waiting for the light (Teenage Suicide)

Published on by thelonelyauthorblog

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waiting for the light

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dressed in her best
better-off dead outfit
she resides in the shadows
for the sun
never shines for her

even in the blackness
the unnoticed signs
were always there
until she grew weary
tired of the dark

longing for enlightenment
she sits there
quietly
patiently
waiting for the light

.

In the past year, four friends/acquaintances lost their young sons and daughters to suicide.  Incidents of teenage suicide are growing at an alarming rate.  Each day there are an average of 3,041 suicide attempts of teens attending the 9th through 12th grades (in the United States alone).

Could one conversation, one hug, smile, pat on the back, or question have made a difference?  Can’t the ballgame wait for another time?  Can’t you catch the latest epsiode of your favorite show tomorrow on Hulu?

Every message, every minute counts.  The most important thing we give to our children is OUR TIME.  Think about it.  It could be a matter of life or death.

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Articles on the Subject:

Newsweek

https://www.newsweek.com/2016/10/28/teen-suicide-contagious-colorado-springs-511365.html

The Atlantic

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/12/the-silicon-valley-suicides/413140/

USA Today

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/19/teen-suicide-soaring-do-spotty-mental-health-and-addiction-treatment-share-blame/428148002/

 

Resources:

http://prp.jasonfoundation.com/facts/youth-suicide-statistics/

https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/SuicideYouth.html

https://www.apa.org/research/action/suicide.aspx

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Call 1-800-273-8255
Available 24 hours everyday

 

 

 

 

376 thoughts on “waiting for the light (Teenage Suicide)”

    1. Thank you for the lovely message. I am touched by your warm comments.

      Juvenile suicide is a problem that is exploding through the country and perhaps the world. And I wonder is enough being done to prevent this.
      Thank you for your wonderful words of encouragement and support. They are greatly appreciated.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. I was just reading about the rise of youth suicide in Japan 🇯🇵 😢 a week or so ago. I was at a fundraiser recently, too, by American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: Walk to Fight Suicide. Some of the high opioid overdose stats might even be wrapped up in there too, actually suicides. We as a globe have serious problems, and taking action on all of them is necessary. Again, thank you for spreading awareness as you have done so very well, and with great kindness and ability.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  2. Hi Drew, again, sorry for being late. Beautiful poem! The reality is jarring. Many people are working to prevent juvenile suicide. However, fighting a plague is difficult. All of us ought to do more.

    On a happier note, I hope you are having a great evening!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. You are never late to the party, the party doesn’t begin until you arrive. Smiling.

      Parents really need to be more involved in their children’s lives. Just because they are older, it doesn;t mean they are ready for all of the stress life has to offer.

      Thank you for reading and for your warm words.

      My evening is going well. Knocking things off the To Do List; laundry, seasoned tomorrow’s steak, cleaned the kitchen, etc. You know wat they sayh: A Lonely Author’s work is never done.

      Have a great night. The weekend is on the horizon.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Always a pleasure to read you Drew! Thank you for the warm welcome.

        “To Do List; laundry, seasoned tomorrow’s steak, cleaned the kitchen, etc. You know wat they sayh: A Lonely Author’s work is never done.”

        Ouch! Do not remind me!
        “I’ll think about tomorrow” 🙂
        Now, I cannot think anymore 🙂
        Have a great night too!

        Liked by 1 person

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  3. This makes me so sad. What an important post and powerful message! You got the urgent point across and did it in such a creative, touching manner. We need to keep talking about this. No one deserves to suffer alone.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. That is so true. Many of these teens are afraid of coming forward or seeking help. We need open lines of communication. Better support for them. They need to know we care and there is help for them.

      Thank you for reading and contributing your thoughts to this post. Very grateful.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. You made a really good point here, there is help. We have to find a way to communicate that message to anyone in need.

