Suicide is a topic that many people tend to look at and instantly grimace. Others can’t even hear about the topic due to the harshness of it. Still it’s something that people need to take into larger perspective. Why is it that this means of a ‘solution’ is passing so rapidly through our country?

121. Why say that number? Because on an average, there are 121 suicidal deaths in America per day. 121 people who hate their life enough to decide that it’s time to pull the plug and let go. In the U.S., suicide rates are highest during the spring. For whatever reason, I honestly can't tell. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for 15 to 24-year-olds and 2nd for 24 to 35-year-olds. Seeing that it affects people enough to be any kind of leading cause is devastating in and of itself. Especially to the second leading cause of death for the more grown and adult people. On average, 1 person commits suicide every 16.2 minutes. Every sixteen minutes, somebody dies. In each sixteen minutes a person gives up, loses hope and ends it all. Their death most certainly does leave a mark though, statistics show that each suicide intimately affects at least 6 other people. Six people who could possibly lose hope and join that one person, which would affect six more people. It's a chain reaction of devastation that nobody should ever have to endure.

It’s natural to have a bad day, just as it is natural that humans suffer in their lifetime. It’s a part of that terrible thing we call life- but nobody should ever feel like they are truly alone. They shouldn’t think that the only way to amend the wrongs in their life should be through the means of killing themselves, that should be the farthest thought in their minds. It would only take two seconds out of everyone’s day to just take a second to smile at someone. Tell a stranger they look nice today, hold open a door for someone else or even just pretend to care. Humanity as a whole functions through interactions with other people, so why must all our actions be ill-tempered? Maybe not everyone is that way, but it’s a strong majority, and if people really just took the time to say hello to a new face every once in awhile, compliment a person, use general manners, or give out a kindness and not expect it back; then maybe that number (121) could gradually go down till it’s at zero. Who knows, maybe a small act of kindness can even save a life.

If you yourself or someone close to you is going through a struggle, have worsening depression or mood swings or seem to be just entirely out of it you should give this free toll free number a call. Or check out their website in the link listed below. You are not alone in this struggle, and there are other ways.

Call 1-800-273-8255

http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/