Act Now!

Act Now!

The past several days, the media has been making the American public aware of the epidemic of suicides that are taking place. We are aware of suicide when someone “famous” takes their life. An actress, a famous chef and author, decide life is too much of a burden to continue. Looking in from the outside it is easy to think they had it all. How was life so difficult that they decided to end their life?

The truth is that it is not just famous people who take their life. In fact, one news source reported that there are more deaths by suicide than there are people killed in automobile accidents in a year. It has also been noted that many of these individuals never had received a diagnosis of any type of mental illness.

It seems to me that the main causes of suicide are hopelessness, failed expectations, loneliness, and actions which the individual may deem as unforgivable. Some of the results of a completed suicide are: loss of opportunity; immense grief; and guilt on the part of family and friends. A completed suicide means that all the goodness, creativity, knowledge of the person is cut short.

Thinking about taking one’s life is not as uncommon as one might think. Maybe you have been in that situation yourself where you thought, “life is too painful to go on.” Or maybe you have the idea that “no one cares.” As a therapist I have heard a client say, “they would be better off without me.” But would they really be better off without the person or would the rest of their life be consumed by sadness and perhaps guilt?

Maybe this increase in the publicity surrounding suicide is a good thing to help us begin to talk about it more. Have you ever, or are you now, contemplating taking your life. Please don’t. There is help. Talk to your family, your spiritual guides, your friends. Call a therapist and talk with them. Don’t put it off. Reach out to someone TODAY. Call National Suicide

Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255); or the Crisis Text Line: 741741; Counseling and Crisis Hotline (Adult): 972-233-2233; (Teen): 972-233-8336.

ACT NOW!
YOUR LIFE MATTERS!

Ken Bateman, Ed.D., LMFTS