Buddy Up: Calgary Centre for Suicide Prevention Campaign Seeks to Open the Conversation Surrounding Men’s Mental Health

Editor’s note: If you or a loved one need help regarding suicide, you can call the Canada Suicide Prevention Service’s 24/7/365 free support line at 1-833-456-4566. You can also text 45645 between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.

According to Statistics Canada, middle-aged men die by suicide more than anyone else. In 2019, there were 4,011 suicides in Canada, 3,058 of which were men. June has been designated as men’s health month, and Calgary’s Centre for Suicide Prevention has launched a campaign designed to open the conversation surrounding men’s mental health. The campaign, titled “Buddy Up,” seeks to promote conversations of mental health between men and their buddies. Akash Asif, the external relations director at the Centre for Suicide Prevention, says men aren’t usually willing to ask for help for themselves, but they are willing to support their buddies.

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