National Suicide Prevention Month’s commencement occurred on Sept. 1. National Suicide Prevention Month was designed to wrap around National Suicide Prevention Day on Sept. 10. The purpose of both are to provide awareness to what can be described as an epidemic. According to the American Association of Suicidology, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 34 and is the tenth leading cause of death for people of every age-range. Suicide is a leading cause of death for people as young as 10, to as old as 64. But how can Hawthorne, New Jersey and the rest of the earth go about preventing suicides?

Last year, the world mourned. Aug. 11 of 2015 was the one-year anniversary of actor and stand-up comedian Robin Williams’s suicide. Zelda Williams, daughter of the beloved performer, openly spoke on Instagram over the Labor Day weekend about depression and hope in light of the recent anniversary. She posted, “And for those suffering from depression, I know how dark and endless that tunnel can feel. But if happiness seems impossible to find, please hold on to the possibility of hope, faint though it may be.” Williams’ inspiring and thoughtful post was a beautiful opening to the thoughtful month of September.

Worldwide, the myth of how suicide is a topic one cannot talk about publicly has to be terminated. The lie has caused people throughout the globe to feel as if they are alone with their pain. Everyone has struggled, experienced sadness and has encountered a situation they were overwhelmed by. To be able to talk is to be able to be free from the pain that has plagued people who fall victim to suicide. If Kurt Cobain or Alexander McQueen possessed the ability to be able to talk about their depression, the two may be alive to speak at a National Suicide Prevention Month or Day event.  

Remember, every person has the capability to be a lifesaver. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline can be accessed online on the Lifeline Crisis Chat or 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255); both are available 24/7. As Williams shared on Instagram, “I promise you, there’re enough nights under the same yellow moon for all of us to share, no matter how or when you find your way there.”