On average, according to Emory University, 94 people take their own life every single day. That’s 94 lives a day; fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, siblings, co-workers, friends, family.
A Quick Note: To be perfectly honest, I was extremely reluctant to share this article with you. I have battled my own issues of anxiety and depression, but didn’t want to talk about them. I get it. But, then again, maybe that is the problem. We don’t want to talk about it. We want to pretend it doesn’t exist until we are the one’s suffering the loss of a friend, family member, or other loved one. I am not a therapist, counselor, or doctor. I cannot provide you with professional advice and this article should not be used in that manner. My goal here is to raise awareness, to provide some information and resources for those who may be secretly battling this issue.
They are sitting next to you. Maybe it is in school, that old building with a musky odor. The wooden desks, the plastic chairs, the grumpy teachers, the terrible lunches. Maybe it is in the office; an office with outdated and moldy food in the break room refrigerator or the terrible coffee. They are beside you on the bus ride for your commute, at the traffic light on your way to work and school.
They have served the United States through military service, or their local community as a first responder.
They are sitting next to you, next to you at the dinner table in your home. They sleep in the same bed as you. They have, at one time, uttered the words, “I love you” to you.
You have hugged them, shook their hands, given and received gifts from them, you’ve enjoyed a meal together.
Silently they cry for your help. Silently they ask for your intervention, for your love, for your ear to listen. They want to tell you, but it is taboo, we’re not supposed to talk about our problems, especially mental illness.
They know the repercussions if they share their feelings and thoughts. They’ll be fired from work, isolated in the home and socially, they’ll be labeled as crazy and stereotyped.
The “they’s” are people you love dearly. They put on smiles just like clothes and take them off the same. They wear emotions like makeup, something to wear and remove when no longer needed.
They are young, younger, old, and older. They have careers and families, but they also have a heavy burden on their shoulders. The burden seems like an overbearing cloud, something with the relentlessness of an unstoppable tidal wave.
The National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
They eat at the same restaurants as you, wear the same brand of clothes, drive similar cars, work in similar jobs, they even have pets, just like you and I.
So why, in the United States, does 1 person attempt to take their own life every 38 seconds? You read that correctly. That’s a whopping 864,950 people a year in the United States who attempt to take their own life (Statistics from Emory University).
On average, according to Emory University, 94 people take their own life every single day. That’s 94 lives a day; fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, siblings, co-workers, friends, family.
To put this in perspective, there are over 18,000 homicides annually in the United States; suicides nearly double that at just under 35,000 annually.
If our homicide rate was doubled in America, it would call for a massive intervention. But, the voices of those who silently scream for help go unheard, until it is too late.
My career in law enforcement exposed me to people who attempted, and some successfully, to take their own lives.
Today’s problems are not permanent, suicide is. You’ve heard that before. But, it is true, today’s problems will not last forever. However, I would challenge you to look at your future with a different outlook.
Today, you may be facing a terminal illness, insurmountable financial difficulty, maybe you are facing criminal charges, the deterioration of a relationship, the loss of a loved one.
You may be reading this and have lost a friend or loved one to suicide. I do not pretend this is not the case. Millions of people are affected by the loss of friends and loved ones because of suicide.
I’m not going to fill this article with fluffy words and statements trying to change your mind, your outlook, that is not what this is for. I want you to know you are not alone. You are not forgotten. In fact, the truth is, you are not hopeless. You are loved, you are needed, and your future is awaiting you.
There is help. There is hope. You can, you will overcome this. You are not broken. You are not a mistake, and you can achieve great things in your life.
If you are reading this and need assistance, please know there is help. The biggest obstacle in your way right now is your willingness to seek help. Take that first step.
For immediate assistance:
The National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 or Dial 911
The National Suicide Online Live Chat: CLICK HERE
Statistics Courtesy of Emory University
More Resources:
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