The entire month of September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness month. September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. As stated on our website, suicide has become the 2nd leading cause of death among teens in the United States. One of the reasons we believe so many teens are taking their own lives is because the subject is not talked about very often. To some, the topic of suicide can feel like a “taboo” or when someone mentions the word suicide in general there can be a sense of shame. This should not be the case!
Just like mental health in general, suicide and depression are real life issues, and we should not shame other people for either asking for help, in terms of their own suicidal ideation, or speaking out about suicide awareness based on personal experiences, on the behalf of others. Of course society, as a whole will take a lot longer to change than will us as individuals, but something to keep in mind for yourself this month is not to think of suicide as a “bad” word. Try not to feel uncomfortable bringing up suicide and talking about the subject. If adults feel uncomfortable talking about it, teenagers are not going to want to speak up and tell an adult if they are having suicidal ideations.
Let’s keep our minds and hearts open to this topic, not just this month, but all the time. Tell your loved ones and your teenagers that you are there to listen to them and nothing they say or admit will make you love them any less.
If someone out there needs to talk about anything related to suicide, depression, or mental health, please feel free to contact us through our emails or phone number.
jwilkinson@jewelsangels.org pwilkinson@jewelsangels.org (951) 393-0375
~~Don’t forget to check out our CONTACT page~~
~~Also don’t forget our RESOURCES page!!!~~
YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!
The Jewels' Angels Foundation, Inc. 