Suicide and depression
GC student addresses how to ask for help
Suicide is real. Clearly, it exists. Depression has a life outside of television dramas, and a man found dead in his home will rarely open a homicide investigation.
And perhaps this is the scariest part. I recently spoke with a few friends about the suicide of my own father and my own struggles with depression. The lack of knowledge that so many people seem to have about the reality that people really do choose to end their lives every single day is mind blowing and disheartening.
But what causes this lack of knowledge?
In our society, and in cultures everywhere around the world, depression has such a negative connotation that no one would be willing to admit that they struggle with it. We cannot continue to hush this condition – yes, condition – in order to save face.
Because just by talking about it, we could save hundreds of thousands of lives.
Having said that, talking with friends and family cannot innately end suicide or depression. One of the biggest steps that I took was seeing a doctor and a professional counselor in order to get prescriptions and change my lifestyle. And, yes, there are still days in which the idea alone to get out of bed and move about my daily life is agonizing and impossible. But where would I be if my parents hadn’t sat me down and voiced the questions: “Are you depressed? Do you need help?”
“And they told me the most important truth: It’s okay. We still love you; we will always love you.”
So, perhaps, following the passing of Georgia College student Cho Rok (Alice) Chung, the best way to keep her close to your hearts is to make a pledge – for ourselves and for our loved ones – to get help when we need it, and, perhaps more importantly, encourage others to get help and support and love them through it all.
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