In today’s culture, it seems as
though each month has a specific theme or
message attached to it. October is Breast
Cancer Awareness, June is LGBTQ+ Pride,
and February is dedicated to African Amer-
ican History. However, I realized how
little emphasis was placed on the topic
of Suicide Prevention, September’s ded-
ication. Most teenage outreach was lim-
ited to social media posts, with little mur-
murs about it concealed in conversation.
For an action that takes the life of some-
body once every 11 minutes, suicide is too
conversational for the tragedy it brings.
Make no mistake, suicide is death.
Sometimes, there are signs piling on top of
one another, waiting for someone to rec-
ognize them and offer help. Other instanc-
es are sudden, quick, spontaneous even.
Within the tick of a clock, all can change.
Nonetheless, once the soul is swept from
the body, there is no returning back to
its prior state. Because of this, the topic
of suicide should never be taken lightly.
Since 2020, suicide rates have
rapidly been increasing, peaking in 2022
according to the Center for Disease Con-
trol. This statistic pulls on my heartstrings
very own school counselors are here for you.
While it may feel awkward, the safe walls
of the Student Service Center are welcom-
ing for all to seek help and guidance. Nev-
er hesitate to reach out to any of our won-
derful counselors, especially when you feel
as though there is nobody else to speak to.
We all take very different paths to
The Castle every morning; some are more
difficult than others. Suicide is an extreme-
ly real, serious, and dangerous issue. It is
not too far away for us to acknowledge. Be
kind to all Knights, and if you see something,
say something. We are never alone, for we
are all linked together like a human chain.
immensely, as there are more options to
seek help than ever before. The most no-
table of them is the infamous 988 Suicide
& Crisis Lifeline. This is a phone num-
ber you can call, or a website available
at https://988lifeline.org/, which helps
provide a safe environment for those who
need to talk through their issues. These
crisis centers have saved countless peo-
ple from committing an irreversible act.
Likewise, there is a brand known
as Happiness Project that caught my atten-
tion this past month. In 2017, a group of
high school juniors lost their friend, Nick
Spaid, to his battle with mental illness.
They decided to take action and start this
organization to combat the dreadful feel-
ing of loneliness brought about by mental
health struggles. What I find so fascinating
about them is they are not a bunch of doc-
tors sitting in laboratories writing about
their experiments and data, rather, they
are a group of high school kids that has
donated over $250,000 to various suicide
prevention organizations. Targeting ado-
lescents, Happiness Project stands for one
purpose: you are not alone in your battles.
Of course, trusted adults like our very own
school counselors are here for you.
While it may feel awkward, the safe walls
of the Student Service Center are welcom-
ing for all to seek help and guidance. Nev-
er hesitate to reach out to any of our won-
derful counselors, especially when you feel
as though there is nobody else to speak to.
We all take very different paths to
The Castle every morning; some are more
difficult than others. Suicide is an extreme-
ly real, serious, and dangerous issue. It is
not too far away for us to acknowledge. Be
kind to all Knights, and if you see something,
say something. We are never alone, for we
are all linked together like a human chain.
