Start Talking About it

Talking about suicide does not make someone want to kill themselves.  Talking about suicide helps prevent suicide. Plain and simple. This is an important fact that needs to be heard. Healthy, happy, people don't pick up the newspaper read an article about suicide and decide it is time to take their life. On the other hand someone who may have decided to take their life may pick up the newspaper, read an article about someone who lost a friend or family member to suicide and decide to get help. That is my hope.  After losing a great friend in 2008 I have become proactive in suicide prevention and think the number one way to fight suicide is to talk about it. You sit down with you child and discuss drinking, drugs and sex..this is the time to also discuss suicide.  Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among those 15 to 25 years of age and the 6th leading cause of death among those 5 to 14 years of age. THIRD leading cause of DEATH...SIXTH leading cause of DEATH.  Why are we not talking about this with our children?  The 2nd Annual Out of Darkness walk will be taking place on September 18, 2010 at The City Park in Iron Mountain. By walking in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks, you will be to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Preventions research and education programs to prevent suicide, save lives, increase national awareness about depression and suicide and provide support for survivors of suicide loss. If you can't attend the walk there are many other resources available online and in our area.   Please help stop the silence, it is killing our friends and family.
For more information on the walk contact  Mary VanHaute at 1-920-680-4710 or her email mvhii@borderlandnet.net or Wendy Miron at 1-715-589-2367 or her email angel54229@yahoo.com 
For more information on suicide prevention visit
http://www.afsp.org/  or
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
If you are considering suicide please call 1-800-273-8255 immediately.