Imagine you knew someone thinking about taking their own life. How do you know what signs to look for and how do you offer help?
A 25-year-old Winnipeg man wrote a blog post about his experience with suicide to help erase the stigma.
"No one comes up to somebody, really ever, and says, ‘Hey, I'm thinking about killing myself,’” said Kieran Moolchan. “Like, that's not what people say."
He said he wanted to get the conversation started about the topic so people could get help more easily.
Moolchan almost took his own life last summer. In hindsight, he says he can see now he was struggling.
He hadn't slept in days. His room was messy, and he hadn't showered, all signs the Canadian Mental Health Association says people should look out for.
"You're looking for withdrawals from society, from things they like to engage in, so changes like difference in how they're sleeping, how they're eating, how they're engaging with friends, parents, family," said Nicole Chammartin of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
If you know anyone who may be thinking about committing suicide, you can call the Manitoba suicide line at 1-877-435-7170. To read Moolchan's full blog, you can go to kieranmoolchan.com.
