As the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S, Suicide has claimed over 44,193 lives each year. About a month ago now Linkin Park's lead singer Chester Bennington became apart of that statistic. As a fan, it just doesn't get any easy remember that someone you've admired for so long is gone. Suicide is never an easy thing to talk about, but in order to help each other we need to know more about it, so here 3 important things you should know about suicide:
1. Suicide can be contagious
It's been proven that suicide sometimes runs in the family through genes and mental illness. But it's also socially contagious. When a suicide occurs, it can spread through a school, community, or the public as a “suicide wave.” When the media report the details of a suicide to the public, copycat suicides tend to follow. Suicidal grief is complicated; there are lots of strong emotion (i.e., guilt, anger, heartbreak, confusion, etc.) that are left unspoken about making the survivor of a suicidal loss are at risk for suicide.
2. No One is to Blame
Most of the time when an individual commits suicide there are no notes left behind to explain "Why?". Therefore loved ones are at a loss when it comes to directing their pain, anger and blame. The reasons for any individual taking their life is complex, and it would be a mistake to assume anyone is to blame including the person who took their life.
3. Talking Helps (A lot)
Talking openly with a loved one about suicide and mental health decreases the risk — not the opposite. A common misconception about suicide is that if you bring it up, you'll plant the seed into that person's mind, making them more likely to commit suicide. That is not true at all! Tackling this subject head on with a caring, supportive and none-judgmental approach could be what you need to help save that loved one's life. You can make a difference.
If you or a loved one is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.