Suicide

It recently came to my attention that some people seriously don't understand suicide and the reason why some people would go to that extreme for anything.  It made me sad because society has become so unaccepting of anything they don't understand or can't relate to.  In a recent conversation, someone told me that suicide is wrong because it's not your life to take.  When they said that, it made my stomach drop and turn.  It disgusted me that religion would ever give someone that mindset.  Of course it's your life to take, after all, you're the one that has to put up with yourself, the one who has to deal with your life and everything inside of it.  Suicide is more real than people think and has been increasing drastically over the last few decades.  Sadly, we've reached a point in society where only a few people treat suicide as a serious issue.  All around us, people seem to be ignorant to mental illnesses such as depression, OCD, autism, or anxiety disorders.  Oftentimes, victims hear "words of advice" telling them to simply be happy again or to stop overreacting.  This is a serious issue because mental illnesses are real and should not be taken lightly.  People suffering from these issues often feel alone, misunderstood, and are even pushed to feel guilty.  For these people, suicide quickly feels like the easiest escape.  I know I've felt it before.  It's a light that goes off when you're sitting alone in the darkest hours.  That tiny spark of an idea quickly spreads into an all too real option.  In fact, suicide takes the lives of around 30,000 Americans each year.  Read these facts and then be cautious next time you're telling someone about how "ridiculous" suicide is.

Many who attempt suicide never seek professional care.

15% of those who are clinically depressed die by suicide.

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-old Americans. (CDC)

There are an estimated 8 to 25 attempted suicides to 1 completion.

It is estimated that there are at least 4.5 million survivors in this country. (AAS)

An average of one person dies by suicide every 16.2 minutes. (CDC, AAS)

There are four male suicides for every female suicide. (CDC, AAS)

According to the Violent Death Reporting System, in 2004 73% of suicides also tested positive for at least one substance (alcohol, cocaine, heroin or marijuana).