Suicide

Not all young people who suffer from depression have suicidal ideas. However, we know that 80% to 90% of young people who committed suicide suffered from a mental illness, such as depression. This link is explained by the fact that when depression goes untreated, it can result in great psychological distress and lead to suicidal ideation.

The Government of Quebec’s Secrétariat à la jeunesse stated in its 2006-2009 Youth Action Strategy that:

• Suicide is one of the main causes of death among young people aged 15 to 29 in Quebec.

• In 2002, 34.5% of deaths among people aged 15 to 19 were suicides, compared to 34.5% among people 20 to 24 and 42.9% among those 25 to 29.

• The rate of suicide among young people in Quebec is on the rise.

• Fifteen- to 19-year-olds are the group that has seen the largest increase in the suicide rate in recent decades.

• This is true both for girls and boys. From 1976 to 2001, the death rate by suicide among boys 15 to 19 grew from 15.9 to 28.5 per 100,000. For the same period, the rate grew from 3.4 to 7.2 per 100,000 young people among girls of the same age group.

Useful links

Tel-jeunes
Intervention service by phone or on-line for teens.
The Tel-jeunes site offers information, answers questions, listens and offers advice to young people. You can find resources for yourself or a friend 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Phone number in Montreal: 514.288.2266
Phone number outside Montreal: 1.800.263.2266
www.tel-jeunes.com


Jeunesse J'écoute
Free, confidential service. Every day, the professionals at Jeunesse, J’écoute answer calls and e-mails from young people across the country. No matter what the problem or concern, representatives are there to offer information, support and referrals to young people in a timely and caring manner. The Jeunesse J’écoute Web site paints a precise picture of the different problems facing young people and has very helpful information about mental illness in terms of risk factors, symptoms and treatments.
Phone number in Montreal: 514.273.7007
Phone number outside Montreal: 1.800.668.6868
www.jeunesse.sympatico.ca

REVIVRE
REVIVRE’s Youth Program is a group of services geared toward supporting teens and young adults from 14 to 25 suffering from depression, anxiety and bipolar disorders. It offers a wide variety of services: a hot line, support groups, individual counselling, as well as brochures (“Depressive Disorders in Young People,” “Young People and Bipolar Disorders”), books and videos.

The Youth Program, supervised by qualified workers, also informs parents of children who suffer from one of these illnesses.
Youth Program hot line: 514.529.3081, ext. 3
E-mail: programmejeunesse@revivre.org
Phone number in Montreal: 514.738.4873
Phone number outside Montreal: 1.866.738.4873
www.revivre.org


Association québécoise de prévention du suicide (AQPS)
Help for Life (pdf)
AQPS provides suicide prevention services by phone in most regions of Quebec at any time of day. For suicide emergencies, call the following toll-free number from anywhere in Quebec:
1.866.APPELLE (277.3553)
http://www.aqps.info/english/index.html


Suicide-Action Montréal (SAM)
Phone assistance for people in crisis, 24 hours a day; service for loved ones of people who are suicidal; services for people who are grieving.
Phone number in Montreal: 514.723.4000
Phone number outside Montreal: 1.866.277.3553
http://www.suicideactionmontreal.com/

IN CASE OF A SUICIDE EMERGENCY
Go directly to the hospital, call 911 or contact your local suicide prevention centre at 1 866 APPELLE (1.866.277.3553).