September 23, 2019

To the Editor:

Don’t wait until it’s too late! According to the CDC, suicide rates have increased by 30%

since 1999. Each year, more than 41,000 individuals die by suicide, leaving behind their friends

and family members to navigate the tragedy of loss. 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. An estimated quarter million people each year become

suicide survivors. There is one suicide for every estimated 25 suicide attempts. Depression

affects 20-25% of Americans ages 18+ in a given year.

According to the NAMI, only half of all Americans experiencing an episode of major

depression receive treatment. Although, a TADS study proves that 80%-90% of all people that

seek treatment for depression are treated successfully using therapy and/or medication.

Take a look at all of these statistics and think about how many lives could have been

saved if only we didn’t sit back and wait until it was too late. I write this letter in concern that

our country does not take mental health as seriously as physical health. Mental health is a major

concern for many people all ages, but as time goes on the age of suicide rates get younger.

I am a survivor of suicide. I have been treated for depression and anxiety. I didn’t seek

medical treatment until after my suicide attempt. I believe if I only knew about the help I could

have received sooner than much pain could have been prevented for my family and myself. I

believe with the help that I have received since my suicide attempt that I have grown so much

and have gained so much positivity that I didn’t have a chance to see on my own. I believe I was

lucky. However, I know that some have not been as lucky. Many people have lost their lives
suffering from mental illness. Many families have been broken from mental illness in the

tragedy of a loss.

Now, the question is: How can we help? I propose an idea that mental health screenings

should be mandatory from ages 10+ twice a year. I am also a senior nursing student at YSU and

studying mental health this semester where we observe patients as young as 6 years old with

depression and anxiety due to multiple different reasons. The thing is many people with

depression and anxiety believe that therapy and medical treatment cannot help them. Depression

causes a feeling of hopelessness so people who suffer from mental illness do not believe in much

of anything. I know this because I was that person.

I think that if we were to normalize counseling in children’s lives at a young age than

they wouldn’t think that going to therapy is “weird” and so much can be prevented. I know

counseling cannot fix everyone’s mental health state, but if we can save one life by just having a

checkup twice a year with that person. People go through different stages throughout their lives

so with yearly physicals we should add a mental health exam and we can catch illnesses early.

I propose this idea so that we don’t wait. By adding the mental health exam and a yearly

therapy session to health care every year we can prevent it from being too late. Suicide is a

permanent solution to a temporary problem. If a person who had suicidal thoughts was given the

slightest amount of hope on their worst day we can save their life.

Sincerely,

Valerie Kinsey
Reference:

Reidenberg, D. J. (n.d.). Suicide Statistics and Facts. Retrieved September 28,

2019https://save.org/about-suicide/suicide-facts/.