Are You Alright? Maybe
The suicide rate in Canada is 200 attempts a day - every single day. And that number isn’t flat; it jumps wildly depending on ethnicity, age, gender, and geographical location.
When I think of how g*d damn performative LinkedIn is - the illusion that everything must be okay, your Instagram-worthy life, the chin-up, put-your-lipstick-on attitude - I wonder: what the hell are we doing to each other, to ourselves?
When I think about the exquisite artificiality of so many workspaces, where “positivity” is sacred; if you dare show a crack, you risk being tagged as a “Debbie Downer,” “violating company values,” “not a real leader.” Authenticity is waved around like a flag, but only when convenient.
When I think about how many companies confuse “family” with work - really, they’d never say parent, sister, brother - but for the employee, there are no guarantees. You can become estranged to your real family, gain a family member through marriage - but you’re never h/fired from family. Yet too many workplaces blur those lines: loyalty demanded, critiques silenced, human vulnerability punished.
Right now, everywhere, government priorities are shifting. Just take a look at budgets for “defence”. If you’ve got the cash, now’s the time to invest in weapons. If violence is your sort of thing. (#sarcasm) Otherwise, most workplaces are going to be feeling the squeeze: budget cuts, hiring freezes, layoffs. It has white‐knuckle consequences for your neighbour, for your friend, for you.
Add a smothering helping of AI, and you'll find a ton of people being displaced, but no one can talk about it openly. Automation, large‐language models, systems replacing roles - uncertainty is everywhere.
Do you have someone you can be yourself with? Really and truly?
There’s a silent struggle in everyone. Maybe it’s not just the job, maybe not just the money - maybe it is.
Autumn’s descending. We turn inwards. Days become short, sunlight is scarce. It’s harder to breathe in the wee hours.
I watched a video: Together Against Suicide by Samaritans. It hits hard because it's so real. In it, someone asks, “Are you alright?” and then pauses, listens. That’s it. No big speech, but 100% presence. Premier League footballer Paul McVeigh reminds us that we are one conversation away from changing a life.
Ask more often “Are you alright?” and mean it. Wait for the answer. Let people know “You can talk to me.” “It’s alright if you’re not ok.” That invitation. That openness.
Because the truth is that stat after stat says something is badly off.
What the data tells us:
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, suicide is among the leading causes of death for ages 15-44. Over 4,000 Canadians die by suicide each year - that’s more than motor vehicle collisions.
Every day in Canada, there are 200 attempts.
Youth, LGBTQ2+ individuals, Indigenous communities, and men are especially at risk. For instance, Canada’s First Nations youth are up to 5 to 7 times more likely to report suicidal thoughts and attempts than non-Indigenous peers. That is NOT “alright”!
Seasonal effects are real: studies show that suicide risks often increase during late autumn and early winter, when daylight decreases, social isolation can increase, and mental health supports are more stretched.
Economic stress matters. During recessions or periods of high unemployment, suicide rates tend to rise. A 2023 US study found that a 1% increase in unemployment corresponds to about a 1.6% increase in suicide mortality. While Canada’s systems differ, the pattern shows: when people lose work, or fear losing work, mental health deteriorates.
The pressure to perform “positivity” at work - to mask struggle, to always come across “fine” - has real cost. Burnout rates are rising. According to a 2022 Canadian survey, more than half of workers report emotional exhaustion, and many say they feel unsupported in speaking up about mental health at their workplace. The thing is, these surveys include only those willing to talk/ admit/ be counted.
Precarious employment is a real thing. What used to be compelling as a COVID-induced gig-life has morphed into many people being stranded in affordable homes they purchased when it was encouraged to work from home. Suddenly they’re yanked back on a short leash when it was determined the sandwich shops downtown were struggling and empty real estate is a liability.
Can you afford child care, gas, another vehicle, moving again? If you do move, is your job even secure? I've written elsewhere about the impacts of ageism on job-seekers also. Pick a factor - it seems like the window for employability is getting narrower all the time, and the strain is showing through the cracks in the mirror.
Why saying “Are you alright?” matters
Because so often, silence kills. Not the loud tragedy - the unsaid, the hidden, the masked.
That small question: “Are you alright?” can open the door. It invites vulnerability. It tells someone they’re not alone.
If someone answers “It’s not alright,” that’s enough. It doesn’t need to be fixed immediately. Sometimes, it just needs to be heard. To be validated. To be reminded that human connection matters more than performance, more than image.
What we can do
Talk openly: At work, among friends, on social media. When someone seems off, ask. Mean it. And wait for the answer.
Normalize struggle: Saying “I’m not okay” isn’t weak. It’s human.
Create safe spaces: Leaders, managers, colleagues: we need places in which people can show strain without fear of judgment or retaliation.
Support mental health resources: Make sure people know where to turn (counsellors, hotlines, employee assistance programs).
Check the corporate culture: When positivity is weaponized - when dissent or worry is framed as negativity - that culture kills connection. It kills trust.
You never know whose life hinges on one more question. Be the person who asks: “Are you alright?”
Because in that small moment, you might just save someone’s world.
If you want to talk, I’m here. Human to human. Listening guaranteed.
If you want therapy for your career or business, that’s what I do as an organizational psychologist. I create a safe space to discuss questions, problems, ideas, fears, and limiting beliefs.
And although listening is a huge part of the equation, real, actionable, pragmatic coaching - grounded in lived business experience - is irreplaceable.
Here's the video: "Together Against Suicide - Samaritans - YouTube
About the Author
Anna is an organizational psychologist and executive coach, with a special interest in all things technology. We’re part of the team at Garleff Coaching and Consulting Group. If this article has struck a chord, please let us know.
Anna Garleff Cell: +1 587 224 3793 / anna@garleffcoaching.com
www.garleffcoaching.com
