There is a silent epidemic sweeping across the globe. Suicide is a serious and increasing problem worldwide. In the United States alone 40,000 people took their own lives last year, and each day in our nation there are an average of over 5,400 attempts by young adults grades 7-12.
Just last week a young student took his own life.
“Jordan Walker was my brother. His death has been really hard on the whole family,” sophomore Ceylan Land said.
Suicide has been understood in many different ways throughout human history. The Christian church officially disapproved of suicide in the 4th century and legislated against it two centuries later. It was made illegal in England in 673 AD. By 1844, psychiatry saw it as an illness of the brain. Today it is common to hear that about 90% of those who have died by suicide have a mental illness at the time of their death, most commonly depression.
“Many people don’t want to talk about suicide. They find it uncomfortable and kind of brush it under the carpet, so to speak, but it’s important to know the signs of suicide,” said Scott Engberg, head of the Hastings High School Crisis Team.
Four out of five completed suicides give clear warning signs of their intentions. If we can learn the signs and know how to respond, we have an opportunity to help those who are contemplating suicide.
“I had a friend who died by suicide and the one thing I wished I had been brave enough to just ask him if he was thinking about suicide,” Sunny D sponsor and Red Cross Representative Chris Junker said.
The following are some signs that you may encounter. These are, by no means, all of the signs. If you have a concern about a young person’s actions or behaviors, be proactive – have a conversation with the person and seek professional help, if necessary.
- Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves.
- Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as searching online or buying a gun
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live.
- Talking about being a burden.
- Increase use of alcohol or drugs.
- Acting anxious or agitated; behaving recklessly.
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves.
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge.
- Extreme mood swings.
Help is always available. There isn’t a teacher or staff member who would not be willing to listen or offer help. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1 (800) 273-8255. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are also several websites that you can visit such as National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at www.afsp.org. 
