Suicide prevention has been forgotten in the shadows. On school walls, bathrooms, and bulletin boards you see an announcement for a meeting, the schedule, or a school related event. Tell me, where are the links that someone could visit to help their friend in need? I don’t see enough or even any flyer to alert people that their friend or family member might be considering to end their life. We have all sorts of assemblies. But where are the ones informing about the 5000 teens who commit suicide every year? More than 13 of every 100,000 people aged 15 to 24 committed suicides and there is no other way any of them will know this if prevention programs come back from the shadows and inform the nation. Who is the one that is going to tell that suicide has become the third leading cause of teen deaths? Every 100 minutes a young person will end their life. It has become to my concern that schools are lacking on information regard what you can do to help, and how you can detect what your friend might be thinking. Teens in to be notified that it might not be normal that their friend changes eating habits, is dropping hints about suicide; making a plan, giving away prized possessions, being very obsessive and perfectionist, engaging in risky behaviors (driving recklessly, increased drug and alcohol use of abuse. They need to know what is happening. A large number will not come straight forward and let you know what they are planning. Teens have to know that there are places like 1-800-SUICIDE or 1-800-999-9999 where they can call if they need help or if they are trying to help a friend. In some cases teens who consider suicide generally feel alone, hopeless and rejected. They are more vulnerable to having these feelings if they parents with alcohol or drug problems, or have a family life affected by parental discord, disruptions, separation or divorce. But, a teenager may be depressed and/or suicidal without any of these. I believe that schools need to put a little more effort in informing their students on what is going on. These aren’t the 60’s where people thought that if you talked about suicide it would happen and if you don’t then every thing will be nice and dandy. We need to step into reality for a second and do something. Someone will appreciate it.
“If a young person you know seems depressed or gloomy and has been spending a lot of time questioning what life is worth the bother, its time to pay attention” – Anonymous parent (son lost to suicide).
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Hi, I really liked your story and agree with your argument and facts. My friend lost her dad 2 years ago to suicide. He hung himself in front of Safeway in wenatchee when his fiancee left him a week earlier. Many people dont understand how to chatch a hint and take it serously. I'm glad to have read your story.
ReplyDeleteI really liked your story i liked what you thought about suicide.I think that its terrible that someone so young would want to end their life. Im glad that you want to help.
ReplyDeleteI find that depression is a state of mind that a lot of people take as a way of speaking to other people for attention so that they can get someone to involve themselves with them, I have never been directly depressed, maybe sad at times, or really upset, but never depressed, I don't want people to look at me and be like "he's depressed, he needs a friend" No, if something goes wrong, well that's life, good things and bad things happen. Years ago I was looking up on the internet and came across a kid who just screamed out about how bad his life is and how depressed he was, there was a comment left by another reader, he quoted, "If life hits rock bottom, it can only get better." I follow by that, I can't stand people who think their lives aren't worthy of making the most of.
ReplyDeleteWow. You really started strong. I really like how you used the information you discovered. I agree with you. I do not know if someone is considering suicide and this is bad. We are able to stop it,probably, if we knew more about it. You did a really good job on this:].
ReplyDelete*Being that most suicides are connected to depression*
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