LET'S STOP THE SUICIDE EPIDEMIC

I wrote this article in March 2000 and it was published in the Cape Cod Times on March 21, 2000.

Over the past few months, the surgeon general, Dr. David Satcher, has stated a serious, sad and tragic fact about American life. Suicide has reached epidemic proportions within this country - taking far too many lives and causing far too much suffering to innocent families and friends.

I am writing this with words that are from the deepest part of my soul.

I thank Dr. Satcher for focusing his attention on suicide. I read it was the first time a surgeon general made suicide such a prominent public health issue.

I suffer from bouts of severe depression. In 1969 and in 1970 I made flirting attempts at suicide. But in 1994 I made a far more serious and almost deadly attempt.

So now, with the new millennium at hand, I challenge Dr. Satcher to hold true to his word. 

Suicide is an epidemic that kills more than its victims. It kills, breaks and crushes the hearts and souls of far too many families. I know this for a fact - not only did my grandfather and a girlfriend commit suicide, but so did two childhood friends when they were in their late 20's.

Since my suicide attempt in 1994, I have been involved with the Samaritans of Cape Cod, a suicide prevention organization. My involvement is with Safe Place, which is a support group for those who have lost a loved one to suicide.

It is through the people I have met at Safe Place that I have seen the tragic effects of suicide on generations within a family. And I have seen how deeply the stigma of suicide penetrates the suffering hearts of grandchildren, children, parents, spouses, siblings and friends.

I believe suicide tears people apart like no other tragedy and damages the psyche in ways that can never be repaired. It's been over 40 years since my grandfather's suicide, yet I still days when his death haunts me.

Suicide has been a taboo subject far too long in this country. While everyone is looking the other way, almost 31,000 people kill themselves every year. Close to a half million people attempt suicide and millions more are affected and suffer.

Yes, suicide is an epidemic. There are more suicides than homicides, more deaths by suicide than by AIDS and those killed by drunk drivers. There are even more suicides by guns than there are homicides by guns.

The suicide rate is 50 percent higher than the homicide rate, 60 percent higher than those who die by AIDS and 70 percent higher than those killed by drunk drivers. 

Since Dr. Satcher stated that preventing suicide is a top priority, I say live it! Live it every day! He should use his office as a bully pulpit to drive the message across the country and into every home. Even though millions of people in our country have been affected by suicide, most believe they are all alone. Dr. Satcher can reach out to these people and ask them to help him stem this terrible epidemic.

There is in this country a group called Mothers Against Drunk Drivers(MADD). When it was formed it was an idea whose time had come. Since its formation, MADD has been embraced by the American people and has focused so much attention on drunk driving that in the past ten years drunk driving fatalities have been cut almost in half.

To combat suicide, as MADD combats drunk driving, America needs a similar grassroots organization. I realize there are groups like the Samaritans and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. But what is needed today is a group that is more pro-active from state to state, from community to community.

My suggestion for such a grassroots organization is FAST - Families Against Suicide Today - because every second counts.

No death destroys the heart and soul of a family as does suicide because no death brands a family with a stigma so penetrating and so painful. There are no families in more need of a helping hand. There are no families more willing to embrace one another. There are millions of people out there just waiting and wanting such a group to embrace and support.

We need to do a lot more to prevent suicide in this country. The figures are a disgrace. Even here on Cape Cod, with all its beauty and beaches, we have one of the highest rates of suicide per capita  in the United States.

Suicide is preventable but only if we do something to prevent it.

contact: fortheheartcries@gmail.com