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  6. Glad to say i have survived other’s suicides and my own thoughts… depression does a trick on the mind that leads to despair… unfortunately a battle til the end. ❤️❤️❤️ Hopefully those in need will call and not feel a burden. 🕊🙏🏼

    Liked by 1 person

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      1. It is good you did so… you have the following to make an impact. It is hard to hear others correctly in the midst of the negative thoughts… most find an opportunity to bow out when no one is looking… then they do not feel impacted to stay. My story is different… no one cared… so i fought to stay. Seriously, no one would have noticed if i were gone and now i carry the pain of two suicides and a depressed daughter who i am afraid to let out of my sight. But, she is 19 and going off to college (stress!!! 😱) and i worry she may never come back. Going to Portland Maine to study ASL and tourism… hopefully finds good friends who care. If she dies… i would seriously never recover so lets hope she survives this world!! Regardless what happens, since we both almost died at her birth, i will be happy. I have found peace here in my adopted town… the beauty immense!!

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        1. You have floored me. These are the tings I worry about.
          God, I wish you all the best. I wish her all the best.
          I don’t know how you find the strength to deal with this pressure. It shows how amazing you are.

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  8. Bringing awareness and starting conversations is the beginning of compassionate understanding.
    Poetry is a language that speaks to the heart. Your poignant, from the heart piece definitely touches those places of pain, despair, and compassion. Thank you for writing this, Drew. You are a light in the world, my friend.

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    1. Flattered by your gorgeous words and support. Yes, I wanted to start this conversation. If one parent spends more time with his or her child, then this post was a success. This problem needs to be addressed on a much higher level. The mental health of our youth is important. It isn’t someone else’s problem.

      Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I am truly grateful for your words.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  10. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain of the loss of a child through suicide. Children today are so disconnected in so many ways. As I see it, busy-ness, self-centeredness, and technology have stolen the closeness of what family used to be. I’m truly sorry for your pain of loosing those you knew.

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    1. Thank you for your very beautiful words and sentiments.
      Life is so much harder today. And social media is doing more harm than good to this young generation. Peer pressure and bullying have ledd to more than just tears.
      It is destroying lives and families.
      Thank you for adding your thoiughts to this post. Very grateful.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  16. Sooo touching. I love this sooo much. I myself was once consumed by suicidal thoughts and attempted few times.

    Good thing I have few really good people in my life who patted my back, gave me the ‘me’ time and made me change my perspective about everything.

    And now, I am doing the same to other people (especially to my students) because I don’t want them to suffer what I’ve been through.

    Thank you for this beautiful writing! ❤

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    1. Sadden by your comment. Life is so precious. I have read some of your poetry, and been touched by your beautiful words. If you weren’t here, I neverr would have had a chance to read them.

      You are a teacher now. You arer amking a difference in so many lives. Isn’t that amazing.

      Thank you for your honesty and for sharing this on this post. Verygrateful for your contribution here.
      Please stay inspired. You are making a difference in the lives of your students and the lives you touch with your blog.
      Thank you,

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      Reply

    1. This is a wonderful comment. What a poerson does, does matter. It touches the lives around thmm.
      So you have lost people to this tragic choice.
      Thank you for your words, they make a great contribution to this post.
      Very grateful.

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      Reply

      1. The first was a teammate from my high school football team. He was also a hunting buddy.

        Then my wife came dangerously close it.

        I served a cup of coffee to cop who was a regular customer to where I was working at the time. 5 minutes later he was gone.

        A coworker who was in chronic pain.

        The young son of a dear friend. ( who was a cop too )

        And there have been others. Each of them left a hole in the hearts of the community.

        I was close to the edge when I was 19. I can honestly say that I would have missed the best parts of my life by dropping out too early.

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    1. You are the first person to mention the opening lines. I though it was important, because that is the philosophy many of these troubled teens take on.
      Flatteered and delighted that you liked this. Thank you so much for your beautiful words of encouragement.

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  21. Such an important message Drew and poignantly penned. Here in Australia rates are also high and barely a year ago a beautiful young girl took her own life due to bullying. So incredibly sad and I’m not sure what the answer is as each case is so complex but all the kindness, love and support in the world surely must help. 💙

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    1. Kindness,love, and support. We can’t even begin to give them enough, Social media has made the raising of children so much more difficult. Ands this young generation filled with so many hateful envious bullies, well, they are destroying lives, even the ones strong enough to not take their lives.

