According to the American Psychological Association (APA), suicide is defined as the act of killing yourself, most often as a result of depression or other mental illness. The act of suicide causes immeasurable pain and suffering for those who are left to pick up the pieces, without ever being able to fully understand or comprehend and having no definitive answers to the simple question, “why?”.
Recently, our families, and the entire Anguilla community, were left to pick up the pieces in the aftermath of suicide. The pain and grief that we bear is something that I would never want anyone to experience for themselves. It is an ongoing struggle for us; a daily reminder of how fragile life can be and how blessed we are to still be able to live it with purpose and meaning. I am daily inspired by those who have turned their pain into purposeful action; raising awareness and being an advocate for those who suffer in silence.
September 2020 has been designated worldwide as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and World Suicide Prevention Day is celebrated on 10th September 2020. This is an important time for each of us to do our part in preventing suicide and the pain and suffering that is attached to it.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness:
Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. In fact, suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues.
Our first priority in preventing suicides in Anguilla is to remove the stigma associated with mental illness and to provide sufficient health services for those who are suffering in silence. Labelling persons as “crazy” will not help us to move the pendulum on this matter. It requires all of us to take collective responsibility, to treat each individual with respect and to advocate for those who are in need of help. This is the only way that we will create a safe environment, without judgment, to encourage those who are struggling to seek help.
Secondly, we must be equipped to provide the services needed to address the needs of those suffering from depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses. This work requires government resources. The mental health resources in Anguilla are still minimal. Even after a decade of focussing on escalating mental health cases, we are yet to retain a resident psychiatrist. The psychiatric treatment facility we advocated for has recently been turned into a COVID-19 isolation unit, without any provision for an alternative mental health facility. We still do not have a treatment centre for alcohol and drug addiction. Successive governments have promised to address these deficits, but have repeatedly failed to do so.
Counselling is very important in helping persons suffering from mental illness to work through their triggers and feelings, and to deal with the underlying trauma that can sometimes be the root cause of symptoms. Civil society and community groups can help with this.
Moreover, during these difficult economic times, we need support at the community level to ensure that the most vulnerable in our society, especially our youth, have a voice and a safe space to share their feelings and concerns. Creating a help hotline that is free and safe to use would be a step in the right direction to encourage help-seeking behaviours. We need to prioritise greater investment in this area as well as providing scholarships for persons who wish to study important areas such as Psychology. This will ensure that we have certified professionals available to meet the needs of our population in terms of Psychiatry, Guidance and Counselling and to prevent the increase of self-harming practices or behaviours among vulnerable groups.
I ask for your continued prayers for the families that continue to struggle with the pain that suicide brings. It is not an easy road to travel. However, with love, encouragement and the support of our Anguillian community, we can aim to prevent such happenings in the future.
