www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, September 11, 2013 | 4 Silence Hurts is the message behind World Suicide Prevention Day held yesterday (Tuesday) -- and there wasn't silence in Oakville. Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School hosted a free Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition (HSPC) forum at its 2420 Sixth Line campus last evening. "The HSPC is a collaborative of individuals and organizations providing a valuable service throughout Halton," said Halton Regional Chair Gary Carr. "Halton Region is proud to be a member of the coalition because, working together, the partnership provides leadership, advocacy and education to support everyone in our community." The session at Holy Trinity focused on the subtle signs of someone considering suicide and how to respond, seek help or deal with a loss and what support is available locally. "Suicide is a real issue in our community," said Chris Pickersgill, HSPC chair. "The coalition's goal, through community forums and our other resources, is to help reduce the stigma associated with suicide and mental health issues. Help is available in Halton." For information, visit www. suicidepreventionhalton.ca. · · · The Halton Suicide Prevention Coalition (HSPC) presented first-hand accounts at a community forum Tuesday to spread the word that Silence Hurts during National Suicide Prevention Week, Sept. 8-14. Silence Hurts message spread on World Suicide Day On the speakers list was 22-year-old Halton resident Alyssa (last name withheld for privacy). "I was 15 the first time I attempted suicide," she said. "I was diagnosed with depression (and) anxiety. I was self-harming on a regular basis to deal with it." The woman noted people who self-harm aren't always intent on killing themselves. Alyssa admitted she was terrified after she attempted suicide. "It scared me and I realized I didn't want to die and that I loved my family very much." Alyssa then took a big step and broke the silence about what she was dealing with. "I went downstairs to tell my mom," she said. "I couldn't get the words out. I showed her what I'd been doing to myself... told her I put the cuts there." Alyssa said it was the right step for her. "Knowing I wasn't alone in this was huge," she said. "I didn't have to hide it anymore." A meeting with her school's mental health liaison nurse led Alyssa to the Reach Out Centre for Kids (ROCK), which has Oakville and Burlington locations. Alyssa went there for three years and met a psychologist who was able to help her learn to self-monitor -- acknowledge and recognize triggers and how to deal with her anxiety. The self-monitoring was key for Alyssa earlier this year. "When I had thoughts of suicide, I was able to go to the hospital," she said. "If I wasn't self-monitoring, it would have been easier to do something about it and have a negative outcome." Alyssa is now connected with Youth Net Halton, a mental health service run by the Region of Halton. "It's peer-to-peer, so it's really helpful," she said. "You can see it in the kids. They open up, they talk about it." Alyssa is also involved with Talking About Addiction and Mental Illness (TAMI), another local organization, which encourages anyone experiencing these feelings or emotions to open up and discuss them. "It's really hard to come out and say that's what you're thinking and feeling," she said. "If you find the right support or the right person, it's different. You still struggle, but there's hope and that's the biggest thing to hold onto." Having an open dialogue with someone having thoughts of suicide is paramount, according to a local woman whose 23-year-old son died by suicide in January. Tamara (not her real name), who is also involved with the HSPC, advises parents, "If you see the signs, let them talk. Don't say `Everything's going to be alright.' They have to be understood and validated. "Deep down, I didn't think he was going to follow through," she said of her son. Tamara said her son's struggles saw him get in trouble with the law. The mother said the Halton Regional Police's Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST) got involved in her son's case. COAST provides Halton residents with mental health issues aged 16 and older with support and outreach. "(They) send an undercover officer and a mental health officer and they interview the person to see whether or not they needed to be admitted to the hospital," she said. A person with mental health issues can end up on the wrong side of the law. "(My son) didn't belong in jail, he needed an assessment," she said. "He needed help." In addition to COAST, Tamara connected with a parent's group called Strengthening Families Together operated through the local Schizophrenia Society. Tamara also found assistance with the Safe Beds program in Oakville. "It's a place where people can go if they're having a mental health crisis and aren't able to be hospitalized and it's not safe for them at the housing they're currently living in." The mother advises parents take full advantage of the help that's available, for their children and for themselves. For a listing of resources available and an upcoming information event, see p.10. EVERY PERSON HAS A STORY TO TELL. THANKS TO YOU IT CAN BE TOLD. At Oakville-Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, talented physicians like Dr. Mangesh Inamdar help care for patients in need of urgent care every day. Their expertise plus the life-saving equipment you help fund make it possible for their stories to continue. Each and every year, our hospital needs hundreds of pieces of new equipment that will improve the lives of all of us here in Oakville. Every piece is critical and every piece needs to be funded by our community. It all starts here with your help. Please call 905.338.4642 to share your story or make a donation. www.oakvillehospitalfoundation.com DR. MANGESH INAMDAR OMTH E.R. PHYSICIAN