“Suicide costs the
US $69 billion dollars per year and is known to be the “tenth leading cause of
death in the US” (“Suicide Statistics”). You might start experiencing other
people belittling you; people constantly picking on you until they feel they
are the one with all the power, until you feel that you are an ounce of
nothing. (“Bullying and Suicide”). They may even start to degrade you all over
social media to get others attention and mainly to make you feel like you are
worthless (“Depression” 1). This may lead to thoughts you never thought you
would ever have such as: thinking you are the one in the wrong, thinking you
are ugly, thinking you are worthless, thinking you would be better off just
ending it. You may start to feel hopeless, experience excessive sadness,
discontent, agitation, excessive crying, social isolation, self-esteem issues,
etc. (1). All of these play a role and can lead up to suicide. Bullying and
depression needs to be the top priority of constantly being monitored. Suicide
is a serious epidemic in today’s society that we are still suffering from and
statistics are continuing to rise.
History
Suicide has been
around for years and years. In Europe, suicide was for a good cause, it was not
seen as a wrong act (“A Brief History of Suicide”). The article even states, “There
are eight suicides mentioned in the Old Testament, two in the Apocrypha, and
one in the New Testament. But, none of the passages in the Bible, describing
these suicides, makes any adverse comments on the morality of these acts” (1). Now
a-days it is shunned upon, people usually commit suicide because they are
experiencing bullying, depression, medication side-effects, numerous
concussions, etc. It is a very serious epidemic that our world is facing to
this day.
Examples
Do you remember the name
Aaron Hernandez? If that did not ring a bell, he played for the NFL Patriots
and was charged for killing someone. After being charged and sitting in jail,
he committed suicide. After researching about his suicide, it shows “he hanged
himself and had Bible verse written on his head in red marker and had 3 handwritten
letters: one for his fiancé one for his daughter and a guy that has been claimed
as his secret boyfriend” (Hanna et al). It does not say why he did it, but his
family believes maybe his previous concussions in the past lead up to his
suicide (1).
To name a few personal
examples, my grandfather committed suicide in front of my grandmother because
he suffered from severe depression. My cousin hanged himself because he was
going through a divorce. My good friend, Brandy, from Texas City, shot herself
on Thanksgiving in front of her family because she suffered from depression,
cyberbullying, and bullying in general by her ex-boyfriend; who also posted
revenge nudes. My sixteen-year-old brother has attempted suicide twice because
of medication side effects and depression. The few personal examples listed all
but one are males. “Men die by suicide 3.53x more often than women” (“Suicide
Statistics”). Many of my close friends and family have suffered from
this epidemic.
Suicide is a very serious
thing that people suffer from. Statistics show people have either thought about
it, attempted suicide, or committed suicide. This epidemic is a thing that
happens all over the world. In some areas around the world, the statistics are low
and in other parts of the world they are high. The highest rates in 2016, in
the United States, show that “adult between age 45-54 years old” commit suicide
(“Suicide Statistics”). Yet, we still are facing this nationwide and statistics
are continuing to rise.
There are tremendous amounts of teens and younger children
committing suicide due to bullies and other reasons. “Teenage suicide is a serious and growing problem. The
teenage years can be emotionally turbulent and stressful. Teenagers face
pressures to succeed and fit in. They may struggle with self-esteem issues,
self-doubt, and feelings of alienation. For some, this leads to suicide. “Suicide
is the SECOND leading cause of death for ages 10-24”
(“Youth Suicide Statistics”). Depression is
also a major risk factor for teen suicide” (“Suicide Prevention”). These children are being bullied because they
are different; furthermore, how they identify themselves such as gay, lesbian,
straight, bisexual, transgender, white, Hispanic, African American, etc.:
Other
risk factors for teenage suicide include:
·
Childhood abuse
·
Recent traumatic event
·
Lack of a support network
·
Availability of a gun
·
Hostile social or school environment
·
Exposure to other teen suicides (“Suicide Prevention” 1)
For
the victims who get bullied, it usually is for a stupid reason, that some kid
has come up with on how it is necessary to belittle someone. People tend to get
bullied a lot, especially children, because there is social media. If a child
is experiencing bullying, there is a higher chance of it happening outside of
school as well. For example, “90% of
teens who report being cyberbullied have also been bullied offline” (“Bullying
Statistics”). Bullying can lead to suicide, just like it did my friend, Brandy.
