Today (September 10th) is the day set aside by the World Health Organization as World Suicide Prevention Day. It serves as a reminder of the lives lost to suicide each year and acts as a motivating force to encourage wide-spread prevention efforts.
Every 40 seconds on average someone on our planet will take their own life. In Canada the numbers are 3,900 fellow Canadians a year lose their lives to suicide.
Statistics state that 90% of suicides ae caused by a treatable and/or temporary mental illness. Four out of five people WILL suffer from a mental illness in their lifetime. Over the last few years we have come a long way to break down stigmas towards mental illness, (which sometimes lead to suicide) but we still have such a long way to go.
Christians have great help in prayer, reading the Bible and church support, but even then there are those who “fall though the cracks”. Even a quite a few of the greatest Bible characters such as David, Moses, Job, Jeremiah and Elijah became so depressed that some of them wanted to die. In 1 Kings 19:4 it mentions Elijah who prayed that “He might die, and said it is enough! Now Lord take my life, for I am no better than my fathers”.
In the scriptures of 1 Kings 19 God performed something miraculous that enabled Elijah to survive.
Other times God helping people survive comes through others like you and me. In so many instances there are people living and breathing on this earth because others cared enough to make sure they were okay.
Online Resources
A really concise and informative webpage with headings listed in order on suicide as “The Facts, Causes, Warning Signs and Risk Factors, How to Help, Emergency Assistance, and Getting Treatment” can be found here at Body and Health Canada.
Thinking about suicide? Need help? For educational resources and material on suicide plus the links on crises centres right across Canada can be found here at The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention (CASP) Links on crises centres can be found right across Canada on this same webpage.
Crises centres in Ontario according to region found at Distress and Crises Ontario.
Image #worldsuicidepreventionday Facebook feed
My Sunday Blog 
I did not know the significance of this day. Just last week a few of us friends were discussing mental illness and suicide – it really is difficult to understand the desperation and helplessness. Glad to know there is such an active movement to bring them back home again and find themselves.
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That is so wonderful you are discussing this topic with your friends. Awareness goes such a long way to break stigmas.
Thank you Prajakta for taking the time to read and share and for all your support!
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