Choose Life: Saying No to Suicide-Part 1

"I have set before you life and death...Now choose life, so that you and your children may live," he said.

Today young people in increasing numbers are choosing death. The suicide rate among Canadians under 24 has climbed faster than for any other age group over the past two decades. The rate for Native people is as much as ten times that of non-natives.

Not included in these statistics are those who eat, drink or starve themselves to death or die in alcohol-related accidents.

If life is a choice, why do so many young people choose death by suicide?

There are many reasons. One boy explains his reasons in this suicide tape he left behind.

"I'll tell you one thing, you really get messed up on that stuff. I didn't think it was when I was first taking them, but I've been getting pretty stoned lately and you just don't know what is real and what isn't real...It's hard to distinguish between right and wrong. I know...I'm gonna be suffering eternally for this, but life seems too long to wait. All I'm doing is existing. There really isn't anything to live for."

Do you see the tug-of-war going on inside this boy? Right vs. Wrong. Truth vs. The Lie. Mind vs. Feelings. Hope vs. Despair. Life vs. Death.

You have felt this tug-of-war. It goes on inside everybody. Sometimes Life wins, sometimes Death.

How can you tip the balance in favour of Life? This happens deep inside, where the Real You lives.

"I'D NEVER DO THAT."

Probably every suicide victim has said that at least once. Probably you have said it too. Still, many young people go "over the edge." Their minds gradually lose their grip. They are overpowered in the tug-of-war of life.

Most young people who attempt suicide do so for one of two reasons: 1) they get tricked into playing what seems like a dangerous and exciting game, or 2) they are so full of pain and despair that they give up on life.

Life on earth carries a price tag of pain. Painful things happen to everybody. For most people the price is not too high. They are willing to choose life and the pain that goes with it.

But some life experiences produce more pain than others. Here is a list of very painful experiences. One study has found that these experiences are common among young people who attempt suicide. Check the experiences you have had.

List 1

____ Loss of a parent or caretaker, either through desertion, divorce or death.

____ No significant person or intimate friend in your age group.

____ No one at all to whom you can get really close.

____ Someone in your home drinks too much alcohol.

____ Verbal, physical or sexual abuse.

____ Lots of "put downs" from members of your family or from other races.

____ Lots of isolation and loneliness.

____ Lots of conflict with parents, especially father.

____ Conflicts between parents: dad and mom don't get along.

____ Loss of health, best friend, or other prized possession.

"When my son was growing up I never really told him I loved him or that I cared for him. I basically left him to find out things for himself and to learn from those experiences. I wish now that I could have been able to tell him what was right and wrong and what he should be doing to make sure he didn't get into trouble. I think the way I brought up my children was learned through my parents who did not tell us what they felt for us or what they thought we should be doing as children and how to make the right decisions. There was very little guidance. I think that's where a lot of parents went wrong and we are seeing some of those effects now with the number of suicides happening." (Mother of a teen suicide victim)

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