Suicide….A word no one likes to hear much less talk about. Did you know an American dies by suicide every 12.95 minutes? Did you know that Americans attempt suicide an estimated 1 million times annually? Did you know that for every woman who dies by suicide, four men die? However, women are three to four times more likely to attempt suicide. Did you know that suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10-24 and 5th for ages 45-59? More than 1.5 MILLION lives are lost annually to suicide. These statistics are terrifying…What can we do?
Most people stereotype suicide as a “selfish act” however this is not the case. Suicide is a desperate act by someone who is in extreme pain and wants the pain to stop. Over 90% of people who die by suicide have mental illness at the time of their death, therefore their thoughts are not clear. Depression is a serious mental illness that can leave a person feeling sad and helpless. Depression is not the fault of the person who suffers. It is not a personal weakness or condition that just goes away. Its can last for weeks, months and even years and can often result in no longer being able to cope.
The Lord laid it on my heart to write this particular blog because I am participating in an upcoming walk for suicide prevention. Fortunately, this illness has not affected me or one of my loved ones directly, however it has affected some that I care deeply about. The team that I am walking with is one that is hosted by a very dear friend of mine. Brooke lost her uncle, brother and mother to suicide. When speaking with her she told me that the hardest part of dealing with her loss is the unknown. Her uncle was an epileptic patient who also suffered from depression he took his life when she was just a baby. Her brother was only 23 years old when he ended his life. With different circumstances happening in his life and battling depression (that no one was fully aware of) he felt there was no hope. Brook described him as a very funny person on the outside, however one who was suffering on the inside. Her mother was a little different story. She was a chronic pain patient that spent a large portion of her life suffering. After being diagnosed with anal cancer, she overdosed on the medication being prescribed to her. The sadness that one person has experienced from 3 lives taken way to soon is enough to want to add awareness.
My husband’s cousin lost her best friend earlier this year to suicide, our precious assistant that works in our office lost her daddy to suicide the night she was to graduate high school, another friend lost 2 family members who were sibling just months apart. To many lives are being lost from a disease that needs to be addressed not shunned away from when the word is mentioned. Mental illness is serious. Feeling self-worth is so important.
Most people who commit suicide do it because they feel hopeless. Let me stop here and say, my goal in adding awareness to this cause is….THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE! As a Christian, I would like to help give hope to the hopeless. There is another answer. God has a great plan for life. God created us in HIS image. HE created each of us for a purpose. The bible says in Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Gods plan is for life, not death. Jesus wants us to have life. Our lives belong to God. We as a church need to step up and help raise awareness. Mental illness HAS to be recognized sooner than later. No life should have to perish from feeling hopeless, unloved or unworthy. Christ promises HE will give us help from our problems. (Come to me, all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28) We need to STOP and LISTEN to those who are near and dear to us. If someone is struggling we need to pray for them, pray over them. No one should have to experience the loss my beautiful friends have suffered.
I will walk on November 1st in honor of those who have lost their life. I will be in prayer for all those who have experienced such great loss. I will be in prayer for those who are suffering. My prayer will be for HOPE….I don’t normally ask for donations in my blog post, however, if you would like to join me in supporting this cause in raising awareness so another life doesn’t have to be taken by suicide you can make a donation by clicking HERE.
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
When the world says “give up”, Hope whispers, “give it one more try!” ~Unknown
Grounded in Grace 