Now people have other options besides instant messenger, there is Instagram.
Twitter, Facebook, dating websites, etc. to go to when bullying people; it is
not the same as it used to be. People have a huge impact on others due to how
they treat someone. “Treat people the way you should be treated,” is a saying
we all got taught in school, but it seems that schools do not enforce it like
they used to. Saying the wrong thing to someone can be really detrimental to
their life. This means if someone says the wrong thing to someone it could set
them off because they might be going through something rough and what is being
said to them may end up acting on it. Today women think about suicide more
often than men, but men act on it more (“Suicide Statistics”). Due to bullying
it has a high chance for an individual to start experiencing depression in
which could lead to a higher chance of committing suicide (“Bullying
Statistics”).
Today’s society is very cruel to people on social media, it
is all about who has the last word behind the keyboard, who’s picture they can
expose all over the internet, who can bash someone and get their friends to
gang up on the post, who can win the argument, etc. People are suffering from
this every single day. Recently at Dawson High school, “A teacher happened to be using the stairs near the
third floor when she noticed the student hanging from a rope in the
stairwell” (Reiner). A young child committing suicide because other children
are cruel. Suicide is an epidemic! Each year goes by and the rates
continue to rise. Bullying, social media posts, depression, medication
side-effects, etc. need to be excessively and intensively monitored.
Solutions
“A suicidal person may not ask for help, but
that doesn’t mean the help isn’t wanted” (“Suicide Prevention” 1). To prevent suicide there are some signs
you should be aware of such as: talk of being
a burden to others, feeling trapped or killing themselves, increased use of alcohol or drugs, online searches for ways to commit suicide, reckless actions,
withdrawing from activities, giving
away prized possession, displaying moods of depression, rage, irritability,
humiliation or anxiety” (Reiner 1). When you notice these signs in an
individual, you should bring it to someone’s attention such as counselor,
principal, their parents, teacher, other adults, etc. People who are in need of help “call 800-273-8255
or text TALK to 741741.” (Reiner 1). These signs
prevent a family from becoming heartbroken, and most importantly saving a
person’s life.:
Tip
#1 to Suicide Prevention: When talking to a suicidal person
DO:
Be yourself. Let the person know you care, that he/she is not
alone. The right words are often unimportant. If you are concerned, your voice
and manner will show it.
Listen. Let the suicidal person unload despair, vent anger.
No matter how negative the conversation seems, the fact that it exists is a
positive sign.
Be
sympathetic, non-judgmental,
patient, calm, accepting. Your friend or family member is doing the right thing
by talking about his/her feelings.
Offer hope. Reassure the person that help is available and that
the suicidal feelings are temporary. Let the person know that his or her life
is important to you.
Take the
person seriously. If the person
says things like, “I’m so depressed, I can’t go on,” ask the question: “Are you
having thoughts of suicide?” You are not putting ideas in their head, you are
showing that you are concerned, that you take them seriously, and that it’s OK
for them to share their pain with you.
But
don’t:
Argue with
the suicidal person. Avoid saying
things like: "You have so much to live for," "Your suicide will
hurt your family," or “Look on the bright side.”
Act
shocked, lecture on the value of
life, or say that suicide is wrong.
Promise
confidentiality. Refuse to be sworn
to secrecy. A life is at stake and you may need to speak to a mental health
professional in order to keep the suicidal person safe. If you promise to keep
your discussions secret, you may have to break your word.
