One Life To Live

September is a strange month. School starts, leaves change colors, summer ends, and tornadoes/hurricanes destroy land and lives, among others. As many carry on with their “normal” lives, my awareness is heightened because September is National Suicide Prevention Month.

My clinical diagnosis tells me I’m at a high risk of not only thinking about suicide, but acting on those fatal thoughts. The negative stigma placed on anyone with a disability--- hidden or visible--- puts me at a high risk. Being gay also means I’m perceived as different, which puts me at a high risk. When a negative stigma is present, it affects how a person perceives themselves. Too often, the thought pattern of these people takes a turn for the worse, ultimately leading to suicide. As if the negative perception of oneself isn’t strong enough, bullying adds a heavy weight for many. Disappointingly, the suicide rates continue to rise within two groups I’m in: the mental health community and the LGBT community. The correlation between being an easy target for bullies and suicide rates is too strong to ignore. Those who cause emotional duress and physical pain need to realize the profound impact they’re having on innocent people trying to live their lives.

Some general statistics regarding suicide rates in the U.S.:
- Second leading cause of death among youth (ages 10-24), taking an average of 4,600 lives annually
- 16% of high school students, from public and private schools, seriously consider suicide
- Over 60% of youth dying from suicide are diagnosed with major depression
- Nearly 15% of the population suffers from clinical depression during their life. 30% of clinically depressed patients attempt suicide, with 50% dying from suicide
- Every 13 minutes, a life is lost to suicide

Here’s what numbers say about LGBT youth in the U.S.:
- 4 times more likely to carry through on a suicide attempt than heterosexual peers
- Suicide attempts are 4-6 more times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose requiring treatment, than straight peers
- Nearly 50% of transgender youth have seriously considered taking their lives, while almost 25% carry through on a suicide attempt
- When LGBT victimization occurs (physical/verbal abuse), self -harming oneself increases 250%
- A child coming from a family which rejects them is 8.4 times more likely to attempt suicide than coming from a family which doesn’t reject them

Being a kid these days is tough. Everywhere they look, they’re told they’re not good enough, that they’re doing something wrong. When a child is constantly bullied, erasing the pain and torment is excruciating; that’s what they know. Nobody should ever have the power to tell someone they’re not worth living. Time and time again, I hear a person commits suicide because of continuous bullying. While I don’t have an immediate connection to the person who took their life, I can relate. I relate because I was there, contemplating and considering suicide as the only option. Initially, I was too weak to realize by taking my own life, I was empowering those doubting me. Over years of strengthening my mind and my support system, I realized I wouldn’t to stoop to their level. This is an ongoing process which is worth all the struggles encountered along the way.

I’m living proof that tumultuous times can be conquered with the right mindset, strong support group, and hope in hand. Do me a favor to realize how important you are: look in the mirror, place your hand over your heart. Feel that? It’s called life. Live it.

The Trevor Project has a great new PSA, "Ask For Help" (http://www.thetrevorproject.org/site/AskforHelp). This makes it easy for LGBT youth to share firsthand with others having the same struggles. The Trevor Project always has counselors to help guide you and remind you that you are good enough, despite what others say. The work this organization does is life saving, to say the least.

- Brandon