In light of September being Suicide Awareness Month, I felt it important to address something that is hushed far too often in society. As a whole, it is more socially acceptable to discuss your physical health than your mental health. Imagine telling someone who had been diagnosed with cancer to "just get over it" or "so what we've all been sick before". The brain is just as much a part of your body as your heart or lungs. Ignoring illnesses that are affecting the brain/mind because we fear what can't be seen is what's causing suicide rates to increase ever year in the United States since 2005.
As someone who has struggled with their own mental health, I can say that within the mental health community, no one is being hushed and, in fact, are encouraged to open up about their feelings. But if you have not had your own mental health struggles or known someone close to you who has struggled, it's pretty likely you're not well educated on mental illness (thank you to those of you who are, though).
From an elementary age, children are taught in school how to improve their physical health through a well-rounded diet and exercise. Granted, both of those can impact your mental health but when they are taught to children, it's about the old "an apple a day, keeps the doctor away". The fact of the matter is when depression or anxiety creeps up, an apple isn't what's going to save you.
I've heard time and time again that there is a stigma against mental illness. The definition of the word stigma is: "a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person". I'm not going to say that there is a stigma against mental illness because I'm not going to be a part of tainting any illness with the word stigma. But, the overall denial in society that mental illness does exist is costing people their lives. We all wait until it's too late or almost was to educate ourselves.
I recognize that it's likely anyone who is reading this has struggled with mental illness or knows of someone who has, and thank you for continuing to educate yourself. On the off chance that you clicked on this without prior experience with mental illness, thank you for not turning a blind eye to something that could easily impact any one of us.
Suicide is the third cause of death in people ages 10-24 years old.
In the United States, 16% of high school students have considered suicide, 13% of the 16% have created a plan to commit suicide.
Every year in the United States, over 150,000 people under the age of 18 are treated in the emergency room for self-inflected injuries.
Suicide can be prevented.
Prevention starts with a conversation. Prevention starts with acknowledging your feelings and talking about them. Prevention starts with listening, sometimes to the things that aren't blatantly said. Educate yourself and those around you about mental health and the symptoms of suicidal ideation.
September is Suicide Awareness Month and it's time that everyone begins to spread awareness.
