In Canada, , with those aged 40 to 59 accounting for 45 per cent of that figure. For every suicide, there are also an estimated 20 attempts.

鈥淭here鈥檚 still a hesitation to speak openly about these issues,鈥� told 麻豆传媒. 鈥淓ven though we鈥檝e come so far in talking about mental health, suicide is still one of the most stigmatized aspects of mental health.鈥�

鈥淵ou treat a coworker differently when they come back from depression as opposed to a broken bone,鈥� psychologist Todd Leader added in an interview with CTV Atlantic. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 stigma and it鈥檚 an individual attitude and behavior that we would normally call prejudice and discrimination, and we need to start to rethink it.鈥�

Experts emphasize how important it is to support someone who is depressed in order to remind them that they are not alone. You should not necessarily try to cheer them up, they say, but you should assist them in getting professional help. Also, don鈥檛 be afraid to ask difficult questions.

鈥淎sk them directly if they鈥檙e thinking about killing themselves,鈥� Henick, who鈥檚 been open about attempting suicide as a young man, advised. 鈥淎sking them that question will not give them the idea to kill themselves. It might trigger them to talk about it. It might trigger the need to have an intense medical intervention. That鈥檚 okay.鈥�

Experts also say that any mention of death should be taken seriously, and that with proper professional help, a crisis can be averted and a life can be saved.

鈥淗ave these conversations anyway, because then it ingrains in them that it is okay to talk,鈥� Henick said. 鈥淭here is help out there, there鈥檚 effective help out there, and 100 per cent of suicides are absolutely preventable if we can get people the help that they need when they need it.鈥�

Jim Malone, who has been running a Halifax peer support group for people living anxiety and depression for more than a dozen years, adds it鈥檚 important to tell those contemplating suicide that their feelings will pass.

鈥淭hey should be reminded very strongly that the suicidal ideation, or that crisis part, is temporary and it does go away,鈥� Malone, who lives with diagnosed depression, told CTV Atlantic.

Their advice comes following a trio of high-profile suicides over the past week. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, 61, died of suicide Friday. His death was preceded by the suicides of fashion designer Kate Spade, 55, on June 5 and Ines Zorreguieta, the 33-year-old sister of the Dutch queen, on May 7.

鈥淚 think that if anything good can come from a tragedy like this, it鈥檚 that it鈥檚 getting people talking about how to prevent suicide, that it is preventable, and I think that鈥檚 a good thing,鈥� Henick said. 鈥淭his draws attention to the fact that suicide can happen to anybody, regardless of how much money they make, how famous they are, how happy they seem, how much people like them -- they can still have their demons, they still might have their illness, and they need help just as much as anybody else.鈥�

Such conversations and media attention can help eliminate stigmas surrounding talking about mental health, Malone added.

鈥淭here鈥檚 just too many people that are ill with some sort of mental challenge, but they鈥檙e hiding it because that鈥檚 what our society does,鈥� Malone said. 鈥淎sk for help. Ask for help from a lot of people. I鈥檝e been talking to people for years and not one -- not even one 鈥� person has criticized me for coming out about my mental health challenges.鈥�

, a suicide prevention and awareness group, has been trying to underscore the severity of the problem for years.

鈥淒epression and other mental illnesses can be terminal illnesses,鈥� says. 鈥淲e need to start recognizing that more.鈥�

With a report from 麻豆传媒 medical affairs specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip and CTV Atlantic鈥檚 Heidi Petracek