B.C. Goverment And Suicide Essay, Research Paper

Since the 1800th century, and the Industrial Revolution, suicide rates have drastically risen ,stealing lives from around the world. Perceived attributes of suicide and what to do about it have varied with each time and place; however, suicide has continued to exact a relentless toll. Few people can escape being touched by the tragedy of suicide in their lifetime. For those who lose someone close as a result of suicide, the emotional trauma never departs. The British Columbia government must provide grief counsellors and other trained professionals to any family with an attempted or actual suicide, to save the lives of those who are potentially suicidal, to help the grieving families cope with their traumatic experience, and create a better province to live in.

Grief counsellors and families can prevent suicides. Every man, woman, and child deserves to live in a strong, safe and secure province: To aid in the prevention of suicides, the government of British Columbia must be committed to ensuring that education and prevention of suicide is a top priority, (Brewin 1). In 1999, British Columbia saw 1780 deaths from accidents and acts of violence (Internet, Vital Statistics). Of those deaths, one in four was due to suicide. In British Columbia alone, from 1994 to 1998, 2,558 deaths resulted from suicide (Internet, Vital Statistics). The national death rate from suicide in 1999 across Canada rose to 15 per 100,000 (Internet, Statistics Canada), representing the devastating loss of lives due to suicide. Lives that could have been saved.

Secondly, grief counsellors would provide help to families coping with suicidal family members. Suicide is linked to mental illness and substance abuse. Potentially effective treatment programmes exist for both; however, the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse often inhibits people from seeking help. The shameful stigma of suicide itself creates a barrier in effective treatment for people who have suicidal thoughts or who have attempted suicide. Family members of suicidal people often hide the behaviour from friends and relatives because they experience guilt and fear of judgement from others. Those who have survived the suicide of a loved one often suffer not only the grief of loss but the added pain stemming from the stigma.

Finally, with a proper pre-determined provincial suicide grievance system in place, the British Columbia government would provide a better province to live in. In the aftermath of suicide, a level of confusion and devastation exists that, for the most part, goes beyond description. The suffering of suicide: is private and inexpressible, leaving family members, friends, and colleagues to deal with an almost unthinkable kind of loss, (Brewin 1).Families are left in a state of confusion after a suicide, questioning themselves, asking why? , experiencing extreme levels of anger and perhaps guilt. Most family members feel they could have prevented the suicide, and subsequently feel responsible for the death of their loved one. Trained counsellors and service workers would provide the specialized treatment needed to manage the consequences of suicide, moreover, help to create a better province to live in.

The British Columbia government must take responsibility and provide the much- needed resources to help bereaved families deal with their loss. Family members must realize that although they had no choice and no control over the suicide, they do have a choice to survive. Through trained individuals, public education and campaigns on suicide, provincial and national conferences and suicide prevention, the British Columbia government will conceivably reduce the rate of suicides, and in the process help grieving families, moreover, save British Columbia s most important resource, people and their lives.

Work Cited

Brewin. M. Gretchen. Ministry for Children and Families. Available Online: www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/releases/2000/20023.htm.

Coleman, William. Understanding Suicide. New York: David Cook Publishing Co, 1979.

Grollman, Earl. Suicide: Prevention, Intervention, Post vention. New York: Beacon Press, 1971.

Internet, Statistics Canada. Available Online: www.statcan.ca/english/Pgdb/People/Health/health30c.htm.

Internet, Vital Statistics, Government of British Columbia. Available Online: www.vs.gov.bc.ca/stats/annual/1999/tab22.html.