Content Warning: Suicide
Suicide is not a selfish act. Suicide is not a cry for attention. Suicide is not something to be joked about.
Far too often, I hear and see people use the phrase “I’m going to kill myself,” (or KMS for short), when confronted with a minor inconvenience. Some people brush this off like it’s nothing, thinking that nobody is going to take them seriously because of their circumstances. What about suicide is funny? What part of wanting to end your live is comedic enough to be joked about? You may think your comment is harmless, but it never is.
Suicide is frightening. It’s uncomfortable. Being uncomfortable isn’t reason enough to ignore the topic of suicide and mental health — in fact, it’s why we need to talk about it. Like many things, we don’t discuss suicide until it affects us. But what do we do when it does?
I get that nobody wants to think about a loved one committing suicide, but it’s all too real. More than likely, you have come in contact with someone who has had or is having suicidal thoughts. Because depression isn’t visible, it’s hard to tell when someone is suffering if they don’t ask for help directly. The lack of mental health education and the negative stigma around depression may discourage people from getting the help they need.
What’s it going to take to get us to talk about suicide? A TV show? Another death in the community? One person dies by suicide every 13 minutes in the U.S., and there is one suicide for every 25 attempts. Only half of all Americans with major depression get treated. When do these statistics get to be too much?
While there needs to be a major reform on mental health education, we as individuals cannot change that. But as friends, siblings, parents and social media users, we can help change the stigma. Let people know they are loved. Be kind. Choose your words carefully.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, Her Campus at MSU encourages you to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.