Speaking Up About Suicide

John Egan
John Egan
Jul 30, 2017 · 5 min read

No one really wants to talk about suicide. It’s an uncomfortable subject, and it still carries a considerable stigma. In my social media circles, suicide unfortunately has been an uncomfortable and all-too-common topic in recent weeks.

First came the news that a former coworker in Austin had taken his life; those who knew and loved him were devastated. If that weren’t enough of a jolt, friends then started spreading the news on Facebook that a well-known Austin entrepreneur had taken her life. To say that people were heartbroken over her loss wouldn’t even begin to describe the wave of emotions that crashed over so many people in Austin.

These two souls are among the thousands of people who take their own lives every year in the U.S. And it’s something we don’t openly discuss in the way that we should.

Eye-Opening Data

In 2015, suicide claimed the lives of more than 44,000 people in the U.S., making it the country’s 10th leading cause of death, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Dig deeper into the data, and you’ll discover that suicide was the No. 3 cause of death among 10- to 14-year-olds in 2015, and the No. 2 cause of death among 15- to 34-year-olds.

A report released in late 2016 by the Austin Public Health Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance Unit shows just how frequent suicide is here in Travis County.

From 2010 through 2014, according to the report, suicide claimed the lives of 655 people in Travis County, making it the seventh leading cause of death among all age groups.

The severity of suicide is more stark in certain age groups, though. During the 2010–14 timeframe, suicide was the No. 3 cause of death among 5- to 14-year-olds in Travis County, and the No. 2 cause among 15- to 34-year-olds. These age-specific statistics mirror national figures.

In combing through the data, here’s the one statistic that startled me the most: In 2015, there were more than twice as many suicides (44,193) in the U.S. as there were homicides (17,793).

Shining a Light on Suicide

Certainly, homicides in general and gun violence in particular deserve the attention they get from public safety officials, journalists and others. But I’m afraid suicide still lacks the full attention that it demands.

When a celebrity dies as a result of suicide — such as Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington and Soundgarden lead singer Chris Cornell — the topic bubbles to the surface for a few days, but then it seems to slip into the background.

In the past few weeks, I’ve shed more than few tears about the two fellow Austinites we’ve been lost to suicide. I didn’t know either person particularly well, but their deaths struck a nerve with me. That’s in large part because I lost my father to suicide when I was 7 years old. To be perfectly blunt, he leapt to his death from the roof of an apartment building in his native New York City.

Dad suffered from paranoid schizophrenia, a mental disorder that causes someone to lose touch with reality. Among other things, Dad thought the FBI was out to get him.

You may have heard the phrase “paranoid schizophrenic” hurled toward then-White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus by the new White House communications director, Anthony “The Mooch” Scaramucci, as part of an insult-laden, profanity-laced tirade. It’s people like “The Mooch” — who’s not a mental health professional — who diminish the gravity of paranoid schizophrenia and other mental illnesses.

None of us should be throwing around such terminology to demean anyone. Mental illness needs to be treated seriously. People like “The Mooch” water down the significance of mental illness.

Building Awareness

In spite of — or perhaps because of — the Mooches of the world, we must maintain a thoughtful, well-informed dialogue about suicide. Chances are, someone you know has committed suicide or is contemplating suicide. We must talk about and learn about suicide so that we can help those who are at risk and those who are survivors.

“There is never a single cause for suicide,” the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention said in reaction to Bennington’s death. “Suicide is the result of many factors that come together such as an underlying mental health condition and access to lethal means. We must do more to prevent such tragic deaths through greater awareness of mental health issues, common risks and warning signs, and effective interventions and treatments.”

So, aside from raising awareness about suicide, how can you help? One way is to donate to a charity that works on mental illness and suicide prevention initiatives. Here’s a list of four of them, courtesy of Time magazine:

· American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

· Brain & Behavior Research Foundation

· Treatment Advocacy Center

· Trevor Project

If you’d rather contribute your time, there are any number of mental health-focused nonprofits that could use your assistance. Or perhaps the best thing you can do is to be there for a friend, relative or coworker who is struggling with mental illness. Listening and comforting and supporting don’t cost a dime — and could save a life.

John Egan

Written by

John Egan

John Egan, content marketing professional. Austinite, professional communicator, world traveler, lover of laughter, lover of words. Opinions are my own.

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