3000 People.

[ScreamingMeemie]

3000 people in our world community (not just our country, our borders) decide to take their lives each day, on average.

For every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. If you multiply that by 20, that is 60,000 people in our world, at risk of dying.


http://www.who.int/mediacentre/events/annual/world_suicide_prevention_day/en/index.html


There are no benefit concerts. There are rarely public memorials...unless they are somehow famous. There are, I can tell you, feelings of guilt and shame when asked how one's brother/sister/husband/wife/mother/father/partner/child died. Little attention is paid. Even here. So many times I want to make something up when I am asked by yet another of my son's teachers. So much pain, so little care, so little understanding.

Why was I not a part of the national weeping today? Because I was busy surviving...and trying to bring attention to those we have already lost to a treatable medical condition, and those we can yet save.

To those of you who noticed that September 10th 2011 was World Suicide Prevention Day (as it has been every year), I appreciate it so very much.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Every day...

The approximate same number of people who died in the Twin Towers, die by their own hand.

This is appalling.

My heart goes out to you, my dear Mrs.G, and to all who survive this terrible statistic.

:hug:

[flvegan]

2. It gets better.

I think that this campaign is the most brilliant thing ever. But it could be expanded to anyone, I dare think, experiencing the same mental state but for other reasons.

http://www.itgetsbetter.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP4clbHc4Xg

[ScreamingMeemie]

3. This is my personal favorite...

http://www.afsp.org/

It gets better has done wonderful things for our nation's youth.

To Write Love on Her Arms is another wonderful organization that I would suggest to people if my threads on suicide didn't drop like stones in the Mississippi. http://www.twloha.com/

[flvegan]

4. Good links.

I wasn't familiar with either of them. Thanks.

[Maraya1969]

5. I really think that all teachers should spend some time talking about bullying

occasionally in their classes. I think it should be part of all of their curriculum not just special assemblies. I used to substitute and I heard things and always said something. It at least lets the kids know that their teachers are their friends.

I also found that giving a kid the slightest bit of praise for doing any tiny thing right in their work put a smile on their face.

[ScreamingMeemie]

6. That's a good idea. But my husband was 37. His father, 56. His father's

father, 58. Attention must be paid to all ages. We can help.

[bigwillq]

7. K and R.

:hug: