Ministry of Health Raises Awareness for World Suicide Prevention Day

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is hosting a week of activities in celebration of World Suicide Prevention Day. The day, recognized on September 10, is geared at reducing stigma and raising awareness surrounding suicide prevention. Here, at Love News, we have a policy to not report on suicide reports.  We do, however, recognize it as a public health concern with far-reaching social, emotional, and economic consequences. With several activities lined up to bring awareness and to speak on its impacts, we join the ministry in placing attention on the issue, and raising awareness in the public domain, whilst promoting ways to lend support.  Bianca Figueroa, therapist for the western region, explained the importance of working to prevent the loss of life and the collaborative effort being taken. 

Bianca Figueroa, Western Region Therapist: “We will be having a 5K glow run walk September 7th, so this Thursday right here in Belmopan at GG Field. The registration starts at 5pm. The run walk will start at 6pm so you guys can come out. It’s free of cost and again it’s just so that we have people coming together to talk about, bring that awareness about suicide and do a community event to be able to support those who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts. We’re definitely seeing an increase in the younger, adolescent teenage population. I really think it’s just, you know, that time of your life is very difficult. And so it’s just trying to navigate, find ways to seek out that support. And a lot of change is happening to the body, to the mind and and maybe they feel like they don’t have that support at home and so they kind of turn to keeping everything internally and that can build up and it builds up and builds up and builds up to the point where you feel like you really have no other choice. But it’s so now recognizing that if that is happening to you or if you know someone that that’s happening to or maybe you see some signs referring them to the PNPs, the therapists, so that we can do an evaluation, do an in-depth assessment to be able to kind of figure out, provide that support as well that they feel like they don’t have to kind of help them through that struggle. Because like we’ve mentioned, you know, it’s a feeling and the feelings are valid and they’re real, but it will pass, especially if you get that support.”

“Creating Hope through Action” is the theme for World Suicide Prevention Day.