Problem with suicide is ignorance and defiance

12-19-2019

Today I would like to address an issue that seems to be swept under the rug more than it is brought forward. Suicide.

Suicide is a large problem that is facing youth today even reaching children as young as elementary school. I think that the issue at hand is not a lack of awareness; it is ignorance and defiance.

Almost all of us know someone who has committed suicide it has affected all of our lives in one way or another. Ignorance. We justify not talking about it by saying, “We don’t want to give anyone ideas” or “We aren’t noticing anything.” You are not noticing because you aren’t looking.

Utah’s suicide rate has shot up 46.5 percent since 1999. Why aren’t we fighting this when we do have the time? By paying attention you could save a life and by getting rid of ignorance and defiance we are starting to become a culture that cares. How about instead of responding to suicide, we start preventing it.

Karli Arnoldsen