Suicide Prevention: Learning to visualize my future instead of remembering my past

Let me start by saying suicide is a serious problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities.

There are many factors that contribute to suicide. The goal of suicide prevention is to reduce factors that increase risk and increase factors that promote resilience.

Suicide is still a topic that is not talked about near enough and needs to be, especially among our youth. Over 700,000 people worldwide take their lives every year - that is one person every 40 seconds. 1 in 5 people have suicidal thoughts, 1 in 14 people self-harm, and 1 in 15 people attempt suicide. These are statistics from 2023. These numbers are 36% higher than they were in 2021.

Here are some important risk factors for suicide:

1. Previous suicide attempts

2. A history of suicide in the family

3. Substance abuse disorder

4. Mood disorders (bi-polar disorder and depression)

5. Access to lethal means, such as keeping firearms in the house or having access to unsecure prescription medications (Note that firearms are the most common method of suicide, used in about half of all suicides.)

6. Social isolation

7. Historical trauma

8. Stigma associated with seeking help

9. Exposure to the suicidal behaviors of others

10. Losses and other events, such as the break-up of a relationship, a death, academic failures, legal difficulties, and financial difficulties.

I had six of these factors, and I personally had three suicide attempts.

Suicide is preventable knowing the risk factors and recognizing the warning signs for suicide can help prevent suicide.

Here are some things that you can try at your first sign of depression or bad thoughts:

• Reach out: You can say something like, “When you get a chance, can you contact me?” I feel alone and suicidal, and I could use some support.

• Express your feelings by saying something like this, “This is really hard for me to say, but I am having painful thoughts, and it might help to talk. Are you free?”

• Contact a loved one stating, “I don’t want to die, but I don’t know how to live. Talking with you may help me feel safe. Are you available?”

I did not do any of these things because I felt scared and not supported even a little.

These are things that would have helped me if they had happened, plus what I got instead:

1. A non-judging listening ear who doesn’t try and pick my brain on why. Instead what I got was whispers and judgment and was made to feel shame.

2. Support at school with the staff on my first attempt at 16. Instead, what I got was anonymity broken with the parents of my peers and not being able to hang out with my friends because I was “troubled”.

3. Better understanding from my family and friends. What I got instead was parents saying to my younger siblings, “You better not end up like your sister,” or to me, “What the hell is wrong with you, you think you got it so bad?”