By Gelissa Garcia, MA, LPC
Two thousand “friends” on Facebook and close to 3,000 “followers” on Twitter. Twenty new requests on Instagram every day, and counting. But they feel alone; they think about dying. In my emergency services work, I meet people who are this well connected online but who lack a similar connection with people in their walking, talking, day-to-day lives.
Approximately every 40 seconds, a person takes his or her life somewhere in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Yes, every 40 seconds. That’s around 800,000 lives lost to suicide each year; more than 65,000 a month, more than 2,000 a day. In fact, we just lost one while you’re reading this.
You may see their cheerful posts on Facebook; they are online all the time. Their status updates are “A-mazing” and they seem to be so happy. They post the greatest jokes on Twitter, and they share the most inspiring quotes on Facebook. How fantastic are their Instagram photos! They’re always complementing you, liking your posts and even sharing some of them. What a perfect life! And then you hear they died by taking their own life. And you feel confused. And we just lost another one.
Undoubtedly, social media is here to stay and that’s OK. But when people start to replace life itself with the 4.7-inch-wide experience of their phone screen, or the 15-inch-wide experience of their computer screen, tragedy can happen. Social media is not the cause of our isolation, but it makes it so easy for people to shelter themselves from in-the-flesh, real human interactions. You and I cannot make individuals disconnect from their screens, but we can help. The key? Get people together! Be in one another’s presence. You don’t have to invade a friend’s privacy to be proactive. Spending time with a friend or loved one who is exhibiting signs of emotional distress or depression enables you to see their behavior and whether they’re exhibiting suicide ideation (the obsessive thinking about suicide). I most cases, people don’t want to die; they want to stop hurting but see no other way out. And we just lost another one.
Take every threat of suicide seriously. You can talk with a professional, or let a relative know. Talk with your friends about suicidal feelings, and don’t be afraid to “Ask the Question:” Are you thinking about killing yourself? It actually can help: Asking the question reduces a person’s feelings of isolation and hopelessness and opens up an opportunity for deeper conversation and even seeking help.
Learn about the suicide-prevention resources in your community. In Colorado, the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado is a good place to start. Call 720-934-2387. Visit the Colorado Crisis Services website for information – including the locations of all 24/7/365 Crisis Walk-In Center’s in Colorado. Call the Colorado Crisis Services hot line at 1-844-493-8255 and talk to a licensed therapist or certified peer specialist any time. If you think a friend is in immediate danger, dial 911.
We need to help one another recover that human connection. Assist ourselves and loved ones in achieving a balance between the rewards of interpersonal relationships and the joys of technology.
By the time you finish reading this column, we’ll have lost roughly five lives. Are you ready to fight this number? Are you ready to make the difference? We must be courageous; Ask the Question when you think it’s needed. Learn more about suicide prevention and mental health concerns and crises by taking a Mental Health First Aid class with Community Reach Center – free of charge.
Gelissa M. Garcia Diaz, MA, LPC, is an Emergency Services Team program supervisor at Community Reach Center
Community Reach Center has worked diligently to preserve and promote a commitment to excellence, professionalism and integrity within our community health care system for nearly 60 years – currently serving more than 13,000 individuals of all ages throughout the northern Denver metro area. We are an integral component of the community with an unparalleled team of dedicated professionals committed to providing our clients with a system of quality care that will support them in real life. The Center offers you evidence-based behavioral health services for all ages, at five outpatient offices and in public schools, community colleges, emergency rooms, physician offices and detention centers.
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