On May 30th, I posted a status on my thoughts regarding Roseanne Barr. You guys blew it up with your comments and support. Maggie, you suggested that I do a weekly commentary on events. So, here I am again. In the beginning, I had no idea what to discuss on a weekly basis, but I figured it would work itself out; and it has. I intended to write this a couple of days ago. But, I kept getting pulled away from it. Now I understand why.
This past Tuesday, famed designer Kate Spade committed suicide. Today, it was celebrity chef and host Anthony Bourdain. The ignorance on social media has been overwhelming.
No one just decides on a whim to commit suicide. NO ONE! Literally every one I know of that has killed themselves has done so because of a mental or physical illness. Congratulations if you don't understand that. That means you don't suffer from an illness that you can't escape from. Your joy isn't sucked out of your every waking moment by some demon that won't let go. Consider yourself lucky.
Suicide is not a selfish thing. I don't think you heard me. Let me say it again. SUICIDE IS NOT A SELFISH THING. Some of you still didn't hear that. I digress. Someone that commits suicide does it because they think LIVING is selfish. They truly believe that they are a burden to their family, friends, and society. Depression lies.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and each year nearly 45,000 people die from suicide. And that is up 25% from 20 years ago. But, that's just a lot of selfish people, right? For every "successful" suicide, there are 25 attempts. If you think that, you're an ignorant asshole. Men die by suicide 3.53x more often than women.
Let's look at other *statistics:
On average, there are 123 suicides per day.
White males accounted for 7 of 10 suicides in 2016.
Firearms account for 51% of all suicides in 2016.
The rate of suicide is highest in middle age — white men in particular.
Firearms were the most common method of death by suicide, accounting for a little more than half (51.01%) of all suicide deaths. The next most common methods were suffocation (including hangings) at 25.89% and poisoning at 14.90%.
There is no single cause for suicide. Suicide most often occurs when stress and health issues combine to create an experience of hopelessness and despair. Depression is the most common condition associated with suicide, and it is often undiagnosed or untreated. Conditions like depression, anxiety and substance problems, especially when untreated, increase risk for suicide. Yet it’s important to note that most people who actively manage their mental health conditions can go on to live a full life.
Often, an individual that has decided to commit suicide just cannot see past their own mental or physical pain. They only know that they are in despair RIGHT NOW. They can't even comprehend that tomorrow night be better. So, they do what is unthinkable to many of us.
I think in recent years, celebrity suicide has taught us that it's not a "poor person's" mentality. Suicide and mental illness affects everyone. It doesn't matter what your bank account says...what your gender, sexual orientation or race is. It just doesn't. It doesn't mean that you're weak. It's not a personal failure to suffer from mental illness and need help. We need to stop the stigma.
Mental illness and it's many forms(PTSD, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, ADHD, schizophrenia, OCD, autism, and MANY OTHERS) can affect anyone at any time! If you're shocked that celebrities like Chester Bennington, Kate Spade, and Anthony Bourdain can be mentally ill and commit suicide because they "are rich and have everything", you do not understand the depths of mental illness. I urge you to research it. Look for signs in your loved ones. Reach out to them and don't give up.
*Risk factors are characteristics that make it more likely that someone will consider, attempt, or die by suicide. They can't cause or predict a suicide attempt, but they're important to be aware of.
Mental disorders, particularly mood disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and certain personality disorders
Alcohol and other substance use disorders
Hopelessness
Impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies
History of trauma or abuse
Major physical illnesses
Previous suicide attempt(s)
Family history of suicide
Job or financial loss
Loss of relationship(s)
Easy access to lethal means
Local clusters of suicide
Lack of social support and sense of isolation
Stigma associated with asking for help
Lack of healthcare, especially mental health and substance abuse treatment
Cultural and religious beliefs, such as the belief that suicide is a noble resolution of a personal dilemma
Exposure to others who have died by suicide (in real life or via the media and Internet)
*Some warning signs may help you determine if a loved one is at risk for suicide, especially if the behavior is new, has increased, or seems related to a painful event, loss, or change. If you or someone you know exhibits any of these, seek help by calling the Lifeline.
Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves
Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun
Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
Talking about being a burden to others
Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly
Sleeping too little or too much
Withdrawing or isolating themselves
Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
Extreme mood swings
Finally, if YOU need help in ANY way, call the national suicide prevention hotline at 1(800)273-8255. Or you can text TALK to 741741. If you don't want to do that, please contact me. If you don't have my phone number, send me a private message and I will give it to you. You don't have to go through anything alone. And you don't have to be ashamed to talk to someone and seek help.
#KateSpade #AnthonyBourdain
#depressionlies #NeverAlone
#notweak
#mentalillness #stopthestigma
#suicide #anxiety
*information gathered from https://afsp.org/about-suicide/
