Crisis hotlines, counselling available for Manitoba teens in distress

As students and staff at Garden City Collegiate in Winnipeg mourn the deaths of two students, experts say help is available for anyone in the province — including young people — who need to talk to someone.

It's believed that the two Grade 12 students took their own lives within days of each other — one on Friday and the other on Tuesday.

• Garden City Collegiate staff, students grieve after 2 deaths

"It's horrific," said Kelly Schettler of Macdonald Youth Services, which has a mobile crisis team that helps youth in need.

"It's another two lives lost by their own hand … it has impact for so many people."

Officials with the Seven Oaks School Division say every social worker and psychologist in the division is at the school to help students.

As well, pamphlets with a list of resources were distributed to students to help them deal with the loss and to try to prevent future deaths.

If you or anyone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, these resources are available:

• ​Reason to Live — Manitoba Suicide Hotline
• Manitoba Crisis Services
• Macdonald Youth Services
• Klinic Crisis Counselling
• Kids Help Phone

Macdonald Youth Services has a 24-hour intake line for youth and families at 204-949-4777 (or toll-free at 1-888-383-2776).

Kids Help Phone offers counselling 24 hours a day at 1-800-668-6868 and online.

In case of an emergency, call 911 or go to a hospital emergency room immediately.

Schettler said it's not always easy to spot a young person who's dealing with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, but one major sign to watch for is changes in behaviour.

"If there's suddenly something [that] seems off to a parent or a to a teacher. there's a difference," she said.

Possible changes may include:

• No longer wanting to participate in things they loved to do, and not giving a specific reason.
• Sudden changes in appetite.
• Weight loss.
• Changes to how they care for their appearance.
• Suddenly ignoring their phones and/or social networks when they were hooked on social media before.

"Or the reverse — a child who's been very outgoing and communicative and now it's strictly, you know, with the texting or the computer and locking themselves away," she said.

Schettler added that it's "not that there's one specific thing, but more that if there's a change in the child that you know. That's what I would say is something to be concerned about."

Both Schettler and Marg Synyshyn of the Manitoba Adolescent Treatment Centre, which works with youth dealing with mental health issues, say anyone who's worried about someone contemplating suicide or self-harm should talk to them about it.

"Ask them if there's something wrong, and it may be that's maybe the one thing they need — they just really need to have somebody ask them that," Synyshyn said.

"Sometimes it's just the idea of actually talking to somebody and finding out that perhaps somebody isn't alone."

Synyshyn said anyone who's concerned about a loved one can contact any of the resources listed above or even their family doctor or pediatrician.