Suicide....
What a difficult word to read, to talk about. It is even difficult for me to type it. Understanding suicide is even more difficult; in fact, I am not even sure any of us can fully understand the decision to end one’s own life but we need to continue to try. It is only by trying to understand that we can begin to help those who feel there is no alternative. We know the numbers - more than 42,000 suicides in the United States in 2015, for every suicide there were 25 attempts and suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. The cost to society is immeasurable as each life lost robs us of the potential held by that individual. Imagine how different our world would be today without the contributions of Thomas Edison, Jonas Salk, Benjamin Franklin and Mother Teresa, to name but a few. Each life lost is a loss of another potential great contributor to our world.
Get involved
So, by now you may be thinking - "Yes, it is horrible but what can I do about it?" I'm glad you asked. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a great place to start. Whether you have contemplated suicide, know someone who has, been affected by the suicide of another or just want to learn more they have resources available to you. You can also become actively involved with the organization by participating in, or volunteering for, one of the more than 300 "Out of the Darkness" walks held throughout the year. You can find a local walk by visiting the foundation's website - if there isn't one near you, contact the local chapter in your state and ask about starting one.
Why I got involved
I have served as a volunteer event photographer and committee member for the Jersey Shore Out of the Darkness walk since 2014 and can tell you that it is one of the most incredible events I have ever been associated with. I became involved for very personal reasons. In the summer of 2010 a friend, Scott, took his own life and I do this work to honor him. I learned of AFSP after seeing photos his wife, posted on Facebook. The family had participated as a team in a walk in Philadelphia and I knew that I wanted to get involved. It took a few years but I finally got a chance to shoot the 2014 Out of the Darkness walk in Manasquan. I met Scott, a devout Deadhead, through my son’s Boy Scout troop and got to know a fun-loving, mischievous man who cared deeply for his family and the scouts in the troop. When I learned of his death I was stunned and saddened. How could someone as seemingly happy and outgoing as him do something like this? I don’t know but if helping raise awareness to the cause can help spare someone like Scott, count me in.
Sadly, I have other personal reasons for being active with AFSP. While working for the walk I got to know someone who had been struggling for a long time and we had a discussion about it last year. He was very open about it and I learned a lot from our talk. He relayed stories about helping others get through their dark times and he had a great outlook. I then learned of his suicide later that year. This was someone I barely knew but the news was very difficult for me to hear. I think Eddie's death was difficult because it showed me that the struggle never ends and no one is "out of the woods" when it comes to mental illness.
You Are Not Alone
If you are struggling, please remember this – you are not alone and you don’t have to go through it alone. Talk to someone – a loved one or trusted friend. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to someone you know there are other places you can turn to – AFSP is one of those places. I will list other resources at the end of this post. What is important to remember is that you matter. I know it is a bit cliché but you are the most important thing in the world to someone and they cannot envision life without you. I think many of us have had periods in our lives when we feel we cannot go on and others would be better off without us. I have met hundreds of the families and friends of suicide victims through AFSP and have seen how their loss has affected them. For them, life goes on but there is an emptiness, a void that cannot be filled.
What can we do?
We, as a society, tend to treat mental illness like any other - we treat it for a little while, the patient gets better and then we can forget it. I am not a medical professional but my understanding is that this isn't so and my experience appears to back that conclusion. By being involved with AFSP and Out of the Darkness, I hope to bring attention to the problem and encourage others to get involved. I have been worked with other organizations over the years and great advances are being made in those areas but it seems like this is one segment of society that isn't. I find that to be unacceptable - don't you?
How to Get Involved
Please consider volunteering or participating in a walk in your area. If you would like more information you can check out the AFSP website at
http://afsp.org or send me an email at
valencia32photo@gmail.com and I will put you in touch with someone.
Where to Get Help
- American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) – http://afsp.org
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
- Crisis Text Line – text the word TALK to 741-741
Note: Tweet: AFSP provides help to anyone who needs them – whether you or someone you know. They are there to help in any way they can.
All photos are copyright Joseph S. Valencia All Rights Reserved They may not be used in any way without express written permission of the photographer. If you wish to use any of the photos you may contact the photographer at valencia32photo@gmail.com
No comments:
Post a Comment