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OPINION: Recognizing National Suicide Prevention Week

Fergus Falls Daily Journal - 9/8/2020

Sep. 8--Usually when I write a column, I try to find something that is really interesting to talk with you, the readers, about, other times I try to give you a good laugh and a few times give you a personal look into my life. This column is a little bit of the first and some of the third.

I want to talk about suicide.

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week, with Thursday being World Suicide Prevention Day. The annual week-long campaign is to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. for all ages. This means that approximately 123 Americans die by suicide each day and there is one death by suicide every 12 minutes. It is estimated that approximately 6 million Americans became survivors of suicide in the last 25 years ... and I am one of those.

I am a suicide survivor.

The definition of a suicide survivor is a person who's lost someone they care about deeply and are left grieving and struggling to understand. It is estimated that each suicide leaves six or more "survivors." The grieving process is like no other and often requires survivors to look to get more support.

From my personal perspective, becoming a survivor has changed me considerably. I have mood swings that are hard to explain. Sometimes I am upset when I wake up, for no reason, and there are times that I get really down and am able to turn it around in a short time. My anxiety has spiked and I have had a few panic attacks. There have also been days that I laid in bed for hours and it takes everything I have to get out of bed.

It has also changed my relationships with my family and friends. As a husband, I find it hard to explain my feelings to my wife at times. As a son, the relationship I have with my mother is vastly different from where it was before. As a father, I find myself much more clingy to my children. Not all of these are bad, but it is hard to rationalize my thoughts and actions.

The hardest part for me is knowing what I used to feel like. I remember days waking up with a burst of life and excitement. I remember being more carefree and a person that goes with the flow. My 2020 self looks back at this version and wishes that he could feel that way again.

On many days, I feel numb. I still can display happiness, showing a smile, or confidence, but I have become emotionally hollow. This doesn't mean I don't care about people or things. What it means is that tapping into my emotions is harder than it ever used to be. It also means I cry a lot more for no reason.

I have grown accustomed to my new normal. I understand that the questions I have won't be answered. I also understand how fleeting life can be and how much I should cherish the time I have with my family and friends. Although I still am upset about my loss, being a survivor has made me the person I am today and for the most part, I believe a better person.

If you are struggling with depression, having a difficult time with changes in your lifestyle or work, please reach out for help. For those that are suicide survivors, counseling or a support group are also great and therapuetic options for you.

Resources

--There are several ways you can get help. If you are employed or have insurance, you can call the behavioral health phone number on the back of your health insurance card or see if your employer offers an employee assistance program (EAP). You can also call a local counseling office and schedule an urgent appointment. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or visit the CDC website at cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/index.html.

--People who text MN to 741741 will be connected with a counselor who will help defuse the crisis and connect the texter to local resources. Crisis Text Line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

--The mobile mental health crisis team is available for both adults and children. Professionals trained in crisis assessment, counseling and support are available and when needed, will dispatch a team of professionals to where the person is at. They can be contacted 24 hours a day at 1-800-223-4512.

For survivors

--Directory of Survivors of Suicide Support

Groups -- available online at www. suicidology.org.

--Survivors of Suicide -- www.survivorsofsuicide.com.

Zach Stich is the managing editor of The Daily Journal.

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(c)2020 the Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minn.)

Visit the Fergus Falls Daily Journal (Fergus Falls, Minn.) at www.fergusfallsjournal.com

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