Suicide. Unfortunately, it's way too common in our world today. SAVE, the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education organization, says that suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States with one death by suicide occuring about every 12 seconds. It’s an issue and it’s time to take action in prevention. Thankfully, the stigma of mental health seems to finally be shifting. It’s becoming a topic of discussion verses something we push aside. Solutions that can only be found when we acknowledge the truth, which is extremely difficult.

The effects of suicide might not be something that you’ve experienced personally, and hopefully it never is. But it could be affecting someone you know right now, or perhaps someone you know a few years down the line. It’s time to talk about not just suicide itself, but the effects it has on loved ones and friends years later. For me, it was at a very young age.

I was riding in the car with my older brother and my Mom one spring afternoon. I was 12. I was happy go lucky, loving life, and I wasn’t really afraid of anything. My life to that point was pretty normal. But while we were riding in the car that day, my mom’s phone rang. In just one moment, my view of the world shifted; suicide suddenly did affect my life.

My favorite, fun-loving, goofy, and well-liked science teacher committed suicide.

I remember feeling numb. I didn’t really know how to process what was going on. Going to school the weeks, and years after, was a struggle. Walking by his classroom feeling frightened and confused was a daily occurrence. My fellow classmates and I attended his funeral; we dedicated our baseball field in his name. We honored him in big ways. But even after that, we all went to school together for another 6 years, and it wasn’t really mentioned. We knew he was gone, and we were all deeply saddened by that. But we were silent. As a student body, we didn’t know how to talk about it to each other. At least from my memory, we didn’t.

As a now 22-year-old, I have found that through the sadness this brought me, it changed me. Suicide changed my view of the world from a safe fulfilling place, to a place of fear and many unknowns. I remember being afraid for quite a long time after that it would happen again. Except it wasn’t until I was a young adult that I realized just how much I was affected by it. (And to my fellow timberwolves from WMS- I want to tell you that it is ok if it affected you personally. You aren't the only one.) This is a type of trauma that no one should ever have to go through, especially young children.

As I went onto high school, a few of my friends delt with depression. I honestly don’t think there is anything worse than seeing someone you care about feel so sad, or unworthy, or unimportant. It's heart-wrenching. It's not always easy to stay strong in support of a friend, but it's necessary. I was there to listen. I knew how to handle the situation because I was informed. I knew what to do, and most importantly what not to do.

Life is so precious and I have learned not to take it for granted. I have discovered that listening is a crucial part of growing up, forming relationships, and ultimately helping others. But most of all, I have learned the importance of being informed.

I encourage you to be informed about the truth of suicide and depression. Learn the signs of suicide; don't take them lightly. Don’t be scared to ask questions or discuss your feelings. Take the things from your past that impact you and use them as tools to help you in the future. Don't hide them or pretend they didn't happen.

If suicide has affected you personally, it's ok to talk about it. It is ok to be upset about it, whether it was last month or 10 years ago. Communication is a form of healing. We should talk about our feelings, even when they stem from things from the past. Be present in this precious life we are given and stay informed because you might be able to save a life.

If you or a friend find yourself in an emergency situation, contact the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255, or dial 9-1-1.

For more information and the signs of suicide, visit http://afsp.org/about-suicide/risk-factors-and-war...