Suicide Prevention

I think it’s only suiting to speak about the unfortunate loss of someone from suicide. I think we should all take a moment to stop in our tracks and tell the people we love most how much we care about them. It’s been all over the news the last two days that lead singer of Lincoln Park, Chester Bennington, passed away from suicide. I want to speak about this heavy topic because it’s real and as much as we don’t want to face the facts it’s only getting worse. Suicide rates have rose since 1999 to 2010 to 30 percent, that is mind blowing. I work with mental illness everyday with my job and I just don’t think people want to accept the fact that it happens everyday.

I had to experience a scary situation a couple years ago when my mom quit taking her thyroid medication and it put her in psychotic episode and she attempted to commit suicide, my step dad just last year completed suicide with a drug overdose. Mental illness is all around us. These are mistakes I wish as a person I could have done to prevent such tragic losses, but if we as a society start gaining the knowledge of suicide prevention we can help those who may be suffering.

Hold your loved ones tight tonight, ask friends and family if they’re doing all right, stop hate/discrimination through bulling or cyber bullying, tell a stranger they look nice today, I don’t care what it is, let’s spread positivity!

If you are feeling suicidal reach out to a family member, friend, or please call the suicide hotline. 1-800-273-8255

My mom and I on my 21st birthday.