Fighting to Prevent Youth Suicide
Start the Conversation
Before losing our son there was very little talk about youth suicide, but since then, we hear about it every week. The numbers continue to rise - in Tennessee teen suicide is 20% higher than the national average. Nationally, teen suicide increased 54.4% from 2015 to 2017. Suicide is now the number two cause of death for children ages 10 - 19 in the state of Tennessee (CDC, 2017). We have not seen much of a reaction except that we are hearing more about it. If we had a 54.4 % increase in black bears dying in the Smoky Mountains, there would have been a study done to find the cause. It is troubling to us that we have not done a study to find out what has changed for our youth that is causing an increasing suicide rate. Every youth suicide is more than a statistic - it is a beautiful young life lost, a family devastated, friends crushed.
#IWillBStrong
We need to send a message to our youth that suicide is never an answer to their problems. We need to continually encourage them while they are facing ever increasing pressures of educational expectations and social media. We need them to pledge to be strong. But what does it mean to "be strong"?
- Understanding you do not have to handle everything life throws your way on your own.
- Being willing and able to reach out when you need help.
- Identifying, in advance, a trusted adult, so that when you need to talk you already have someone in mind.
- Reaching out to check on others who are going through tough times.
- Being willing to have an awkward conversation with someone whose mental state concerns you.
- Reporting to a parent, counselor, or other responsible adult any time someone expresses to you that they may harm themselves.
Spread the Word
It is our hope that this website will promote conversations about mental health, reaching out for help, and reaching out to check on our friends. Many times someone who is considering suicide just needs someone to help, to notice, to reach out, even though they are not able to do it themselves. Please share the conversation with those around you!
"Never give up on someone with a MENTAL ILLNESS. When 'I' is replaced by 'we', ILLNESS becomes WELLNESS." —Shannon Adler
Thank you again for your interest and willingness to share with others so that we can reverse the trend in suicides.
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