Today is World Suicide Prevention Day and let’s be honest: For people who do not struggle with depression, dark thoughts, or suicidal ideations, it’s hard to know what to say to those around us who do. Of course, not as hard as it must be for people who have struggled with this— I’m not insinuating we are actually the victims here— but hard in the sense that most of us are empathetic and caring people, who want to know how to help family and friends, and prevent the sadness and trauma of suicide. Statistics show there are, on average, 123 suicides per day and 7 in 10 are white males.
My family experienced this trauma recently, when a young relative of mine committed suicide. We were close as children but grew apart as adults. He was brilliant and funny, a father who loved his children. He enjoyed a challenging job at a reputable company. He had been battling an opioid addiction, and that— coupled with the touch of arrogance that often plagues people who can and do think outside the box— made it so he could not seem to want to get help to overcome the addiction, and to battle his way through the darkness of the disease.
