Don't Let This Continue To Happen

I haven't written on here in a while and it is because I have been super busy. Still, that is no reason to keep off of here. I have noticed that since this entire thing with Covid happened that we are starting to see more suicides. The rate, especially in teens this year has gone up tremendously. Yet, we don't talk about it enough because it is a stigma to many people. It has always been a hush-hush deal especially in families. You don't want to believe that you could be related to someone going through a mental health problem. Everyone wants their family to be so "perfect." Life is not perfect and we shouldn't prioritize this fantasy that we should not have any faults.

I, myself have suffered from depression so severe that I did try to take my own life. People always ask, "What was so bad in your life that made you not want to live?" Nothing in our life is "so bad." That is the thing that people don't understand about this. We don't just wake up one day and decide that we want to be severely depressed. In our minds, we just want the pain to go away. We hurt so much and so bad that the emotions overwhelm us and we just don't know how to cope with it. You have no idea what they are going through. Some people won't even talk to others about it. We don't want you to tell us that everything will be okay or that life will get better. At that very moment we don't believe that life will get better. Sometimes we need someone to listen and not to judge.

One reason we don't talk about it to our loved ones is because they will ignore the facts that we are presenting to them. Family are the ones who should be there not to judge and yet sometimes they judge very harshly. We don't want to be "that child" or "that family member." One thing I have learned to embrace is that I will ALWAYS be "that child" or "that family member." I have had my ups and down, I was not and nor am I perfect by any means. It took me awhile after I quit drinking to learn to cope with that depression. The depression still comes in and out but nowhere near to how bad it used to be. I have learned to cope with it somewhat and I am still learning everyday.

With all these shut downs though, kids, adults and families are having a hard time. Some aren't even allowed out around their friends or other human beings. The government may not see this truth or they don't care. I know that there are multiple states who push mental health and suicide rates off like it is no big deal. It is a BIG deal! We are letting people down who rely on us to be there to talk to them or just be there to listen. Check on the people you love, be kind to strangers, family and friends. You never know what that one moment of kindness can do for that person in that moment. A smile could save someone's life that day.

So don't ignore this. Don't let suicide and mental health be a stigma anymore. It is happening everyday around you. 132 people die on average a die from suicide. Think about the people who lose their loved ones to this. Be there to listen for someone even if it is a stranger. That could be the conversation that changes their mind.