Every 40 seconds, someone in the world dies by suicide but one conversation could save a life, and September is about starting those conversations. This September, Suicide Prevention Month reminds us that hope, help, and healing is always within reach.
Often times many teenagers jokingly say ‘I’m going to kill myself’ because their stressed out about something or if their frustrated which can make others that are actually having those daily intrusive thoughts feel unimportant and it can discourage others from speaking up because that suggests that it’s a laughing matter. It’s very important to use compassion especially throughout the month designated to spread awareness and throughout every other month.
You never truly know what a person is going through at home or what mental state they are in so it’s always important to check in with your friends and classmates. Just small acts of kindness can make someone’s day.
According to My Community Health Network, it’s important to recognize the warning signs no matter how small because recognizing the signs and taking action can save a life.
“Suicide is an epidemic and affects hundreds of people every year. Hundreds of families, friends, co-workers, and relatives lose loved ones to suicide. The victims of suicide might have struggled with suicidal thoughts for years, months or days. The warning signs were overlooked, unknown or no one checked on them. It is not always apparent that someone is having suicidal thoughts but knowing the warning signs can be an indicator that they are in trouble and need a helping hand.”
Stigma is a primary reason why many people hesitate to seek help for suicidal thoughts even throughout Suicide Awareness Month, due to fear of shame, being percieved as weak, being judged. It’s extremely important to effectively help others and not make them feel like they’re weak or being judged just because they’re hurting. Negative attitudes and stereotypes around suicide need to end. It only creates more isolation for the individual and it can even make them want to not seek support at all to get the treatment they need. Statistics from NPR.org show that 700,000 adolescents 12 to 17 attempted suicide in 2024 alone and 2.6 million teens had suicidal thoughts. That’s sons, daughters, siblings, cousins and grandchildren that their family members can never get back, so it’s important to remember that one compassionate person that takes an initiative to have a conversation can potentially save a life.
Another important fact from My Community Health Network is that 79% of people who have committed suicide are men. The suicide rates for men are higher than ones for women because of how our society thinks about men talking about their feelings and that it makes them weak because where traditional masculinity lies is that it discourages men from expressing vulnerability and seeking help for mental health issues. What we can do to end this stereotype is to encourage men to speak up more and strongly enforce that talking about your feelings does not make you any less of a man let alone does it make you weak. Everyone should be able to have that resource to talk to someone about their feelings. If you or a friend don’t have anyone to talk to, you’re encouraged to text or call 988 or go to the 988 website where tools and resources are available for help.
