Suicide Prevention Week: ‘There are still taboos,’ says association

Talking openly about suicide isn’t an easy conversation, but it’s the first step toward prevention, says the Quebec Association for Suicide Prevention.

Talking openly about suicide isn’t an easy conversation, but it’s the first step toward prevention, says the president and CEO of the Quebec Association for Suicide Prevention (AQPS), who wants to break down those taboos.

According to Hugo Fournier, people shouldn’t be afraid to ask someone who seems to be struggling whether they are thinking about suicide.

“Even today, there are myths that say if you ask the question directly, the person will make an attempt. But that’s false,” he said over the phone. “On the contrary, when you ask someone directly, it leads to a frank and honest answer. It removes the heaviness for someone who is suffering and allows them to open up,” he added.

Fournier’s organization is launching its 36th Suicide Prevention Week under the theme Reaching Out, Supporting Hope.

The AQPS wants to highlight the importance of asking for help, but also of showing someone who is suffering that you are there for them.

“It might seem small, but these are big gestures that can save someone’s life,” Fournier said.

He encourages Quebecers to pay attention to signs of distress, which can sometimes appear as increased sadness, alarming comments, isolation or changes in a person’s habits.

“It doesn’t mean someone is thinking about suicide. But what it does mean is that we should still take the time to reach out,” he said.

“If all Quebecers can remember the support resources and recognize a few symptoms or signs that someone isn’t doing well, that’s already a big gain,” the CEO said.

Obstacles that persist

While much progress has been made in recent years to encourage conversations about suicide, “there are still taboos,” Fournier said.

Yet many Quebecers know someone who has been touched directly or indirectly by suicide.

He says the social labels surrounding mental health remain a major barrier to prevention.

“Nearly 60 per cent of people living with mental health issues are afraid of being labelled and will keep their struggles to themselves,” he said.

Still, progress is being made, and more and more interventions are happening to support people in psychological distress.

The AQPS launched suicide.ca five years ago, a suicide-prevention awareness service that also lets people chat live with a counsellor.

According to Fournier, more than 30,000 interventions were carried out on suicide.ca and by text at 535353 in 2025. There were just over 60,000 interventions by phone over the same period.

The website recorded about 500,000 visits in 2025.

“The first line in mental health is made up of a wide range of available resources,” Fournier said, noting that support continues after the initial call.

If you need help:

Phone: 1-866-APPELLE (277-3553)

Text: 535353

Chat, information and tools: suicide.ca

By Audrey Sanikopoulo

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 1, 2026.