Blog Entry: This needs to stop.

This needs to stop. I've been on QA since October, and when I first started out, it was awesome. People were nice, forums were nice, blogs were nice. But every day I see more and more blogs about suicide, about cutting. About depression. I go on Tumblr and just last night I posted on two blogs urging them not to kill themselves because they had said they were going to at that moment. Today my mom and I drove over a bridge and it had flowers and pictures on it because a girl had jumped off (during the time that I was hospitalized for my own suicidal ideation) and then only died when she was hit by a truck after landing. There is so much sadness, even in my own friend group, and it alarms me how horrible things are for so many people. And I sincerely, honestly think something needs to change. Either we need a better mental health system in this world, or we need to start finding better ways to help people who are having mental health issues.

One of the main issues with today's world is that people are so ignorant about mental health. Many people believe untruths about depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicide, psychosis... And the people who do understand and are able to help are few enough that many strugglers who need help don't get it because it isn't available.

Suicide has killed so many people who could have lived wonderful lives, who are missed by so many people, and whom would probably be glad they were alive today if their attempts weren't fatal.

So something has got to give. I wish I could just stand on every bridge in the world, hold every gun, take all the pills, every sharp object, every building, every possible chance for a suicide and hug those people wanting to use them and tell them I love them. Because I do, I love everyone, and I'm serious when I say that.

People need education more than anything in this country, and it is my mission to educate them. I'm going to talk to the counselors at my school, email the superintendent, send a letter to Obama, whatever it takes to start getting mental health education in schools. Because people need to know what to look for and how to help. People are dying every day because they don't get what they need. And I want to give it to them. I want to help.