In the past month, the news has been flooded with celebrities dying by suicide and an influx of discussion on mental illness. I am tired of hearing this on the news and nothing being done. The occasions where I witness people advocating but not checking up on the people in their lives or physically being proactive is disheartening. It is becoming less taboo to discuss mental illness but with that, the shift of importance has changed to blame and not enough education on the matter.
Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain both died by suicide in the past week, where family members described them as battling mental illness for awhile but did not expect them to end their lives. They were at their peak with family and in their careers. Kate Spade owned a large company of luxury handbags, clothing, and jewelry and is a household name. Anthony Bourdain was a chef and TV personality who explored the world to teach about culture and human nature. They both were loving and eccentric people that maybe just forgot to take care of themselves. The stigma probably weighed on them because people assume that with wealth and status there is no reason to be sad, but mental illness does not discriminate against anyone.
Suicide rates have increased by 20% in the past twenty years. Life is hard at times, and there are times where doubt and darkness is the only thing you can envision. I've been in moments of wanting to end my life and I've realized that I didn't want to end my life but end the part of my life that was making it unbearable. Our illness lies to us and tells us to give up, that there is no more hope. People who commit suicide are not thinking in selfish ways, they believe that if they end their life that it would be better for themselves and everyone around them. Stories I've heard from survivors is little things such as a friend calling them up or a hello from a stranger changed their mind on the day that they wanted to end their life. Awareness that one second of humility they got from another person helped them see another day.
With change comes along momentum of waiting on policies, and opinion to evolve. Words can only do so much, actions of every person will only then change the stigma. More people will be free to be open about their mental illness, people would care more to check up on their loved ones, more people will speak to their representative for better mental health care, more people would not succumb to suicide but feel that they can ask for help.
Your life is worth living and the moment will pass. You are stronger than you know for waking up and trying to live another day. Don't just speak out when a suicide is in the news, remind yourself every day that the most important aspect of life is not fame or fortune but humanity and helping others. To the people that have passed due to suicide, you are still remembered and valued and to the survivors, keep going.
