Why We Choose Suicide
An Insightful Look Into Mark Henick’s TedTalk
“People seem plenty eager to talk about mental illness and about suicide just as long as it’s behind closed doors and in hushed voices”. -Mark Henick
With suicide being the 9th leading cause of death in Canada, it’s easy to see why it’s so important to speak up and raise awareness surrounding the issue. But even talking about it sometimes isn’t enough. Understanding suicide and why people often turn to it as an escape is crucial in helping those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts. There are many deeper, hidden reasons as to why one might choose to kill themselves, and Mark Henick’s TedTalk on the subject helps bring light to these reasons. If you’re interested in uncovering some of the hidden truths about suicide, please take a look at the TedTalk below.
*Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide and graphic descriptions of suicide attempts.*
[CTA: Did you know? More than 300 million people struggle with depression worldwide. If left unchecked, depression can have lasting negative effects. If you suspect that you or someone you know is struggling with depression, check out this list of depression symptoms to look for.]
Understanding Suicide
A main idea that Mark Henick’s TedTalk tells us is that we often choose suicide to end our suffering and our pain, not to end our lives. People with suicidal thoughts often don’t want to die, but want to stop living, to have everything stop for a while and for the pain to end.
Many individuals struggling with suicidal thoughts feel alone, or worthless, as though nobody would care if they did end their life. This is an idea that is touched on in Mark’s TedTalk, and highlights the importance of checking in on friends and family, as you never know what someone might be struggling with.
[CTA: Do you or someone you know need someone to talk to? Know that you’re not alone. Reach out to the Distress Centre which offers 24 hour support.]
Just One More Day
Something else that Mark focuses on is the saying “just one more day”. He urges those who are struggling with suicidal thoughts to hold on for just one more day, and to continue doing this each day that passes. It’s not easy, and it may seem pointless, but there’s always a chance that tomorrow is the change you need, or that tomorrow provides you with the opportunity to reach out and seek help, or that maybe tomorrow is just a better day than the one before. One more day can bring countless of possibilities, and Mark’s TedTalk tells us that holding on for one more day might just end up saving your life.
We at VictoryLab® encourage you to seek professional help if you’re experiencing suicidal thoughts, or to let a friend or family member know. Understanding suicide isn’t always easy, but it’s crucial to do so in order to lower the shockingly high suicide rates of today. Please reach out and ask for help when you need it. We urge you to hold on for just one more day.
“For those of you who might be contemplating suicide, I know that there’s a hope somewhere deep inside you, I felt it too. Keep that hope alive. We need you”. - Mark Henick
If you’re struggling with suicidal thoughts, please click here. To learn more about what VictoryLab® can do for yourself or your team, please click here.
