By Acacia Bernier, Staff Writer
September is Suicide Prevention Month, and many organizations work hard during this time to help people understand suicide better.
More than 720,000 people kill themselves every year. That is equivalent to one death every minute, and it is estimated that 20 times more people attempt suicide. It is the third leading cause of death among people ages 15-29 globally. While this may be a morbid introduction of solemn statistics, they are not just numbers but instead are peoples’ lives. Truthfully, it is a difficult topic to discuss. It is one that makes the palms start to sweat and causes the mind to race with thoughts on what is appropriate to say. However, suicide’s prevalence in society has has been made apparent in recent years. That is what September, or National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, is for: to bring light to a heavy topic and to fight against the biases that have grown around it.
There is a prevailing stigma around suicide, often rooted in the belief that it is unjustified or a sign of weakness. It is during this month that organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, come together in hopes of society on the harmful views of what suicide is the result of and who it impacts.
On the 10th of September, the Wellness Center set up a booth during both lunches for Suicide Prevention Day.
What do these harmful views of suicide look like?
From misused phrasing or words that degrade suicide, to stereotypes about motives that oversimplify complex situations, the stigma against suicide is far too normalized. However, organizations such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, have worked together in hopes of showing society the effect of these harmful views and who it impacts. They aim to shut down ideas or sayings such as the phrase that one “committed” suicide. The word carries a distasteful undertone that can be traced back to when suicide was a crime, and it creates a feeling that taking one’s life is criminal act or is morally wrong instead of a tragic outcome of mental illness. Furthermore, the outlook that suicide is a selfish act is one of the most hurtful and damaging myths about it and is unfortunately one of the most common beliefs that people hold. The act of killing oneself is not simply a person deciding that they do not care to live anymore but instead it is the effects of immense emotional suffering, mental conflict, and a distorted outlook on reality. Thus many end their lives not for themselves, but to hopefully relieve others of a burden they may believe they are. Despite these harsh views mental illness has become increasingly addressed, even in education. One can see the new age of a focus on mental health exhibited. Here at Poly the best example is the Wellness Center.
What is the Poly Wellness Center?
Established in the Spring of 2022-2023 school year, the Wellness Center in the library offers a comforting, peaceful environment that provides “support for everybody [that] everyone should take a chance to see”, as Mrs. Castillo, the overseer of the Wellness Center, states in an interview. Whether it be meeting with a licensed therapist, like Mrs. Castillo, or simply coloring in a notebook to take the edge off of a rough school day, the center is for the well-being of all students and their mental health.
This year, the Poly Wellness Center, the National Association of Mental Health (NAMI) Club, and Wellness Peer Educators have made it apart of their endeavor to enlighten, support and provide meaningful resources to all of Poly’s students. Their efforts have included making posters that emphasize the 988 hotline, and spreading loving messages such that everyone has a place in the world. But it does not stop there! Today – on September 10th, which is Global Suicide Prevention Day, communities around the world will unite to express hope for a future where fewer people die by suicide. The Poly community will contribute by passing out pins in the morning to bring awareness to the school. For the betterment of society and all those affected by suicide, end the suicide stigma and show up at Poly on September 10th to be apart of something bigger.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 immediately.