Life is worth living

“Hold on if you feel like letting go. Hold on. It gets better than you know.” These lyrics from Good Charlotte’s latest single from “The Young and the Hopeless” serve as a plea to listeners contemplating suicide. The music video for this song was produced in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and features families and friends who have lost loved ones to suicide, as well as young people who have made non-fatal suicide attempts. The video is powerful and touches its viewers’ hearts with its message. The first time I saw it, I cried. This is not a typical reaction from a Good Charlotte music video; however, the topic of this song is so serious and addresses a problem that no one wants to talk about.
Good Charlotte frontman, Benji Madden, admitted to contemplating suicide at a point in his life. Good Charlotte wrote “Hold On” as a response to the many fans who have written the band letters saying they are considering suicide.
Every 18 minutes someone in the United States dies by suicide. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15-24 year olds. In 1999, more teenagers and young adults died from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke and chronic lung disease combined.
Over 90% of suicide victims have a significant psychiatric illness at the time of their death. These are often undiagnosed, untreated or both. Depression is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses. Some common symptoms of depression are despondancy, a change in appetite or weight, change in sleeping patterns, speaking or moving with unusual speed or slowness, loss of pleasure or interest in usual activities, decrease in sexual drive, fatigue or loss of energy, feelings of worthlessness, self-reproach or guilt, diminished ability to think or concentrate, slowed thinking or indecisiveness and thoughts of death, suicide or wishes to be dead. Depression is present if at least five of these symptoms have been present nearly everyday for at least two weeks.
Males are three to five times more likely to commit suicide than females. Impulsive individuals are also more apt to act on suicidal tendencies.
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression or considering suicide, do not ignore the problem hoping that it will go away. If you see warning signs like these in a friend, experts suggest you bring up the subject of suicide straightforwardly. Ask your friend if he or she is considering suicide and let him or her know that you want to help because you care. Suggest that he or she talk to a resident director, resident assistant, psychologist or guidance counselor, or call the National Hopeline at 800-SUICIDE. The Georgia College & State University counseling center in Lanier Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Have you thought about hurting yourself? If so, call the National Hopeline or stop by the GC&SU counseling center.
Remember that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. So hold on.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Jan 23 2004. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry