For many people, talking about suicide is very emotional. What some people don’t understand is that suicide is a huge issue.

“Teen suicide is not a joke,” said LSC student representative Emily Santiago, who knows someone who killed herself. “It isn’t an outreach for attention. It isn’t something you can tell people will go away.”

This week is Suicide Prevention Week and Sept. 10 is World Suicide Prevention day. See “National Suicide Prevention Week” for more information.

Psychology teacher Marcie Buckmaster’s classes are doing a WebQuest on suicide, and designing informational brochures for students to bring awareness and offer help.

“We will also be wearing yellow ribbons around our wrists, which is the official color of Suicide Prevention and Awareness,” Ms. Buckmaster said.

Suicide is a very serious problem. In the United States, someone attempts suicide once every minute and someone successfully completes a suicide once every 17 minutes. Approximately 2,000 people kill themselves each day.*

People may be unaware of the complexity of the issues surrounding suicide and have questions. Many of those questions will be answered in the next print edition of the Steinmetz Star, which will feature a more indepth article. If you would like to contact the reporter, please email this reporter at [email protected]. 

If anyone is having suicidal thoughts, the counselors would like students to know, “the door is always open.” People can also call the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255.

*Statistics from Glen Evans, “The Encyclopedia of Suicide,” cited on the webpage “99 Little Known Facts About Suicide.”