Today is National Suicide Awareness Day! And in fact, we're raising awareness not just today, but all week! So I've got my 'Love' Sharpie tattoo on my wrist along with a yellow shirt (ok, so its gold, but close enough.) to rally awareness. I'm also posting about it like crazy on every social network I have. This is a cause I really want to support. Want to know why? I want to share some statistics I found on the Jason Foundation website.
Suicide is not a joke. You probably run into people all the time who have contemplated killing themselves and not even known it. This is a serious problem. You may think its not your problem but it is. The words we say can make a difference; they can either push someone off the ledge or be the hand that pulls them back up. Its your choice.
There are many different things that can cause someone to think about taking their own life but whatever reason that may be, its not a stupid reason. I know people can beat themselves up over that saying things like "My life is fine, I shouldn't feel this way." and those thoughts only make things worse. You feel the way you do, don't make it worse. And never tell someone that they're life is too perfect for them to feel suicidal. Because you can have a seemingly amazing life and still want to take it. Its time we took a stand against this issue. So many people are affected by it daily. We also want to draw awareness to the things that can cause suicide, such as bullying, depression, loneliness, etc. And even those issues branch out into even deeper problems. We need to keep our eyes open for warning signs and no something when we see them.
Life is so precious and we were each created with a purpose. You cannot be replaced. If you've ever attempted suicide, you're still alive and I am so proud of you. God has a purpose for your life. If you're a survivor, I encourage you to look at our forums and consider sharing your story to inspire someone else. Or send us an email, we love hearing your stories, they remind us of why we're continue this ministry. Those are just some ways that you can help spread awareness. Don't think that you can't make a difference; each person is born with the potential to save the world. But the people who believe in that potential are the ones that achieve it. Here's a song I want you to listen to that I hope really speaks to you and sets a desire in your heart to make a difference.
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 10-24
- More teens-young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined.
- In the US there are over 5,000 suicide attempts that happen daily.
- 4 out of 5 teens that are suicidal have given obvious warning signs that are ignored.
Suicide is not a joke. You probably run into people all the time who have contemplated killing themselves and not even known it. This is a serious problem. You may think its not your problem but it is. The words we say can make a difference; they can either push someone off the ledge or be the hand that pulls them back up. Its your choice.
There are many different things that can cause someone to think about taking their own life but whatever reason that may be, its not a stupid reason. I know people can beat themselves up over that saying things like "My life is fine, I shouldn't feel this way." and those thoughts only make things worse. You feel the way you do, don't make it worse. And never tell someone that they're life is too perfect for them to feel suicidal. Because you can have a seemingly amazing life and still want to take it. Its time we took a stand against this issue. So many people are affected by it daily. We also want to draw awareness to the things that can cause suicide, such as bullying, depression, loneliness, etc. And even those issues branch out into even deeper problems. We need to keep our eyes open for warning signs and no something when we see them.
Life is so precious and we were each created with a purpose. You cannot be replaced. If you've ever attempted suicide, you're still alive and I am so proud of you. God has a purpose for your life. If you're a survivor, I encourage you to look at our forums and consider sharing your story to inspire someone else. Or send us an email, we love hearing your stories, they remind us of why we're continue this ministry. Those are just some ways that you can help spread awareness. Don't think that you can't make a difference; each person is born with the potential to save the world. But the people who believe in that potential are the ones that achieve it. Here's a song I want you to listen to that I hope really speaks to you and sets a desire in your heart to make a difference.