According to the Centers for Disease Control:
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US for all ages.
Every day, approximately 123 Americans die by suicide.
There is one death by suicide in the US every 12 minutes.
According to the World Health Organization:
Close to 800,000 people die due to suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. (I did the math on this and it is correct. I couldn't believe it, but it is. One person every 40 seconds.)
Suicide occurs throughout the lifespan and is the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds globally.
There are indications that for each adult who died of suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide.
A little over four years ago I wrote about Robin Williams' suicide. The numbers have grown in those four years. As I wrote then I really don't understand how a person reaches the point of suicide. I've never had it so bad that I just wanted to quit living. I've always had hope for tomorrow because I know a God Who holds tomorrow in His hand. I'm thankful I don't have to depend on my abilities to make it through each storm.
for KING & COUNTRY sings a song called "Matter." When someone makes the decision to end it all, is part of their thinking, "I don't matter to anyone?" I wonder if Robin Williams felt like he didn't matter when he said the above words. YOU matter. You may not feel like you matter, friends and family may turn their backs on you, but YOU matter. If you're hurting today, please find help. Don't listen to the lies that say you're alone.
"Matter"
All of the dreams that haven't come true
And all of the hurt that happened to you
It matters, I hope you know it matters
You felt the pain of a bitter defeat
Where the weight of the grief is more bitter than sweet
It matters, I'm telling you it matters
To the One Who spoke and set the sun ablaze
To the One Who stopped the storm and walked the waves
To the One Who took the tree so He could say
You matter, I hope you know you matter
I know it's not easy, not saying it's fair
But close as a prayer somebody cares
You're a treasure, I hope you know you're treasured
So hold your head high, wait for the dawn
Keep hanging on, your sadness will turn into laughter
Watch it turn into laughter, yeah
Let the water spill from your eyes
Let it wash the wounds of those lies
Oh, let the water spill from your eyes
All that you are, all that you’ll be
Someone put the beat in your heart so that you’ll see
You matter
To the One Who spoke and set the sun ablaze
To the One Who stopped the storm and walked the waves
To the One Who took the tree so He could say
You matter, I hope you know you matter
You matter, heaven knows you matter
You matter, I hope you know you matter
You matter, heaven knows you matter
If you are a fast reader, it might have taken you two minutes to read this post. During that time three more suicides occurred. Those three people mattered. And so do the next three. And the three after that. I'm writing from a hurting heart today because someone I knew committed suicide last week. I hadn't seen her in many years and I don't know what drove her to such an act, but she mattered.
I'll say it again, if you're hurting today, please find help. You matter to me. You matter to God. You matter.