      Thank you for your contributions to this post. I am grastefully you expressed your thoughts.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  22. As always this was beautiful and yet terribly sad. It breaks my heart that young people are in such a dark place that they see death as a better option. A good friend from high school lost her daughter to suicide. My heart goes out to your friends that have experienced this horrible thing. And my heart goes out to you as well.

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    1. Alyssa, tbhis is a major problem that we aren’t doing enough to resolve. It is tragic. And when it happens to a family, they never recover from the loss and shock.
      Thank you for your touching words. Very happy you contributed yout thoughts here. Thank you always

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

          1. Yes, the pressure is so much harder on them. There is a lot of peer pressure and lack of real connections to live friends because of the social media omnipresence and the instant gratification it gives.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

  25. Thank you for speaking out. We are not providing teen with the tools they need to navigate a complicated world. Mediation, stress reduction and communication skills should be taught in schools alongside math and reading.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Smiling at your lovely words. Life often sidetracks us. I think in many cases, these lost teens are suffering from the stresses of life and their parents tied up with their own pressures fail to see the need their child has.

      It is tragic.

      Thank you for reading and for your words of support. I truly appreciate them

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. True. That’s why I’m trying to spend some time with my three kids, talking to them and stalking them in social media. There’s this fear in me. Thank you for the confidence, Drew.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  31. This really hits home and my heart goes out to all those who’ve lost loved ones to suicide, it’s an unfortunate and cruel reality to find yourself, in a position where you don’t see a way out and opt to end your life instead.

    I love the way your poem brings awareness to a monster that is rapidly taking our young.

    Like

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    1. This subject tears me apart. It is tragic that people see themselves in this trapped position.
      A monster, so perfectly worded.

      Thank you for reading and for your amazing words. This post is important to me, and you sharing your thoughts made it so miuch better.
      Thanks

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  32. Pingback: waiting for the light (Teenage Suicide) — The Lonely Author – Turning the Page on Suicide

  34. This is such a strong poem Drew. All it takes it just a little empathy, a hug , a smile and a patient ear to hear them out. It is so heart wrenching to read about this drastic step young boys and girls resort to. Our time is the best investment we can give them. Thanks for sharing this.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. I know most people will disagree with me. They may see this as being too simplistic. But on the day a teen may be contemplating suicide, one comment, hug, encouraging word, or act of love, may sway them from not taking their life.

      Thank you for reading and for your very encouraging words. Grateful for your contribution to this post. Have a beautiful day.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  35. I am no author so I can’t really speak to the layout or grammatical aspect, but what I am is the mother of 6 beautiful little girls. 2 of which have attempted suicide since the beginning of my current deployment. So many people talk about attempted suicide by teenagers as a plea for attention, and my response is OF COURSE IT IS! That fact doesn’t make it any less of an issue. They are hurting to the point that they feel like the only way out of the pain is to leave this world and as their mother it devastates me. Thank you for putting this into words for those of us who are stuck in a “I don’t know what to do to make it better” situation. Thank you so much!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. “Plea for attention” Those words do anger me. These discount pychologist wanna-bes who like to judge other families and their children
      live in their ivory towers, comfy, because they think that is someone’s problem.

      This is soceity’s problem. These teens are our future. And that they have been made to feel this is their only choice is horrifying. Sadly, politians are not even addressing the issue of the mental health of our youth. The demands of school and now social media has made life so difficult for them.

      Very grateful you stopped by to read and share your thoughts on the subject. It is a subject that is only discussed when another tragedy occurs.

      Sadden that you have felt this pain. I hope you find a way to reach the hearts and souls of your girls and prevent any disillusions in their minds. I hope their future days are full of light and love.

      Thank you so much for your contribution here.
      Bes tof luck.

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          1. She’s passed a couple of years ago. She was riddled with cancer. I believe all of the heavy medications that they gave her had poisoned her. When she was 13, they started her on valium. As time went by, it’s amazing how many pills they gave her. She would take the pill containers and make a castle … sort of thing …..out of them. She was very beautiful, and had the longest hair you ever saw. She swept the floor with it. I did a post when she passed. I wasn’t going to, but the perfect piece of Street Art fell in front of me. https://graffitiluxandmurals.com/2015/06/21/rip-dear-sister/
            Thank you for asking, dear Lonely!

