Suicide Awareness Issue “The person who completes suicide dies once. Those left behind die a thousand deaths, trying to relive those terrible moments and understand....why?” – Clark
S
tatistics state that 15% of the adult population will experience depression at one point or another in their life. That means there are currently over 300 million people in the world now living with depression. Sobering. Whatever the cause, for some of these people, the emotional pain will become too much, and they will consider suicide an option of escape. Around 800,000 people complete suicide every year, and for each of those, there are approximately 25 times more suicide attempts. The veteran community statistics are even higher.
could have prevented the actions of their loved ones who were in such devastating pain. The why haunts them as well.
Some consider suicide as a selfish act focused only on the escape of the victim from their demons. The reality is that most are in such a dark place that they don’t see that to complete suicide is to hand down an emotional death sentence on their loved ones. It is incredibly difficult to lose a loved one, but even more challenging to heal from the loss of a loved one to suicide. Survivors are left with feelings of shame and guilt as they ruminate on how they
I hope that this issue will encourage anyone who is considering suicide to reach out for help, think of the loved ones that would be left behind, and stand courageously determined to do as Winston Churchill said, “Never, ever, ever quit.” Stay alert, stay alive.
Although suicide may end an individual’s internal pain, the friends and family will continue to suffer due to their loss. On average, every suicide leaves an estimated six or more “suicide survivors.” Those who have experienced loss to a completed suicide are at an increased risk of thinking about, planning, or attempting suicide. The ripple effect of pain and suffering continues.
In the trenches,
Hannah Bouwmeester Publisher
GATHER Veterans – 7
