Pictured Above: Edyn Gottlieb is a junior mass communications major and staff reporter at The Crow’s Nest.
Patrick Tobin | The Crow’s Nest
By Edyn Gottlieb
September is National Suicide Awareness month.
Your social media has likely been flooded with inspirational quotes, pictures and mantras telling you to “take a deep breath” because “everything is going to be okay.”
As a suicide survivor, nothing could feel less sincere.
Suicide rates have reached historic highs, ranking as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and the second most common cause of death among college students, according to the American College Health Association (ACHA).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported a 35 percent rise in suicides from 1999 to 2018, putting rates at the highest they’ve been since WWII.
Looking at all these statistics, I think it’s safe to say we have a problem.
The question is, what can we do about it?
While I believe that raising awareness to this epidemic is important to educate and decrease stigma, there is a right and wrong way to go about it.
Social media can be a powerful tool for spreading awareness. However, it is often used as a Band-Aid for the problem. It’s just performative action.
Performative action is when you do something for social capital without it actually helping the cause.
This form of “activism” is most often seen on social media and is especially prevalent with celebrities and large corporations.
If you’ve seen Gal Gadot sing “Imagine” while lounging in luxury then you know what I’m talking about.
I’m not saying that posting on social media for suicide awareness is a bad thing. In fact, it’s a crucial tool for informing on and destigmatizing mental illness.
Just make sure the content you’re posting has a purpose.
An example of productive social media usage is posting numbers for hotlines, therapists and other mental health resources.
Many of these services are provided for students right here in St. Petersburg.
The USF Wellness Centers, Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and the National Suicide Hotline are available, some 24/7, for crisis counceling, free of charge.
This, in conjunction with checking in on your friends and family, is a small but impactful way to spread awareness.
Suicide is never the answer but sometimes feels like the only solution.
This is not the case.
The following resources are readily available for those in crisis:
**National Suicide Hotline 800-273-8255
**National Crisis Hotline: 1-800- SUICIDE
**Crisis Center of Tampa Bay (813) 964-1964
** USF St Petersburg Wellness Center: Wellness Center professionals are available for same-day brief screenings from Monday to Friday. For after hours needs, call 727-873-4422.
**Pinellas County Help Line: 211 or (727) 210-4211
**Hillsborough County Crisis Hotline: (813) 234-1234
**Winn Team: (727) 548-5733
