The tragedy of suicide takes over 40,000 precious lives in the U.S. per year and forever changes the lives of hundreds of thousands of close family members and friends. This does not have to be.
If you are suffering, please reach out to a friend, a counselor, or a crisis line (National Suicide Prevention Hotline 800-273-8255). Give yourself a chance to heal and your future self a chance to live beyond the moment when you think suicide is the only way out of pain. If you are concerned about someone who is suffering, know the signs, don’t hesitate to ask “the question,” listen with compassion, and help them get help. As a rabbi said in a eulogy for a teen suicide, “Open your hearts to those who are suffering, and if you can, catch them before they fall.” See the Resources on Mental Health, Suicide Awareness, and Suicide Prevention.
If you have lost someone close to suicide, take good care of yourself and know you are not alone. Reach out to good friends, a support group, or a therapist. See the Resources on Suicide Bereavement.