September 10th marks World Suicide Prevention Day, an internationally recognized event designed to raise awareness and to strengthen commitment and action to prevent suicide. It brings communities and organizations together in efforts to save lives.

Suicide affects people of all genders, ages and ethnicities. Each year more Albertans die by suicide than motor vehicle collisions. As a result, many Albertans have been impacted by suicide.

Dawne Adkins is an Educator and Certified Grief Recovery Specialist with Suicide Information and Education Services (SIES), which is housed in the Women's Outreach building in Red Deer. SIES is not only for women, though, it is open to all community members in Central Alberta who need help dealing with any of the many issues surrounding suicide. 

To help raise awareness and provide support, SIES is screening 'The S Word', a film about people who have attempted and survived suicide. That's happening from 6-8 at CrossRoads Church.

"This is a film about individuals who have attempted suicide, or thought about suicide and have survived and are now choosing life. They talk very openly and candidly about their struggles around choice that they have to make on a conscious level every day," Adkins said. 

She said they do not recommend the film for all audiences, but they invite people who are willing to learn more about this very powerful discussion around suicide to attend and learn more from that film. Adkins said they are also able to bring the film to various schools or organizations to help share that information after today. 

As well, SIES offers programs to all Central Albertans in various capacities including support and education.  an online support program for people who are concerned about friends or family, and aren't sure how to approach or help their loved ones.

They also offer a range of programs for professional groups and individuals, ranging from walk-in crisis counselling, to employment and communtiy group education, to family counselling and more. Adkins hosts a program called the Grief Recovery Method, which is meant to help people experiencing loss of any kind, not just suicide or death. 

She explained this program is about getting through loss, not getting over it as some people say. She said it's a very intense program, but it is available to anyone who is willing to work through that journey. 

Adkins said one of the most important discussions around suicide is reducing the stigma for people who are strugglign with their mental health to reach out. 

"It really is about perspective. From the outside looking in, it's easy to make the assumption that suicide is something that somebody who is weak or can't face their problems would contemplate, but thoughts of suicide come from a very dark and lonely and scary place," Adkins said.

"A lot of times, our brains in that state are not functioning at an optimal level. The thought process for that individual having those thoughts is often that they are doing this for someone, not to them."

Albertans can access services and supports at Alberta Health Servuces sites across the province. AHS is committed to providing better access to support for those experiencing thoughts of suicide and for survivors grieving a loss due to suicide in the communities where they live.

As well, there are local supports in Red Deer and area, including walk-in crisis counselling, mental health support centres through AHS (in Red Deer and Lacombe) and many 24-hour numbers to call. If a person is having thoughts of suicide, they are also able to head to a hospital for immediate crisis help. 

"When we say you're not alone, we truly, truly mean it," Adkins said. 

If a person calls the organization after hours, they will recieive the number to a crisis line. As well, calling Health Link at 811 can connect to services and support in your area. A full comprehensive list of numbers, text-lines and online crisis centres are available at thelifelinecanada.ca. 

This month, the Suicide Information and Educaiton Services is also holding their "What a difference a dime can make" campaign, where all fundraising is brought right back to support educational programs in the organization.