Know the warning signs

By Dan Hilborn
Published July 23, 2005


Be aware of the warning signs of suicide and be prepared to take action. Those were the words of warning from B.C. Schizophrenia Society regional coordinator David Dickinson after hearing about the suicide of Harry Kierans in Burnaby.

"If you know somebody who has been talking about suicide, it should definitely be taken seriously," said Dickinson, who is responsible for advocacy and providing programs to people with schizophrenia in the Burnaby and New Westminster area.

And the single best thing a person can do if a friend or family member with a mental illness begins to talk about suicide or express feelings of hopelessness is to contact that person's doctor or therapist, Dickinson said.

The warning signs are fairly easy to spot, he said. Often, a person with a mental health disorder will talk about suicide before they make any attempt on their own life. Other signs include expressing feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, or else admitting that they hear voices telling them to kill themselves.

And there is good reason to be extra cautious when dealing with a potentially suicidal person with schizophrenia. Dickinson said that one out of every seven people with the disease will attempt suicide at some point in their lives.

"Fifteen per cent is a pretty consistent stat," he said. "And another thing you might want to consider is that if somebody really wants to commit suicide, there's many different ways to do it."

Dickinson refused to talk about the Kierans' case specifically but said he would be opposed to the idea of banning people with schizophrenia from living in the Hall Tower highrises with their floor-to-ceiling windows.

"I don't know the background of this story, but I think, in general, if people are being treated for a mental illness, I can't really see that we can restrict where they live or don't live," he said. "That's because most people, once they begin treatment, can lead a healthy and productive life.

"To restrict people because of their illness or because they've had a diagnosis of schizophrenia sounds a little discriminatory," he said. "I would say that people living with a mental illness should be allowed to make the housing choices that suit them."

In Burnaby, the central mental health team is available to take phone calls during regular hours at 604 453-1930. After-hours mental health workers can be reached at 604-527-0009. In the event of an emergency, call 911.