Our world revolves around the supremacy of productivity. The more productive you are, the more you have value. There’s evidence of this in even the smallest aspects of life:
“Did you work out today?”
“For how long?”
“I got up at 5 a.m. today!”
“Oh, by that time I’d already made breakfast and gotten my morning meditation in.”
We might not see it firsthand, but the simplest conversations with our friends and colleagues can have detrimental effects on our mental health. Staying busy, never getting the opportunity to sit still, is considered “healthy.” But what if we told you that this “healthy” lifestyle may lead to nearly 1 million people taking their life every year?
While many factors can influence a person’s decision to commit suicide, the most common one is severe depression, according to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. Depression can be genetic, but society’s push for accomplishment can also cause people to spiral, to think that they will never be good enough. Fortunately, organizations around the world have begun to recognize the severe need for mental health awareness.
On September 10, 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention initiated the first World Suicide Prevention Day. The day was organized to research and collect valuable data on suicidal behavior, seek out the various causes and why signs go unnoticed and create practices for the prevention of suicide. This year’s theme is “Creating Hope Through Action.” We believe this idea is critical. Words and prayers can only do so much for preventing suicide. Those with suicidal thoughts or ideations need to feel comfortable enough to speak up about their feelings, which is why active counseling and support needs to be easily accessible.
On July 16, 2022, the United States designated “988” to be the new three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Line. This small but mindful change—from a longer phone number—mirrors the easily accessible support needed for people who may find a complex set of digits just too burdensome to call.
Many preach to those who are contemplating suicide how harmful their decision would be to family and friends. But pushing such reasons isn’t always effective. At our core, human beings are constantly striving for a sense of purpose and worth. Without them, we can feel as though there’s no point in living. So, when talking with someone and trying to understand their suicidal thoughts, we believe the most important thing to remind them of is their purpose in life, or even more simply, all the opportunities that they will miss—the puppies they may never get to pet again or the flowers they’ll never get to smell. The International Association for Suicide Prevention seeks to drive home this approach by preaching the idea to the hotline, counselors, and other areas of support around the world.
Let’s make this the year we share the message of hope.
Our world revolves around the supremacy of productivity. The more productive you are, the more you have value. There’s evidence of this in even the smallest aspects of life:
“Did you work out today?”
“For how long?”
“I got up at 5 a.m. today!”
“Oh, by that time I’d already made breakfast and gotten my morning meditation in.”
We might not see it firsthand, but the simplest conversations with our friends and colleagues can have detrimental effects on our mental health. Staying busy, never getting the opportunity to sit still, is considered “healthy.” But what if we told you that this “healthy” lifestyle may lead to nearly 1 million people taking their life every year?
While many factors can influence a person’s decision to commit suicide, the most common one is severe depression, according to the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. Depression can be genetic, but society’s push for accomplishment can also cause people to spiral, to think that they will never be good enough. Fortunately, organizations around the world have begun to recognize the severe need for mental health awareness.
On September 10, 2003, the International Association for Suicide Prevention initiated the first World Suicide Prevention Day. The day was organized to research and collect valuable data on suicidal behavior, seek out the various causes and why signs go unnoticed and create practices for the prevention of suicide. This year’s theme is “Creating Hope Through Action.” We believe this idea is critical. Words and prayers can only do so much for preventing suicide. Those with suicidal thoughts or ideations need to feel comfortable enough to speak up about their feelings, which is why active counseling and support needs to be easily accessible.
On July 16, 2022, the United States designated “988” to be the new three-digit dialing code for the National Suicide Prevention Line. This small but mindful change—from a longer phone number—mirrors the easily accessible support needed for people who may find a complex set of digits just too burdensome to call.
Many preach to those who are contemplating suicide how harmful their decision would be to family and friends. But pushing such reasons isn’t always effective. At our core, human beings are constantly striving for a sense of purpose and worth. Without them, we can feel as though there’s no point in living. So, when talking with someone and trying to understand their suicidal thoughts, we believe the most important thing to remind them of is their purpose in life, or even more simply, all the opportunities that they will miss—the puppies they may never get to pet again or the flowers they’ll never get to smell. The International Association for Suicide Prevention seeks to drive home this approach by preaching the idea to the hotline, counselors, and other areas of support around the world.
Let’s make this the year we share the message of hope.
