There were 42,773 suicides in 2014, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death. That’s 42,773 lives that were taken way too soon. That’s 42,773 lives that could have been saved. When do we stop and say this is enough? When do we actually start putting all of our efforts forth to make a difference?

I am 21 years old and already know five people who died due to suicide. The fifth suicide wasn’t any easier than the first one. Death is horrible, but when someone takes their own life it seems so much worse.

The reality of it is that suicide is caused by an illness, just like a lot of other deaths. Suicide is caused by the terrible illness, depression. When someone is in the depths of a depressive episode, individuals can be incapable of making fully rational decisions.

Therefore, if we ultimately want to decrease the suicide rates, we have to start seeing mental illnesses for exactly what they are. We can’t act like they aren’t real. We have to stop saying that people with mental illnesses are just weak because they are quite the opposite.

If you haven’t suffered from a mental illness, then you don’t know what is going on. You don’t realize how strong these individuals truly are. They wake up every day worried about the demons that are waiting for them. Some people don't even get the chance to worry about it; the demons are there the minute they wake up.

We as a society need to start having conversations about mental illnesses. We need to start teaching about mental illnesses in health classes. We need to stand up now, because if we don't, we are losing another daughter or another son. We are losing teenagers who haven't even been out there and seen the world. We are losing teenagers who are the future.

So for anyone who is contemplating suicide, I want you to realize that you are much more than the demons that haunt you. I want you to realize that suicide is a permanent solution for temporary problems. How do I know? I once was in your shoes. I allowed the lies inside my head to make me feel like I didn't matter. I thought that life would be easier for everyone if I would disappear. The demons had gotten to me and I didn't see a way out for a while.

The difference between suicide victims and myself, unfortunately, is that I was fortunate enough to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I was fortunate enough that I came to a "Y" in the road and I went right instead of left. I was fortunate enough that even when I hit a dead end, I turned around and kept going. I didn't stop until I loved myself. I am not stopping now because I am not stronger than the ones who have taken their lives. I simply was just lucky that I had life-changing experiences before it was too late. I don't take any day for granted because I know it is one more day that the suicide victims didn't get.

For anybody out there who feels worthless and feels like it is too hard for life to go on...I won't stop. I won't give up. I will keep fighting for you, because your life matters just as much as my life matters.