I come from a community that recently has experienced the shock of losing someone much too young to suicide.
Suicide has a way of shattering ignorance. We love to pretend we can’t be touched by such tragedies and that such profound things only happen outside of our community. Since I was in middle school, I have watched depression, bullying, self-harm and suicide become a pandemic. These things have permeated our homes, schools and all the places where people are supposed to feel safe. Now technology has allowed bullying to go on undetected.
What is being done to stem this problem? Why are kids not being taught about mental health sooner? Is our only approach to set up counseling centers after someone has decided to take his or her own life? I believe the only solution is education, not just in school but in our homes, too. Kids, teens and even adults need to be familiar with self-harm, bullying and mental health issues.
Even more importantly, we must understand the consequences of our ignorance. We must abandon the idea that “these things don’t happen here” or “my kid would never self-harm, they would talk to me.” We must take action and a stand against bullying. We must educate kids at a young age. We must prepare future generations for battles that may come from within. We have to terminate the idea that depression, self-harm or mental health issues are embarrassing.
The news is scattered with stories of teens taking their own lives. Gay teens, people suffering from depression and victims of bullying all too often resort to suicide. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates more than 100 deaths by suicide occur every day. The ugly truth is we live in a world where suicide is a more welcoming option than seeking help from friends, family or even professionals. We live in a society that does not raise people to be understanding of mental illness or to reject bullying. We live in a time when people are terrified to share things even with their parents.
A confusion lingers over the concepts of depression, self-harm and sexuality. A confusion that is a direct result of a lack of understanding and exposure to these things before they happen, not just asking “why” afterward. Suicide does not discriminate; it claims people of all ages. Suicide often claims the people as we see most happy. Bullying in schools, on social media and a complete lack of respect and understanding for the problems that can lead to suicide are what fuel this pandemic.
As people, parents and a society, we must take the initiative to work toward a future and a world that is more aware. We cannot ignore the fact that bullying has a prominent place in our society and suicide is a way of escaping the pain. We must educate ourselves, open our minds, our hearts and our ears, and take the first step to improving the lives of those afflicted by these problems. We must train teachers, principals and parents on suicide prevention. We should push for more anti-bullying. We should educate from a young age on mental health issues.
Lastly, we need to reflect on ourselves and the way we treat people. It starts with one person, and it only takes one to possibly save a life.
Mikaela Cassum is a sophomore at the University of Maine.