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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, November 15, 2012 · 8 Suicide a leading cause of death for our youths Continued from page 4 Those present also heard from University of Toronto Associate Professor of Psychiatry Dr. Amy Cheung who spoke about suicide in adolescence. Cheung noted suicide is the second leading cause of death in Canadians aged 10 to 34 with suicide accounting for 10 per cent of deaths for those aged 10-14 and 23 per cent of deaths for those aged 15-19. Cheung also pointed out that while various awareness campaigns and the introduction of safety equipment between 1980 and 2008 succeeded in reducing the number of fatalities from accidents (the No. 1 cause of adolescent death) by 73 per cent, death by suicide for adolescents only decreased by 15 per cent during the same period. "Many think that really speaks to the fact that we have put a lot of our resources into public health campaigns around accidental The best way to Cogeco Digital TV. enjoy it Over 6,000 On Demand movies and shows1 Awardwinning customer service2 TV & Internet that don't interfere with each other Up to 150 HD channels 3 Learn more at Cogeco.ca 1-800-780-3525 Shop at our store in Oakville Place Available to Burlington and Oakville customers. 1. Cogeco On Demand service is offered where the technology is available and for customers who meet the Cogeco On Demand access requirements. Cogeco offers the most titles in its territories. Access to some content may require a subscription to the TV package containing the associated digital channel. Channel availability may vary per region. 2. Cogeco call centres have won the "Highest Customer Satisfaction" award in the telecommunications / TV category awarded by the SQM (Service Quality Measurement) in 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2011. 3. Cogeco High Definition service and programming requires the purchase or rental of an HD receiver. The number of available HD channels may vary per region. HD channels are available with the subscription to the equivalent channels in Standard Definition. death and less focus around suicide and mental illness," said Cheung. "That's why I'm so grateful, as a psychiatrist and as a mom, that we are now really focusing on this leading cause of death in our young people." Cheung said the situation of adolescent suicide is a significant one as a national survey of Canadian adolescents conducted in 2002 found about 14 per cent of the teens surveyed have thought about ending their own life at some point. Another unsettling statistic, Cheung touched on, is that less than 50 per cent of those adolescents had accessed any kind of mental health care. Cheung also noted a suicide in one community sometimes sparks suicides in the same or nearby communities. This can be happen, Cheung said, if one person's death glorifies a person and causing other youths with mental illness to believe they, too, may be similarly perceived if they commit suicide. Cheung said identifying these youths early and getting them into treatment is extremely important. Cheung called for screening for suicidal tendencies in schools and by family doctors, but said this would only be helpful if the mental health resources back it. Cheung said much work needs to be done to create an environment within schools where it is okay to talk about mental illness and where students are educated so they can tell when a friend or classmate is in trouble and needs help. The fact that some continue to believe that depression does not exist or that it can be alleviated through diet and exercise continues to block the way to the type of change, which Cheung said is necessary. A parent's resistance to their child getting treatment is also not uncommon. "I used to get very angry with parents when they would say to me, `I don't think there is anything wrong with my kid. I think he just needs to get off the computer or hang out with better friends.' Now that I'm a parent I understand... Who wants to be told their teenager has a mental illness? No one," said Cheung. "So, I really have to work very hard to help them understand their teenager is really suffering." Cheung said those seeking help can find out more by visiting www. mentalhealthhelpline.ca. They can also call the Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or the Lesbian Gay Bi Trans Youth Line at 416-962-9688 or 1-800-268-9688.