Offer ways
to fix their problems, or give
advice, or make them feel like they have to justify their suicidal feelings. It
is not about how bad the problem is, but how badly it’s hurting your friend or
loved one.
Blame
yourself. You can’t “fix” someone’s
depression. Your loved one’s happiness, or lack thereof, is not your
responsibility.
Tip
#2 to Suicidal Prevention: Know warning signs
Warning
Signs in teens
1. Change in
eating and sleeping habits
2. Withdrawal from
friends, family, and regular activities
3. Violent or
rebellious behavior, running away
4. Drug and
alcohol use
5. Unusual neglect
of personal appearance
6. Persistent
boredom, difficulty concentrating, or a decline in the quality of schoolwork
7. Frequent
complaints about physical symptoms, often related to emotions, such as
stomachaches, headaches, fatigue, etc.
8. Not tolerating
praise or rewards
Warning
Signs in Elders
1. Reading
material about death and suicide
2. Disruption of
sleep patterns
3. Increased
alcohol or prescription drug use
4. Failure to take
care of self or follow medical orders
5. Stockpiling
medications or sudden interest in firearms
6. Social
withdrawal, elaborate good-byes, rush to complete or revise a will (“Suicide
Prevention” 1).
Absurdity
Suicide is
absurd for many reasons. It is absurd because it covers every age group,
meaning, from child to adult. People of all ages are committing suicide,
“Insanity is contagious” (“Class Notes”). The definition of insane is to do the
same thing repeatedly expecting a different result. With this being said,
people who are suicidal usually try to seek other options before ending their
lives. Another reason, it is absurd because people are ending their lives,
which portrays that life is meaningless and not worth living. To back this up,
Albert Camus states, “I see many people die because they judge that life is not
worth living. I see others paradoxically getting killed for the ideas or
illusions that give them a reason for living (what is called a reason for
living is also an excellent reason for dying). I therefore conclude that the
meaning of life is the most urgent of question” (“The Myth”).
Conclusion
Suicide
is an epidemic that is nationwide. People should think before you speak or how
you treat someone before you do anything; it might just cause damage to
someone’s family. To prevent suicide be aware of all warning signs, seek help
if you think about it, seek out for help to speak with a therapist, tell people
if you are dealing with bullying, etc. There are so many things we can do to
make a difference and actually prevent this epidemic. You cannot save all of
them, but you might save a lot of people’s live and their family’s heartbreak. Today
we can make a difference if we just stay cautious and pay attention to our
fellow classmates, acquaintances, friends, family members, etc.
Suicide Works Cited
“A BRIEF HISTORY OF SUICIDE.” Society for Old Age Rational Suicide, www.soars.org.uk/index.php/about/2014-06-06-18-57-53
“Bullying and Suicide.” Bullying Statistics, 7
July 2015, www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide.html.
“Class Notes”
“Depression (Major
Depressive Disorder).” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 3 Feb. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/symptoms-causes/syc-20356007.
Hanna, Jason, and Eric Levenson. “Former NFL Star Aaron
Hernandez Hangs Himself in Prison, Officials Say.” CNN, Cable News
Network, 20 Apr. 2017, www.cnn.com/2017/04/19/us/aaron-hernandez-suicide/index.html.
Reiner, Jake. “Pearland Dawson High School Student Survives
Suicide Attempt, Police Say.”KPRC, 1 Dec. 2017, www.click2houston.com/news/glenda-dawson-high-school-student-survives-suicide-attempt-police-say.
“Suicide Prevention.” How to Help Someone Who Is Suicidal and Save
a Life, www.helpguide.org/articles/suicide-prevention/suicide-prevention.htm.
“Suicide
Statistics.” AFSP, afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide- statistics/.
“The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus.” Goodreads,
Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/book/show/28594403-the-myth-of-sisyphus.
“Youth
Suicide Statistics.” Parent Resource
Program, prp.jasonfoundation.com/facts/youth-suicide-statistics/.
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