The topic of suicide is something of a taboo in academic spaces, and while that may be for good reason, that ideology needs to change. According to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in America, and the second leading cause of death among people ages 15 to 24. The best way to prevent someone from taking their own life is by talking about it. A simple “Are you okay?” could literally be the difference between life and death.
Senior LifeSavers leaders all had varying goals for this week. Logan Kuntz said, “I think that our goal by hosting Suicide Prevention [Week] is to further spread the awareness around suicide. We are trying to spread the message that suicide is a permanent solution to temporary problems around the school to everyone, not just the students who are in LifeSavers.”
Braden Wood said, “I want all students of [MHS] to know that they aren’t alone, and they always have someone to reach out to in LifeSavers.”
Ali Weidner said, “Our goal during Suicide Prevention Week is to spread awareness and show that is okay to talk about your feelings. Suicide can be an uncomfortable topic, but it is important to spread awareness in any way and be there for ANYONE that needs it.”
Emma Arnold said, “We’re hoping to spread the message around the school that [there] will always be a support system available. I think that most students only think of LifeSavers as an anti-drug and alcohol group, but we are really trying to emphasize that we are also a mental health advocate group…so this week is really our time to spread that message and let the school know that suicide prevention is something that we should regularly talk about.”
Since the focus of this week is prevention, the LifeSavers spent time brainstorming ideas and talking about strategies help someone in crisis. The overwhelming majority said that one of the best things to do is make sure that people feel included and safe in their communities. Isolation is the number one enemy of prevention.
Spreading awareness was something talked about a lot, as well. Arnold said, “I think the best strategies for suicide prevention for teens is making it an easy topic to talk about. The more awareness we spread throughout the school by having themed days and information available, the more comfortable everyone will be talking about it. I think simple things like that will make students feel less alone if they are struggling.”
Something new LifeSavers sponsor Mrs. Mendez wanted to highlight for students who might be struggling was this: “Take the small wins. You managed to get out of bed this morning? Awesome. You put on fresh sweats instead of wearing the same as the day before? Great job. You allowed yourself a break and chatted with a counselor for a few minutes? That’s a big step. Working on your mental health is often a cumulation of lots of small efforts.”
Remember: SPW is a school-wide effort. Show your support for your fellow students through participating in the following activities:
1. Show up to the media center during homeroom TODAY (Wednesday, September 9) for Bingo, Would You Rather?, and Telephone during homeroom.
2. Show your support by dressing up for the rest of the week. (Themes are listed in the announcements.)
3. Sign the supportive banner, post cards, and sticky notes throughout the week. (See Mrs. Mendez or Dr. Hendrickson for more information.)
4. Stay after school for frogger, parachute, human knot, and group volleyball on the football field on Thursday.
Aurora Cooper, News Editor
cooau27@sages.us
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