Suicide is a global health issue that affects all, friends, family, and individuals. Suicide tends to be a complex occurrence where it usually is caused by factors such as depression, substance usage, or harsh life events like bullying or harassment etc. There are many ways to prevent suicide, information, awareness and support are three major steps into getting help.
Suicide rates increase every day. As of today, the preteen suicide rates have increased by 8% since 2008, and as of today 700,000 people have died from suicide worldwide. That’s one-person every 40 seconds. If you find yourself becoming angrier, fatigued, using isolation as a coping method, or having any signs of depression please reach out. These are all possibly warning signs that can lead to suicide or a suicide attempt.
Suicide can be a chain event, if you have suicidal ideation and you think about taking your life at any moment try to consider the people in would affect, and how this could affect them in the future having to deal with prolonged grief, depression, anxiety, or survivors guilt. Allow and give yourself a moment to think about the people around you, and who love you.
If you have a friend who has a past of suicide ideation or suicide attempts, make sure you give them the resources or the support that them or anyone else would deserve. If you are a teenager, go to a counselor, parent, or adult who you can trust to get you the help you need. If you are an adult go to a colleague, friend, or partner. If you cannot find comfortability in talking to someone you know, try talking to a crisis line/ suicide hotline (988) if you find this situation to be urgent, they are available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
As a community we must come together and make a comfortable and safe environment to allow people to be vulnerable and open up so us as a collective can find ways big or small to persevere and value life as one. We must raise awareness in schools, the workplace and homes. People need the constant reminder that they are cared for and that they matter. If we truly care and value the lives of ourselves and others, we can reduce the rates of suicide not only the United States but globally.
If you or anyone else feels this way, take action and find help, again if you or anyone else are in dire need for help and you feel as if you aren’t getting it in that moment there are hotlines that are available to everyone at all times. No one is alone. You are not a burden. You matter.
Source: Suicide Prevention – National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (nih.gov)