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            Reply

  37. Thanks for the poem and the reflection afterward, reminding us that there is nothing so precious as life. There is nothing that deserves our attention more. Teens are so sensitive and vulnerable, despite that they like to present a tough front. Teenage depression, like all depression, is a serious issue that should be responded to immediately.
    Please accept my prayers on behalf of the families of those young people who took their own lives.

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    1. Your words are perfect. There is nothing more precious thn life. I feel not enough is being done to take care of the mental health of our teens.
      We continue to see suicide rates rise and acts of violence in schools as well. How lonmg are these things going to be ignored.

      Thabk you so much for your very kind words. And sharing your thoughts on this post. It means a lot.

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      Reply

  38. So often love is an after thought in matters of suicide. I hope love will soon come to the fore in our life time. Then there will be more overcoming of all kinds of sufferings. Nice, compassionate post.

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  39. Wow such a powerful poem! Glad to see you sheading light on the subject. I also have a friend whose daughter attempted suicide. There are so many pressures on kids… just taking a minute or two can help. Glad you included the hotline number and other sources.

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  40. A beautiful tribute to the pain and suffering our children suffer in silence. One of the most powerful stories I ever read (based on real events), was the story of a boy who unknowingly saved his friend’s life. Before they became the friends they are today, he talked about bumping into a young boy and knocking his books all over the pavement. He didn’t know it at the time, but the boy had cleared out his locker because he intended to take his own life. Fortunately, bumping into who would become his best friend turned out to be a turning point. They spent a few hours together that day, and it was enough to derail his plans. That story has always stayed with me because, as you say, a smile, a hug, a listening ear (sometimes just paying attention) can make all the difference. The statistics are heartbreaking, and when you add in the minority groups, such as Deaf people, or those from the transgender community, etc. we need to be raising awareness of those who are lost in the dark and shine a light.

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    1. Thank you so much for sharing this story. This is exactly what I want to convey. You never know when a kind gesture or an extra minute can sway a teedn who is contemplating suicide.

      Yes, we do need to raise awareness. I feel like we are not doing enough. Thank you for yur comments. They are so fitting for this post and my intention to bring up the subject. Grateful for your visit.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  43. Thank you, I enjoyed this poem. As a father of two teenage boys, this went straight to my core, reminding me to love and share my time with them a little bit more every day. Great writing!

    Like

    Reply

    1. Flattered by your comments. As parents we never know every thought that is creeping into our children’s minds.
      They are often to afraid or embarrassed to approach us about their problems, never realizing we already went
      through this ourselves.

      And I think social media has made things worse for parent and child.

      Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts on this post. If this post helps at least one family, then it was worth it.
      Wishing you and yours the best holiday season. Thanks for stopping by.

      And sorry for the delay in my response, I was in an accident on Thanksgiving Day. So, I have been slow responding

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  44. Pingback: Todays reblogs | Erotixx

        2. Your mind set is that of the “new age” which is demonic. God clearly states what is right and wrong. And suicide is definitely wrong. “Obey my voice and I will be your God”. If you want it.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

          1. I wrote about teenage suicide to bring awareness to the subject. Encouraging parents to spend more time with their children.

            I don’t see anything demonic about that message. If anything your message was demonic.

            Thanks for the visit. Learn to read poetry and posts (and not skim through them).

            God bless.

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            1. I was not referring to your actual message – if you will check I answered a person with a very worrying view on suicide. My message was not about your poem at all. It is good you are highlighting awareness. I was trying to help that person. I am calling new age teaching demonic – which is it is. I know from experience.

              Liked by 1 person

              Reply

  46. Wow, that hurt! Powerful punch of reality! My wife is a psychotherapist who sometimes with patients with suicidal tendencies and it wrenches my heart when she sometimes shares their stories and the reasons why they want to do what they want to do.

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