Suicide prevention provided in ACE bells
Suicide is a national public health problem, and is one of the most preventable forms of death. However, more teenagers die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined. The loss of a teenager can be devastating for families.
December 1, 2014
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youth ages 15 to 24, and 14% of teenagers has been through a state of serious depression in the past year, according to Suicide Prevention Education Alliance.
“The ACE bell basically told us how to recognize suicidal people and gave us one solution. To talk to someone.” said freshman, Gabby Yun.
During recent ACE bells, suicide prevention was a main topic. A PowerPoint and video was shown, and emergency phone number cards were passed out to classes.
“The bell was almost pointless,” said Yun, “The only solution they gave us was to talk to a trusted adult. I do not think that could ever be very effective.”
Teenage suicide and depression is caused by family issues, school pressure or stress, and much more. Becoming proactive and recognizing the situation before anything drastic happens was taught to be the key to suicide prevention.
“I say, help your friends through things by getting to the root problem and making them feel better about it,” said Yun, “Suicidal students are not going to find happiness from speaking to someone who does not actually care.”
![THAT’S SO FETCH. “Mean Girls,” a popular film directed by Mark Waters features a new student, Cady Heron, who is bullied by the popular students. During the movie, she undergoes friendship and bullying problems. But, by the end of the movie, she solves her problems and makes peace with the bullies. “Almost everyone has watched [“Mean Girls”] once, if not a couple times. It is just a go-to when you’re with your girls,” said Debasmita Kanungo, 11.](https://shsleaf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/weissblogmeangirlsphoto-300x424.jpg)
