I grew up in a small town and went to a small high school. As is typical of small towns, names could get you further than merit, bullying was okay if it was done by certain people, and people acted shocked when a child had enough of it and took their own life.

But perhaps the most disturbing thing I found to be true of my community was the fact that no one wanted to talk about why children were killing themselves; they just wanted to mourn them and move on with their lives. No one wanted to think about why. No one wanted to try to fix it. No one wanted to fight the stigma.

When I went to college, I was shocked to find that other children had the same experience. Suicide and depression is something that is rarely discussed, and when it is, it is done through programs that students don't take seriously because they are censored, and they don't discuss the realness of the issue.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-24. Also according to the same report, 1 in 12 teens attempt suicide.

Considering the prevalence of the issue, it stands to reason that there should be a more open communication line about suicide and its causes. Bullying is the leading cause of suicidal thoughts in teenagers in America. So why isn't this addressed?

Most presentations that attempt to discuss bullying in high schools fail to depict what bullying actually looks like. Most of them use terrible acting and scenarios that are rated G, when real bullying is much more vulgar, harmful, and raw.

In order to really address the happenings in hallways of high schools across America, we must be more truthful, both to ourselves and those we are trying to educate. Though it may be uncomfortable, we must show what bullying is really like and what can be done to stop it. Furthermore, schools must be given more leeway to deal with bullies. Most schools have their hands tied, and they have very little they can actually do to punish the child.

Suicide rates are at an all time high in the United States. So many children take their own lives on a daily basis, but we refuse to normalize talking about depression, bullying, and suicidal thoughts. Too many schools and counselors do so little, fail to engage children in discussions about these issues, and then aren't forced to face the facts when they lose a child to this terrible disease.

We must open discussion about these raw topics. We must stop the rhetoric that suggests our programs are working.

We have to stop the stigma that surrounds facing these issues.

Facing the facts is the first step to healing our nation's mentally and emotionally wounded.

We must take it.

If you or someone you love is considering suicide, please don't hesitate to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.