“We are fortunate in Antigua and in our region to have a very low suicide rate, although it’s underreported,” declared psychiatrist Dr Chenelle Joseph as the twin island nation joined the rest of the world in observing World Suicide Prevention Day yesterday.
Suicide is a major public health challenge, with more than 700,000 deaths globally each year. Each suicide has far-reaching social, emotional, and economic consequences, and deeply affects individuals and communities worldwide.
The triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day for 2024-2026 is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” with the call to action “Start the Conversation”.
Speaking exclusively to Observer, Dr Joseph highlighted the significance of the observance.
“The purpose of acknowledging suicide prevention day or month is to focus on the prevention,” she said. “You want to do some introspection, put mechanisms in place to prevent the numbers from going up and also to assist those who may be struggling.
“The main cause of suicide attempts or completing suicide is mental illness, so the specialty of psychiatry … is at the forefront of raising awareness.
“The theme is ‘changing the narrative on suicide’. I’ve tweaked it for our country through my practice to add ‘changing the narrative on suicide and mental illness’ because in this country the main risk for suicide is mental illness.”
The psychiatrist is of the view that Antigua and Barbuda’s mental health sector is in dire need of an overhaul.
“I saw this when I worked at the hospital; the number of individuals reporting suicidal thoughts or having attempted to end their life was alarming, and so this is why it’s important to raise awareness. Our mental health care system is in need of a reboot.
“We need proper medical facilities in place, we need readily accessible mental health care, we need more appropriate newer medications with less side effects that are beneficial than what we have now,” she said.
Dr Joseph further underscored the need for a proper mental health facility for the purpose of creating a calm and supportive environment for individuals suffering from mental health disorders, as well as the need to prioritise suicide prevention and mental health in policy making.
“Most countries have a suicide hotline available where even if you have no money at all you can call a toll-free number and receive assistance. There are also places that you can go if you’re struggling, whether you need to be hospitalised or be placed in an assisted living or group home for safety.
“None of these things currently exist in Antigua and so part of why I chose to acknowledge Suicide Prevention Month — and we’re going to be going all the way through September to World Mental Health Day which is October 10 — is to bring to the awareness the issues regarding mental health and that, if left untreated, unfortunately the outcome can be suicide,” she said.
“It’s important also to acknowledge this because in First World countries like the United States, suicide is the second most common death in young people and we’ve been having issues with our young people.
“Our young people are exposed to social media from these First World countries so this is important for us to know. Ages 10 to 15 years old as well as age 25 to 40 are primarily affected by suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and it’s the second most common cause of death in those age groups.”
A strong advocate for mental health awareness, Dr Joseph continues to educate individuals about the illness, and believes that changing the narrative requires advocating for policies that prioritise mental health, increase access to care, and provide support for those in need.
“So, this is why I choose every year to do the best I can through my practice to raise awareness, not only for mental health awareness, but to bring to people’s knowledge the outcome it can lead to, and to hopefully trigger individuals who have the potential to put things in place and to assist to help prevent our numbers from going up,” she said.
Changing the narrative on suicide is about transforming the way people perceive this complex issue and shifting from a culture of silence and stigma to one of openness, understanding, and support.
The call to action encourages everyone to start the conversation on suicide and suicide prevention.
Every conversation, no matter how small, can contribute to a supportive and understanding society. By initiating these vital conversations, mental health practitioners and advocates believe it can break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better cultures of support.
World Suicide Prevention Day was established in 2003 by the International Association for Suicide Prevention in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The September 10 observation each year aims to focus attention on the issue, reduce stigma and raise awareness among organisations, governments, and the public, giving a singular message that suicides are preventable.
