h.e. outlaw's silo: prevention of suicide

Over the last eleven days I have posted seven blogs about a 13 year old inner city boy that committed suicide. Thirteen days ago this thirteen year old boy felt so alone and was suffering such an internal emotional anguish that he slowly strong a rope around his neck and fell from a rafter to his death. He left behind a mother, a twin sister, aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, friends, teachers, pastors, and every person he ever came into contact with in his short years alive.

There are no words to describe the pain he must have felt, or the torment his mother feels now. There are many questions as to why and who is to blame, but there are no answers. However, there is a way to help our youth to become aware of the many resources available to them. I have provided phone numbers, websites, facebook pages, organizations and links to assist families in having the resources to help prevent another suicide of a young boy.

Suicide is an incredibly horrific event for any mother, father, friend or family member to endure. We need parents to talk to their children and provide them with resources. Friends need to talk to friends and families to talk to one another.

In the last eleven days I have provided crisis counseling to the school and family that lost this 13 year old young boy to suicide. In that time I have seen tears, heard anger, listened to a mothers wails of grief, and seen a dead 13 year old in a coffin. Let us move forward and work together towards saving these youths from the pain that they are so clearly feeling. Never assume that your child is not in danger, your family member is not capable or that your friend will just deal with their internal suffering. Offer them help….. here are some resources available….

SUICIDE HOTLINES:

Open 24 hours a day. If you are in need of someone to talk to…CALL

Share these numbers to your children, they may need someone other than you to talk to.

National Hopeline Network

1-800-SUICIDE

1-800-784-2433

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-TALK

1-800-273-8255

TTY-Hearing & Speech Impaired

1-800-799-4TTY

1-800-799-4899

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Administration for Children & Families

NATIONAL PARENT HOTLINE

1-855-4APARENT

1-855-427-2736

The Trevor Project for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth

1-866-488-7386

Facebook Sites

Your child may connect better though social media groups.

Teen Suicide Prevention Movement

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Teen-Suicide-Prevention-Movement/131244203644530?ref=ts&fref=ts

Prevent Teen Suicide!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/PREVENT-TEEN-SUICIDE/103688683001540?ref=ts&fref=ts

Help Teen Suicide and Depression

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Help-Teen-Suicide-and-Depression/124619050957309?ref=ts&fref=ts

Help Stop Teen Suicide

http://www.facebook.com/groups/110085029059962/?fref=ts

RIP Amanda Todd

http://www.facebook.com/RestAmandaTodd

Internet Sites on Suicide:

National Suicide Hotlines

http://suicidehotlines.com/national.html

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services

Administration for Children and Families

http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/reslist/tollfree.cfm

The Trevor Project

The Trevor Project is the leading national
organization providing crisis intervention and
suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.

http://www.thetrevorproject.org/

Suicide Prevention Sites

You can get involved, have your child involved or do it as a family.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

http://www.afsp.org/

National Institute for Mental Health

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml

Suicide Awareness Voices Education

https://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=7049F2F1-C9C4-C392-588484F7906539D6&r=1

Links to Parents of Children Who Committed Suicide:

1. Mother of Teen Suicide Victim

http://www.wral.com/lifestyles/family/story/10676430/