The following is an article I wrote for MSA’s school newspaper, RISE. I am one of the co-heads of the Health & Wellness section. Please go check out the entire paper and help support Journalism in schools.
TW: Information about suicide.
Suicide Helpline numbers will be included at the end of this blog post.
In honor of the end of Suicide Prevention Month, I am writing a post on suicide. This is a very grim topic, and I apologize if this is uncomfortable for many of you, but this is something that is a very real threat to our lives. Nobody is completely protected from the causes of suicide, but by talking about it, we can be more aware of it and make it less of something to be hidden. Hiding these feelings, normally called suicidal ideations, is how they go unnoticed. This is dangerous for reasons that I shouldn’t even have to explain.
Suicide, by definition, is the act of harming oneself with the intent to kill. Suicidal ideation is the continued thought of this act. Suicidal ideation is incredibly hard to diagnose or prevent, given that we cannot monitor thoughts. We can monitor behaviors, but if the affected individual is adept at hiding these behaviors, then it can be nigh impossible.
We can look for warning signs, though. These are some of the most common warning signs of suicide: speaking about killing oneself or wanting to die, talking about feeling trapped or hopeless, acting anxious or agitated; being reckless, increased use of alcohol or drugs, extreme mood swings, self-isolation, drastic change in sleep such as sleeping too little or too much, displaying increased aggression, rage, or seeking revenge, and finally, searching for a way to kill oneself, such as searching online, buying a gun, or commonly buying an excess of sleeping pills.
These signs are easily dismissed as being a teenager, and sometimes the sudden influx of hormones do share the signs, but recognizing these signs in family, friends, or children is paramount to their safety. I’m not asking that my readers be constantly vigilant, but somewhat. If anyone you know has had a drastic change in mood, personality or behavior, please check up on them.
This is a topic that is difficult to even write about, much less discuss, but I implore you, dear readers, to be careful. If you notice these signs in yourself as well, please talk to someone about it.
Suicidal thoughts can arise during long periods of excess conflict, change, high local suicide rates, or loss of relationships or a job. Cultural and religious beliefs can also increase the likelihood of suicide by bringing a stigma to the discussion of it, or by making a person believe that it is a noble solution to a personal or interpersonal problem. This is highly incorrect.
Dear reader, if you are struggling with these feelings, I have something I would like you to know. I don’t care if you feel that you have nothing to offer the world. You do. You may not see it, but I know for a fact that you have things to offer the world and others around you. Your smile is beautiful, even if you may not show it, and you have the ability to brighten the day of the people you meet. Even just in a passing smile, or general compliment, you can make someone’s day so much better. You could prevent someone else from feeling the same way you do.
This article is intended to be both a warning and a message to those struggling with suicidal thoughts or those who believe they are completely unaffected by them. Nobody is completely invulnerable to anything, but if we as a society can move past the stigma about suicide, we can make this a world worth living in. I believe that everyone has something to offer our world, even if they do not see it themselves. With that, I will leave suicide hotlines at the bottom of this article. If you need help, do not be afraid to seek it. You deserve all the help that you can get. You matter.
Dial 911 if you are in immediate danger.
Suicide Lifeline
Dial or Text 988 for Hotline
Or, visit chat.988lifeline.org to chat online.
Dial 211 if you are in crisis and need emergency referrals to social and community services but are not currently experiencing a life-threatening emergency
The Youthline specializes in teen-to-teen crisis support, and can be reached from 4-10pm PST for peer services by texting ‘teen2teen’ to 839863, otherwise, it is staffed 24/7 by adult crisis responders at (877) 968-8491
The Trevor Project for LGBTQ+ and questioning youth
1(866) 488-7386
This article is very informative and beautiful. There are so many ways to speak about suicide, but you did it in such a simple way. It’s true that suicidal thoughts are common, but this something we don’t have to battle alone.