In the time it took you to count to 13, someone in this country took their own life. Think of it. Counting to 13 doesn’t take that long. A friend, a family member, a colleague, a neighbor, a co-worker, a stranger, a celebrity are dead, in the time it took to count to 13.
Suicide touches in a profoundly intimate way. Why intimate? Because the questions, the feelings, the shock touches us in a personal way not many things can do. Why would someone make the decision to die?
The reasons are varied and there is no one specific reason. Certainly not one that makes sense. But it does. There is a certain logic that makes sense only to the ones who commit suicide and succeed or the ones who attempt and don’t complete.
People who complete or attempt suicide are not weak, selfish, trying to manipulate, get attention or are crazy. They are likely to feel trapped, want their particular situation or pain to stop, don’t want to be a burden to family and can think of no other solution but to end their life.
Suicide Awareness Voices of Education www.save.org
American Association of Suicidology suicidology.org
Push For Awareness – Founded by 3 classmates whose friend committed suicide
Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255