Link – It’s Not Just Chris Cornell: Suicide Rates Highest Among Middle-Aged Men

“The news that 52-year-old Seattle grunge rock icon Chris Cornell had killed himself after a concert in Detroit shocked and saddened fans of the Soundgarden frontman.

But perhaps even more shocking is the fact that Cornell was one of scores of middle-aged American men who took their own lives on Wednesday: 121 Americans die by suicide each day, according to the Centers for Disease Control — and 93 of them are men.”

This is so sad. Sure Chris Cornell’s death caught headlines last week, but we really need to think about these numbers. 121 people every single day, just in the US. 93 of them men. Most middle-aged.

Something is seriously wrong when this many people are choosing death every day. Clearly, this is at epidemic levels, and we have not done nearly enough to get help where it’s needed.

121 people die by suicide every day. That’s over 3,500 per month. 44,000 per year.

Compare that number to another horrible disease that touches the lives of so many people. One that has inspired massive amounts of media coverage, fundraising, social media memes, and one that no one would ever be afraid to talk about openly for fear of acceptance.

Yes, the US government estimates that 40,000 women will die from breast cancer in 2017. Again, that’s a horrible thing, and we do everything in our power to do something about it, as we should.

4,000 more people will die because of suicide while we sit around wondering whether we should talk about it or not.

This is stupid. I’m tired of it. I’m tired of meeting people who’s loved ones have taken their own lives. I’m tired of hearing about those in the mental health community online who we’ve lost. I’m tired of trying to tell people that someone who seeks help for mental health treatment isn’t weak and pathetic, they are trying to not die! Just like anyone would if they had cancer or any other disease.

We need to make help available to those that need it, and we need to make sure those that need it know that we support their asking for it. Anything less is saying that we’re OK with people dying.

I’m not.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/it-s-not-just-chris-cornell-suicide-rates-highest-among-n762221

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