'There is stigma, but there is help:' Death of CBSA officer shines light on mental health in profession

WARNING: This story contains mentions of suicide. 

Details remain scarce surrounding the death of a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the Ambassador Bridge on Saturday — but mental health experts say the job comes with unique mental health challenges that can be addressed through education. 

The border authority and union said an employee died by suicide while on the job on the Windsor, Ont., side of the border. 

The incident closed the international border crossing for several hours.

The Customs and Immigration Union said in a statement that the death brings to light challenges public safety personnel may be confronted with.

"They remind us of the need for a comprehensive mental health support structure and of the importance of taking down barriers to access these services, both in professional and private settings," the statement said.

"These tragedies also serve as a reminder of the value of supporting each other in the face of hardship."

CBSA spokesperson Karine Martel says as employees grieve, they have met with the team and encouraged them to seek support from their employee assistance program during this "extremely difficult time."

'Great hesitation to express difficulties' in some jobs: UWindsor psychologist

Simon Hatcher is a professor of psychiatry at the University of Ottawa. 

He said first responders experience more trauma than the average person. Some of that is mitigated by a sense of camaraderie, working in teams and having pride in their job and skills, but the "psychology of suicide is all about feeling trapped, feeling hopeless and humiliated."

Hatcher said an important piece is for organizations to "walk the talk" on mental health, and education is an important piece. It can also be baked into leadership, like asking team leaders up for promotions what they've done to manage the mental health of their reports. 

"There is stigma, but there is also help," he said. "There is effective health help out there and …most people in fact who feel suicidal don't die by suicide and do improve and don't feel suicidal with the passage of time. But the difficult bit is getting from stigma to help."

A University of Windsor psychologist says jobs including border patrol and law enforcement can have their own unique pressures.

"We know that in cultures where there is a high value placed on being resilient, being autonomous and being capable of facing hardship, there is great hesitation to express difficulties and reach out for help," Josee Jarry told CBC News.

"It is still very present where those traditional masculine norms of self-reliance, being resilient, not being weak, success oriented and so on, might interfere with reaching out for help." 

Details on the gender or age of the worker have not been released.

According to Jarry, it's important in any workplace to talk to colleagues if you notice they may appear distraught, and in this case for colleagues of the deceased to connect with each other in the wake of this loss. 

"Isolation is never a good way to solve difficulties. Sometimes people feel that they can't talk to anybody around them. That happens. There are suicide lines and these people are quite well trained to help people who are feeling impulsive," she said. 

"We know from research that the simple experience of empathy, the simple experience of being received in an empathic way, is inherently calming."

If you or someone you know is struggling, here's where to get help:

• Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 988.

• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868. Text 686868. Live chat counselling on the website.

• Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention: Find a 24-hour crisis centre.

This guide from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health outlines how to talk about suicide with someone you're worried about.