A permanent solution to a temporary problem.

My heart is broken.

This weekend I lost a friend to suicide. This is the second time in my short life that I have lost someone in this way, the other being my dear friend Timothy, who I have written about before.

The whole situation is not something to be touted about on the internet, so I’m not going to get into detail. But suicide is a very important issue to me and I thought I would write a blog about it to share some thoughts and information.

Suicide is very hard for some people to understand. Depression is a problem that many people do not have to deal with, and therefore they never experience the feelings that come before suicide. When faced with a potentially suicidal person, some may mistake suicidal behavior as a cry for attention, and brush it off as such.

Let me tell you this from experience and regret: Every threat or mention of suicide should be treated seriously. Get involved. Tell parents, teachers, anyone who might be able to help. If you have a friend who you think is suicidal, MAKE SURE THEY GET HELP by whatever means possible. It is not worth keeping your mouth shut and living a life of regret wondering what you could have done.

That said, getting someone help is easier said than done. Many people refuse help or get offended or angry when confronted about their mental health issues. Again.. take that chance. Even if your friend gets angry or resentful, trust me, they will thank you when they’re feeling better and have moved past their suicidal thoughts.

The most important thing you can tell someone who is considering suicide is that life can and will get better. Once you’ve hit rock bottom, the only way to go is up. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem that can be fixed with therapy and/or medication and the support of family and friends.

Life is so, so beautiful. It is full of incredible places, people, and opportunities that are just waiting to be discovered. Every day is another chance to make something amazing happen, to meet someone who will change your life, to go somewhere you’ve never been. Life should be treasured and lived to the fullest extent. No matter how sad or worthless you feel, you ARE loved, and the people in your life would be devastated if you were gone. I promise you.

Once again, if you know anyone who you suspect to be suicidal or if you yourself are having suicidal thoughts, PLEASE do something about it. A great place to look for help is http://www.befrienders.org/. There you can find information about depression and suicide, and the phone numbers for suicide helplines all around the world.

It’s too late for my friends who have already made this permanent choice, but I hope this might help someone else who is struggling. All my love.