988 responders say they answer more than 29,000 calls and texts each month since suicide helpline launched last year

Researchers at CAMH also found that one in three Canadians have sought support from a helpline at some point in their lives, either for themselves or on behalf of someone else. 

By Jermaine WilsonStaff ReporterNearly one year after launching Canada’s new suicide crisis helpline 988, responders revealed they answer on average more than 29,000 calls and texts each month, prompting a nationwide survey to better understand the ongoing mental health crisis.
The researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) who led the study, which comes during Suicide Prevention Month, also oversee the operations for 988. 
Each year, approximately 4,500 Canadians die by suicide, and more than 200 people attempt it every day, the researchers said. Since launching the service at the end of last November, 988 has grown into a crucial helpline for those in distress across the country. 



The researchers also found that one in three Canadians have sought mental health support from a helpline at some point in their lives, either for themselves or on behalf of someone else, and are launching new resources this month to help combat the stigma surrounding mental health. 
It’s a jarring yet raw statistic that Dr. Allison Crawford said highlights the depth of people’s needs and reinforces the critical demand for accessing mental health services.
“In the last ten years, many more people up to 30 per cent are expressing thoughts of anxiety (and) depression … rates of suicide among youth have (also) gone up,” said Crawford, the chief medical officer for 988 operations and a psychiatrist at CAMH. 
In partnership with Environics Research, Crawford said they sampled a total of 1,500 people across the country. Half of participants were part of the general population and the other half were priority groups like the LGBTQ, Indigenous, and Black communities.
The study also noted that while talking about suicide can be difficult, Canadians for the most part have a “relatively high level of literacy” about the subject.



Crawford said “most people these days don’t tend to think that people who have attempted suicide or who die by suicide are inherently bad or weak.”
While most Canadians generally show low levels of stigma, researchers found that those experiencing high levels of distress tend to have the lowest rates of literacy about suicide and the highest degrees of stigma.
Crawford “absolutely” believes there’s still more work to be done in terms of advocacy.
“It’s journey to understand the unique needs of people across the country,” she said. 
As part of Suicide Prevention Month, the helpline is providing resources such as a conversation guide comprising of 50 questions to help people open up and share their stories. The guide is designed to be used with both friends and family.

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