Within a week, three suicides took place. Two survivors of last year’s massacre at Marjory Douglas High School and the father of a child who was killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Unfortunately, during that week there were probably many more suicides that occurred but were not covered by the news.
Suicide is a tragic event that shatters countless lives and it needs our attention.At Bio-One we see it first hand on a much too regular basis. Unfortunately, it usually takes someone who has been in the public eye to bring attention to how often suicide is occurring. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) lists the following statistics on their website (https://afsp.org/about-suicide/suicide-statistics/):
•Suicide is the 10thleading cause of death in the United States
•In 2017 47,173 Americans died by suicide
•That averages to be 129 people a day committing suicide
These are shocking numbers and they should not be forgotten about until the next big news story. There are many ways to get involved in your community to bring suicide awareness. For ways you can help raise awareness, visit the AFSP website at www.afsp.org. Or if you or a loved one may be contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.
