POP. Slash. Gulp.
Do these sounds mean anything to
you? Probably not because they might be common sounds that you hear daily or
maybe jump at watching a movie. But, to some it is a sound that means serenity,
relief, and on some occasions, Goodbye.
Suicide has many meanings such as
being dramatic, ’easy way out’, psychopathic, and good riddance that are
promoted through the media and bullying. But that is simply not true.
Suicide is simply taking one’s
life. The meaning is simply we were too late to save them.
The reasons for doing so however
can range from mental illness, overwhelming traumas back to back, and a result
of bullying.
Those who are plagued by the
thoughts of suicide are victims because the traumas and the stress of life is
too much for them to handle and, in the moment, they feel completely alone and
want to end their suffering.
According to MacroTrends.net in
2016, “the suicide rate for the United States was 15.30%, a 2% increase from
2015” (MacroTrends, 1) and they were the 16th highest country for
suicide rates. After looking at the statistics further, it showed that from
2000-2016 males were the most likely to commit.
To me these statistics were
shocking and it is ever more shocking where the US stands. According to the
American Psychological Association, “Suicide
was the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States in 2016”
(APA, 2) and from these numbers I believe it’s growing.
But,
enough of statistics it’s time to truly understand why individuals would resort
to ending their lives. Investigate and explore inside the minds of the victims
and walk in their shoes.
Some
reasons why individuals turn down this treacherous path, as mentioned earlier,
are mental illness, intense life traumas back-to-back, and bullying.
Some
mental illnesses commonly associated with suicide are depression and bi-polar
disorder. Those who have depression have low levels of dopamine and serotonin,
which are brain chemicals that help balance a person’s mood. Those who have
bi-polar experience what I call the ‘light switch effect’, which means they
bounce between severe depression and abnormal increased happiness. Both of
these disorders can lead to suicidal thoughts if the depression becomes
unmanageable. Both are manageable with prescriptions and therapy.
Intense
life traumas along with PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) are another
reason. This is a common factor for veterans, especially because they
experience the horrors of war and they see intense violence. It is hard for
traumas such as war, death, and destruction to escape our minds. Even the
tiniest daily activity can trigger an episode and cause a person to recall
those events. Most with PTSD are never again the person they were prior.
And,
finally bullying. Bullying is a trauma I know all too well and it is an
injustice that infects our youth like a putrid fever. Bullying is simply and
quite frankly an act of emotional, psychological, and physical abuse. A simple
name calling or a rumor being spread can affect a person. If the person being
bullied becomes overwhelmed or they feel trapped from all sides then it can
lead them to taking drastic measures to end it.
Suicide
is what most believe is their last resort to stop the overwhelming stress and
pressures of life. But we can change that by showing our support and being
there to lean on. The thing that victims/or those struggling need to know is
that there is someone there to listen, someone who cares, someone who believes
them, and someone who is willing to help them overcome everything. All they
simply need is a hand. The Slashing
Truth is we are just as guilty
if we do nothing when something could have been acted upon to prevent it.
Works Cited
