 Raymond Viger 2

Let’s demystify the process. Here are a few basic facts: Music and movies can’t motivate a person to suicide. Suicide results from a troubled soul, not because a rapper advocates the act. We shouldn’t brush off a suicidal person. Some think that the best therapy […] See more

A Few Basic Facts (Part III)

02/04/2019 Raymond Viger 2

Let’s demystify the process. Here are a few basic facts: This is the usual, normal sequence of events: I.   The person first suffers a loss, be it real or symbolic. II.   Then, a period of depression follows. III.   The depression builds to a crisis point. […] See more

Demystifying Suicide

11/04/2018 Raymond Viger 3

Even in an Internet universe with no secrets, suicide is still a touchy subject. Within the intervention community, we’ve learned that it’s important to talk about it with humility, conscious of our own strengths and weaknesses as prevention counselor. We all see the world through […] See more

The Ripple Effect

09/04/2018 Raymond Viger 3

Suicide isn’t a narrow issue that affects only the vulnerable and the damaged. A self-inflicted  death has many victims. It is a tear in the fabric of society. It is a sign that we, collectively, have in some way failed our fellows. More practically, it has long been established […] See more

On Isolation

08/04/2018 Colin McGregor 2

I awake in a sweat, dazed and disoriented. I turn my pillow over to the dry, cold side underneath, and think: a few seconds ago, I was walking along Sherbrooke Street on a sunny summer’s day, rummaging through second-hand bookstores. Not now. My eyes adjust […] See more

Symptoms of Depression

07/04/2018 Raymond Viger 1

Physical Sleep cycle disrupted (insomnia, constant sleeping) Change in appetite (bulimia, overeating, undereating) Change in energy level (extreme fatigue, hyperactivity) Psychological Inability to find pleasure in anything Loss of interest in anything and everything Sadness Irritability, anger, rage Loss of sexual desire Frequent mood swings: […] See more

Mourning and Loss as Triggers

06/04/2018 Raymond Viger 2

Any difficult loss we experience in life comes at an emotional cost. Feelings build up. You have to take the time to let those feelings out into the open. The human mechanism includes safety valves: venting is in our nature. Frustration, anger, feelings of abandonment […] See more