The month of September takes the name of many things, including Suicide Prevention month.

   Around 47,500 American lives are taken per year due to suicide. 8.9 percent of American students end up committing suicide. With numbers like these, it shows how many people need just a little bit more kindness and love around them. Simply passing someone and smiling, saying hello to someone you may not know, complimenting a person’s appearance or personality, or just giving someone a hug could save a person’s life. 21 million Americans have been estimated to have gone through a depressive episode at some point in their life. Suffering from any mental illness is a challenge no matter what someone’s family life or situation might be. If you know of anyone who is suffering from battling a mental illness, encourage them to open up and talk about it. Simply talking about one’s struggles will help reduce the stigma.  There are many resources available that one can contact if they are feeling uncomfortable with their thoughts, the most well-known one being simply calling 988. This number is used for the support and crisis line to help anyone who is suicidal. The line is confidential and is there to connect people with the help they need. 988 was made after the event of 9/11 to create a memorable number and advocate for a crisis the world faces. Wherever you are, you can contact and visit the hopeline-nc.org website which is a resource for suicide prevention. 

  This issue affected students at Wendell Middle school when,  on Sept. 6th, 2022 a Wake County student took their own life. An eighth-grade boy named Austin who attended the school committed suicide on campus on a Tuesday afternoon. The boy was 13, with so much life left to live. The News & Observer states that the child’s mother said he was a “smart and sweet” young kid. She also talked about how he loved animals and telling jokes. Wake County News also says he was bullied and that it could have been a reason he chose to take his own life.