Here are some facts:
§ Nearly 30,000 Americans commit suicide every year.
§ Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds and the 2nd leading cause for 24-35-year-olds.
§ On average1 person commits suicide every 16 minutes.
§ 1 suicide intimately affects AT LEAST 6 people.
§ Males make up 79% of all suicides.
§ There are 2 times as many deaths due to suicide than HIV/AIDS
Here is my opinion:
§ People who commit suicide aren’t selfish. They are suffering a mental illness that often goes untreated due to the lack of mental health care.
§
September is Suicide Prevention month. September 10th, is national suicide prevention day. September 9th, 2011 is the day I lost my 17-year-old best friend, Trey, to suicide.
Above I stated facts that are listed on DOSomething.org, facts that most of us have heard before, yet still seem to remain true year after year. One that stuck out the most to me is: at least 6 people are intimately affected by a single suicide. People who commit, attempt, or have suicidal thoughts feel so alone, but at least 6 people will be affected by their death. This is where guilt sets in for most us who have already been affected by suicide. If my person felt so lonely and uncared for—enough to take their life, I was not a good (insert relationship here). We have all had those thoughts. STOP. That isn’t true. We all for short in every relationship we are in. We could all be better; mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, wives, husbands, partners, friends, teachers, mentors. There is always room for growth. I want to tell everyone that they are not responsible for their person's death, but we are all responsible for the ignorance we allow to happen surrounding that death if we do not speak up, speak out, and educate ourselves and others.
We have these incredibly young people 15-35-year-olds, killing themselves because we, as a country, are not properly educated on mental illness. We tell boys to man up and assume girls are PMS-ing. We need to stop this ridiculous cycle. We need to listen to others and take everyone seriously. I much rather waste my time on those who are dishonest in their struggle than ignore those who need help and attention. There are “signs” of suicidal possibilities that we can see in hindsight. But let's be honest. Most of the time we are completely shocked by the news that someone took their life. We “had no idea” what they were going through. Not because we never asked if they were okay, but because we have all been taught to smile and say fine when asked. We request honesty for so many things but don’t want to hear the truth when it comes to mental health. If our heart, liver, bladder, and, kidneys can fail us; why is it so hard to believe that brains can fail us as well?
Suicide prevention isn’t about busting in a room as someone puts a gun to their head and telling them to choose life. Suicide prevention is about stepping up and opening your heart, eyes, and ears to those around us who are more than just sad! Mental illness comes in all forms and can be disguised as the most put together housewife, talented athlete, heroic service person, the trans man, or the young 12-year-old who is unsure what life is about. We have everyday people we pass on the street who need to have an open safe location to seek reliable and legitimate health help. Mental Illness is NOT just someone sitting in a room of a psych ward medicated to feel nothing. Mental illness is: Depression, Bipolar disorder, Postpartum depression, Anxiety disorders, PTSD, Schizophrenia, etc.. No matter how strong someone is, mental illness can be too much to handle when undiagnosed, untreated, or ignored. No one chooses to have a mental illness. Even when they choose to die, they are choosing a solace from their own thoughts.
As I sit here on the anniversary of Trey’s death (with baby blue nail polish on my pinky nails in memory of my sweet, sweet friend), so many memories come flooding back. There were signs. A lot of us who loved him were under educated about mental illnesses and signs of suicide. Unfortunately, since we had to experience losing someone to suicide we are more educated and informed on signs and the seriousness of mental illness. It’s not too late though. It’s not too late for us to save a life. Educate yourself, educate others, and become a safe post for those who may need a gateway to help.
Never think that suicide or mental illness will not affect you. It is truly a silent killer that we must make heard! I would like you all to consider trying to make suicide decrease by 25% by 2025 by donating, walking, or sharing. November 5th, 2017 is Out of Darkness walk at Piedmont Park in Atlanta, GA. Click on the hyperlink above to see when a walk is near you and please donate to cause by clicking here, to support my cousin Liz’s first walk! We are all in this together, so let us stand together, walk together and speak up together.
This year I am walking for more than just Trey. I am walking for mental illness awareness.
I love you always remember that. -TMG
