Mental Wellness

The recent death of B.C. teenager Amanda Todd has raised the discussion on bullying and suicide to a broad section of the population. Understandably, a lot of the discussion seems to be leaning toward addressing the issue of bullying. From my perspective, we should be placing more emphasis on mental health and why people resort to suicide. For some people, bullying could be what pushed the individual, a person already possessing suicidal tendencies, to the ultimate decision to take their life.

The Canadian Mental Health Association has some alarming statistics on suicide. Here are some excerpts from their website.

"A complex interplay of genetic, biological, personality and environmental factors causes mental illnesses. The economic cost of mental illnesses in Canada for the health care system was estimated to be at least $7.9 billion in 1998 – $4.7 billion in care, and $3.2 billion in disability and early death. An additional $6.3 billion was spent on uninsured mental health services and time off work for depression and distress that was not treated by the health care system. Suicide accounts for 24% of all deaths among 15-24 year olds and 16% among 25-44 year olds. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in both men and women from adolescence to middle age. The mortality rate due to suicide among men is four times the rate among women.”

Those that may think that the struggles endured by Amanda Todd were strictly ‘bullying’ related may be overlooking a bigger health issue.