Per Graham Allen (AKA the 'Dear America'/Daily Rants guy)
[Opens with Papa Roach's "Last Resort"] What if I told you this wasn't just a song? In fact, what if I told you that someone, somewhere, someplace- someone- actually feels this way. What if I told you that right NOW- someone, somewhere, by some means... just took their life by suicide.
Did you know that it is estimated that every 16 minutes someone in the US take their own life?Did you know that Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US?
An estimated 44,000 Americans take their own lives each and every year.
In 2017 we are already over 23,000 American that have taken their own life.
Suicide is nothing new. It is in our music, in our movies, in our graphic novels- it has been everywhere for years. Netflix has a hit show called 13 Reasons Why- a story about a girl who commits suicide and leaves 13 reasons why she did it. The original intent behind the series was to bring awareness to bullying, but it seems to have the opposite effect: It makes it seem like suicide is the ultimate way to get back. But the actual way to get back at people who do us wrong is to simply keep living.
There's a stigma that surrounds suicide and mental health and depression- it's not just "sad" people. 22 veterans a day, rich people, poor people, male, female, young and old. Most recently Chester Bennington. This is not to capitalize on the suicide of a famous person, it is simply to point out the fact that depression, mental illness, feelings of being lost - do not know age, gender, status, sexual orientation, or political party.
If I told you I had cancer, you would probably comfort and provide support, go to doctor appointments with me, start a gofundme, hashtag.
If I told you I was thinking of killing myself- what would you do?
Out of all of the statistics, the number that stands out to me the most is 6- for every suicide there are an estimated 6 people who are affected intimately by one suicide. There are people who matter that are affected by the decision to take your own life. There are people right now who have either struggled in the past or are thinking right now that maybe the world would be better if they weren't here. For those of you feeling this way right now, I can't possibly begin to understand what it is you are going through, but what I do know is this: Sometimes life beats us. The truth is, it's ok to lose. I have struggled so many times to decide if I'm good enough or worth it- I've even believed the lie that the world would be better without me. What I know is- life IS worth it. Look around. Your life has value. That value is found in the people you hold closest to you. The biggest lie you can ever believe is that the world or the people in it are better off without you here. We owe it to our families, our mothers, our fathers, our wives, our children, our friends, our brothers, our sisters....to keep fighting, because tomorrow is a brand new day. When it comes to suicide, what would you do if someone you know is 'there'? Your life has value- fight for it.
Thank you, Graham Allen, for sharing your TRUE feelings about this topic.
[Opens with Papa Roach's "Last Resort"] What if I told you this wasn't just a song? In fact, what if I told you that someone, somewhere, someplace- someone- actually feels this way. What if I told you that right NOW- someone, somewhere, by some means... just took their life by suicide.
Did you know that it is estimated that every 16 minutes someone in the US take their own life?Did you know that Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US?
An estimated 44,000 Americans take their own lives each and every year.
In 2017 we are already over 23,000 American that have taken their own life.
Suicide is nothing new. It is in our music, in our movies, in our graphic novels- it has been everywhere for years. Netflix has a hit show called 13 Reasons Why- a story about a girl who commits suicide and leaves 13 reasons why she did it. The original intent behind the series was to bring awareness to bullying, but it seems to have the opposite effect: It makes it seem like suicide is the ultimate way to get back. But the actual way to get back at people who do us wrong is to simply keep living.
There's a stigma that surrounds suicide and mental health and depression- it's not just "sad" people. 22 veterans a day, rich people, poor people, male, female, young and old. Most recently Chester Bennington. This is not to capitalize on the suicide of a famous person, it is simply to point out the fact that depression, mental illness, feelings of being lost - do not know age, gender, status, sexual orientation, or political party.
If I told you I had cancer, you would probably comfort and provide support, go to doctor appointments with me, start a gofundme, hashtag.
If I told you I was thinking of killing myself- what would you do?
Out of all of the statistics, the number that stands out to me the most is 6- for every suicide there are an estimated 6 people who are affected intimately by one suicide. There are people who matter that are affected by the decision to take your own life. There are people right now who have either struggled in the past or are thinking right now that maybe the world would be better if they weren't here. For those of you feeling this way right now, I can't possibly begin to understand what it is you are going through, but what I do know is this: Sometimes life beats us. The truth is, it's ok to lose. I have struggled so many times to decide if I'm good enough or worth it- I've even believed the lie that the world would be better without me. What I know is- life IS worth it. Look around. Your life has value. That value is found in the people you hold closest to you. The biggest lie you can ever believe is that the world or the people in it are better off without you here. We owe it to our families, our mothers, our fathers, our wives, our children, our friends, our brothers, our sisters....to keep fighting, because tomorrow is a brand new day. When it comes to suicide, what would you do if someone you know is 'there'? Your life has value- fight for it.
Thank you, Graham Allen, for sharing your TRUE feelings about this topic.
Mental health really does have such a stigma. Everyone is afraid to admit when they need help the most. They are afraid to admit when things get dark. They are more afraid to lean on others than they are to give up.
If you ask anyone, ask anyone "do you like to /want to help people?", they will probably respond with a resounding yes. Ask those same people if they like to or want to ask for help, and they will say NO. We have a society that wants to help others, but never wants to ask for help. Never wants to seem weak, but in reality, the strongest thing you can do is seek help. It's easier to ask people you know and love than to ask a stranger.
And I know- I know from experience- that it is hard to admit to yourself that you need help. It's hard to pick yourself up when you feel hopeless. It's hard to see light when it all seems black.
13 reasons why is revolutionary... it doesn't glorify suicide, it points it out and it paints a picture of how it can happen to anyone- And it does happen to "anyone". Every day. Many times a day. 22 veterans is too many. 96 people a day is too many. 34,000 a year is too many. One 12 year old girl in a class of 150 is one too many. And like Graham said, an average of 6 people are affected by each 1 suicide that happens. 576 people a day affected, 210,240 a year. May seem like small numbers.... but that's only an estimate.
In Chester Bennington's case, more than 210,240 people were affected-- more like millions. Of those millions of family, friends, and fans, how many considered suicide in the past (I know I did) or are presently considering it? How many of those people are losing any hope they had because their role model is gone? How many people are thinking that this a normalcy, an accepted outlet now that a celebrity has succumbed? The reach of a high profile death is immeasurable, the repercussions could be catastrophic....
And you know- Suicide IS selfish... but in that moment, all you think you have is you and the only thing you feel you have control over is you - and that is where people who are in trouble find solace. They think they are doing everyone else a favor. They think it is the right thing. That is why they do this alone. Because alone is how they feel, how they have become accustomed to feeling, and what brings them to this point.
I hope everyone listens to Graham's words and shares it. Likes it. Tags 5 friends- especially ones they think need to hear "YOU MATTER", or "YOU ARE NOT ALONE", or "DON'T LEAVE ME".
Especially the person who needs to hear "I need you" or "I will miss you" or "I love you".
Especially the person who needs to hear "I need you" or "I will miss you" or "I love you".
The only time someone accepted that I was desperately depressed was once I told them they'd be better off without me. That was when a loved one decided this was for real. Not one of the other warning signs, and not me innocently mentioning it hoping they would see it as a weak cry for help... And still to this day people I mentioned it to say "How can YOU be depressed?" That should never be the response. It should always be taken seriously. It should always be handled with care and concern and always say "what can I do to help?". It is a burden to bear- you are like Atlas holding up the world- but going on living after the person who confided in you or reached out to you has committed suicide is MORE OF A BURDEN. Trying to go on without that person and the whole time thinking "could I have done more, could I have saved them?" is more of a burden.
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