Stigma Around Suicide

The CDC is calling suicide a serious public health problem. Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States and affects all ages. Recently, American dancer, Stephen “tWitch” Boss tragically took his own life. His death raises a concern that has been swept under the rug for a while now: the stigma around mental health. Those struggling often hide their feelings because they feel they will be judged and shunned by society. This is especially a problem for men. For many years, men were raised upon the idea that they must be tough and cannot cry. Therefore, men had to hide their mental illness, if they were suffering. Men are statistically more “successful” in suicide attempts than women, which is scary given how many men are likely concealing their emotions. If society can change the stigma around mental health, we will be able to lower the number of lives lost to suicide in America. We need to raise boys on the idea that crying and asking for help at any point in their lives is perfectly acceptable. The United States has so many resources to help those who need it, such as therapists and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It is important for anyone to know their resources and feel comfortable enough to seek help. If we can do this, this public health problem can be fixed.