My mother had a serious suicide attempt on October 17, 2007. Almost 10 years later, I still remember that day, how I found out, my thoughts, and the utter, almost destabilizing, fear of losing my mom. It was probably the worst, most difficult, scariest day of my life.
Suicide is no laughing matter. EVER. Even if the person did horrible things, suicide is a tragedy 100% of the time. It's the 10th leading cause of death in our country and the 3rd leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. It's a "serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on individuals, families, and communities."
As the daughter of someone who experienced a crisis, as a woman who has been in crisis, I cannot fathom how today has been a field day for the internet. Have some fucking compassion. No matter who people become or what decisions they make, they may have someone grieving their loss.
"Get immediate help.
If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, get help right away by taking one of these actions:
• Call your mental health specialist.
• Call a suicide hotline number — in the United States, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255) to reach a trained counselor. Use that same number and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line.
• Call 911 or your local emergency number.
• Seek help from your doctor or other health care provider.
• Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
• Contact a minister, spiritual leader or someone else in your faith community."
"National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. 1-800-273-8255"
