Increase Suicide Awareness By Destroying the Stigma of Suicide

Warning: Possible trigger warning surrounding suicide awareness.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call 988, or go to your nearest Emergency Room. You can also contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Have you ever contemplated taking your own life? It is hard to imagine why anybody would ever consider it. If you have never experienced thoughts and feelings about suicide, it can seem like something out of a movie – perhaps a horror flick.

Over the past couple of years, we have heard about several celebrities who died by their own hands. Some of these names include Robin Williams, Chester Bennington, Anthony Bourdain, and Kate Spade. With the names of such high-powered celebrities, you can see that suicide does not discriminate.

There is a huge stigma associated with suicide. This stigma surrounds pretty much anything to do with mental illness (e.g. bipolar disorder).

Stigma usually grows from ignorance and fear. The best way to combat stigma is to take action. Can you think of any way to battle stigma?

Combat Stigma

1. Talk About It

One way to combat the stigma surrounding suicide is to talk about it. People need to discuss their thoughts and feelings. This goes not only for suicide but for mental illness and overall general mental health, as well.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but rather of strength and courage. Bottling self-destructive thoughts inside will eventually lead to a very horrific outcome.

2. Individuals Must Be Taken Seriously

Individuals experiencing suicidal ideation need to be taken seriously.

Please stop labeling people as “attention-seeking” if they divulge their thoughts. This further adds to the stigma and does not help the overall problem.

If someone opens up to you about suicide, and you do not feel comfortable helping, find someone who will. There are medical professionals such as doctors, therapists, social workers, and hotlines to call for support.

You never have to feel alone.

3. Suicide Has Become a National Epidemic

Suicide is a topic many people do not wish to discuss. It makes many individuals uncomfortable to talk about.

These uncomfortable feelings need to be put aside.

Look at the numbers, and judge for yourself.

Important Statistics

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

• Each year, 44,965 Americans die by suicide.
• For every successful suicide, around 25 individuals attempt.
• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.
• Costs associated with suicide in the United States are close to $69 billion annually.
• Men die by suicide at a rate 3.5 times more than women.
• In 2016, firearms accounted for 51% of all suicides.

These numbers and stats should show you just how much of an epidemic suicide has become.

Last Thoughts

September is “Suicide Awareness Month.” Suicide awareness is something that should not only be talked about in September, however but throughout the rest of the year, as well. As we move forward, educate yourself if you do not understand this very important topic.

This quote reigns true for the current situation of suicide and mental illness:

Knowledge is Power

Please, be a part of the solution, not the problem.