Every 11 minutes Someone in the US Dies by Suicide

September is suicide awareness/prevention month. I’m grateful that there’s a month to bring awareness to this problem that affects the families of around 50,000 people who’ve died by suicide each year. That means approximately 500,000 (probably way more) are directly affected by losing a loved one to the most misunderstood and possibly most painful type of death to process.

Starting today I’ll be writing about it each week this month and there are five weeks in September so here’s what I’m intending to write:

Week 1) Misconceptions about Suicide

Week 2) Signs of Depression and Suicide Ideation and What You can do to Help

Week 3) Supporting Someone Who’s Experienced a Suicide Loss ( includes one word to NEVER USE!)

Week 4) End the Stigma Already! 

Week 5) The Tragedy of Lack of Help for the Mentally Ill in the US

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Week 1) Misconceptions about Suicide - It's not Selfish or Cowardly

You may be surprised to know that I have never read my first book, “Keven’s Choice - A Mother’s Journey Through Her Son’s Mental Illness, Addiction and Suicide.” I wrote it, but I can’t read it cover to cover. I’ve tried, it's too painful and somewhat embarrassing because I see certain wording that I allowed my editor to change and regret it now - not the meaning, but phrases and words I would never use myself! I honestly think I was in shock for the majority of time that I wrote it because I started it 3 months after he died. But I’m glad, because if I would have waited any longer I may haven't had the guts to do it. 

I am going to use quotes from the book to, hopefully, shed some light two big misconceptions about suicide:

Eventually, the coroner finished her exam and told me they would be taking Keven’s body. Next to her stood the Deputy Coroner who said, “suicide is a selfish thing to do.” I wasn’t capable of arguing, so I just shook my head. Suicide is a last resort for the mentally ill and unstable who are trying to survive an unbearable existence. 

As a TIP volunteer I learned that hearing this comment only hours after my son left this world was a “second injury”. TIP Volunteers are trained to recognize the potential for second injuries and prevent them when possible. My volunteer that day couldn’t have stopped it but she gave me a look that I interpreted to say “that guy is insensitive, try not to let that ignorant comment get to you.” It was just what I needed to be reminded of.

Unfortunately many people share that belief, that suicide is selfish. Maybe in some cases it is. I’ve heard of people using it to avoid responsibility for a crime they committed or an overwhelming debt they owed. Other than that, selfishness is not usually a factor. Pain and hopelessness are the main reasons for someone ending their own life.  

Another common assumption is that the person who takes his life is weak, a coward or taking the easy way out. But that wasn’t Keven. He was exhausted from fighting the war inside of himself and he saw no hope in the future. 

Later in the book I let a poem wrote speak to the topic of suicide being a cowardly or weak act, here it is:

How Far Can You Get

by Keven Legere

 They say suicide is for cowards

But let’s see how far you get

Holding your head to a railroad track trying to forget

Or the barrel in your mouth finger itching on the trigger

Let’s see how many pills you take before you can’t remember

Let’s see how long it takes you to jump with a noose around your neck

But seriously, let’s see how far you get

That's it for week one. If you have any questions or any topics you'd like me to write about please let me know. I've been made made aware that comments are not working and am attemtpting to fix that.

Love to you all.