National Suicide Prevention Month: A Leading Cause of Death

National Suicide Prevention Month: A Leading Cause of Death

Staff Writer: Letese` Clark

With a stomach full of over a dozen different over the counter pills, 16 year old Alexa Bernard stood outside in the midst of a snowstorm and waited for the moment her body would get weak and her life would be over.  Tired of the constant arguments with her mother and the haunting memories of repeated molestation and rape, Bernard just wanted everything to end. “I was tired and I told myself I was going solve everyone’s problems and die,” she said. But her body didn’t react to her attempt to overdose. “I stood outside and waited but nothing happened. So I figured I have a purpose I just don’t know what it is yet,” she said. Four years later, at the age of 20, Bernard is an English major at Howard University telling her story to help someone else.

But she isn’t alone. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, every 15 minutes someone dies from suicide. Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of all deaths in the United States and the third leading cause among young people 15 to 24 years of age.

President of the National Organization For People of Color Against Suicide, Donna Barnes, Ph.D., is focused on bringing awareness to the African American community.  “The issue of suicide is often not addressed or many don’t pay attention because of the other issues, such as AIDS/HIV addressing the community,” she said. 

“One of the main causes of suicide within the African American community is untreated depression,” she went on to say.

In addition, to frustration of arguing with her mother, Bernard suffered from depression. The scares being abused multiples times took a toll on her and she couldn’t cope. “Stop saying people who commit selfish.  There are a lot of people who are depressed. You don’t know what someone’s been through. There are people walking around campus who want to commit suicide,” she said.

Junior, psychology major at Howard University and member of the Suicide Prevention Action Group Zalika Cobb said students are paying more attention but only for a short moment. “Over the summer one male student threatened to end his life via Facebook and there were people who didn’t even know him reaching out to make sure he didn’t go through with it, but afterwards the interested waivered and no one is addressing the issue now,” she said.

Dr. Donna Barnes suggests those who are suicide survivors to sign a pledge committing to: taking care of themselves, support others, and reach out in times of need.