For as much as we talk about suicide – for as much as we talk about talking about suicide – nothing seems as effective in generating discussion of this crisis as seeing the human face of suicide. And thus the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain give us another opportunity to try to understand the taking of one’s life and how we might be able to prevent it.
Dane County actually has a number of powerful voices talking about suicide led by Safe Communities, Journey, Lilada Gee and others. Yet given the statistics, and the number of us who have been touched by suicide and still struggle to acknowledge its prevalence it’s clear we’re not doing enough.
For all the contributing factors like addiction and mental illness, suicide is first and foremost a tragedy – a preventable tragedy. So if the loss of popular culture figures like Spade and Bourdain cause us to look for the why and what if, let’s do it to prevent one striking even closer to our hearts.
Original Article: https://www.channel3000.com/editorial-faces-of-suicide/
By: Neil Heinen
Editorial Credit: Donald Bowers Photography / Shutterstock.com
