The topic I have chosen to dedicate this semester to studying and writing about is suicide. When I say the word suicide, you automatically feel a certain way, as everyone does, and rightly so. You already have your prejudices and feel what you feel--and are definitely entitled to those opinions. What I desire to do throughout this semester is to pull back the curtains on suicide and look into the causes and effects of such a tragedy. I hope to be able to shed some light on the subject and inform those who maybe do not understand the subject or wish to know more about it. The reason I have chosen such a topic to spend my time learning more about is extremely personal and deeply routed. I have dealt with suicide and the effects of it in many different ways throughout my life. When I was a little girl, at the age of ten, my best friend's father committed suicide. I have see the many adverse effects that she and her family has had to deal with because of his passing. Another experience I have had in my life regarding suicide happened just six short months ago as my dear cousin took his life at the young age of 16. This has been such a harrowing experience. Every assumption I previously had surrounding suicide changed. I no longer judged those that struggled with depression or suicidal thoughts because I now knew how real it actually was, and how anyone, no matter their situation could struggle with such a disease. Depression is not something you can just snap out of. It is more than that, it is a chemical imbalance and is as real as high blood pressure or asthma, and needs to be recognized as so. That is why I have dedicated my time to such a topic as this.
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| My family & I at my cousins funeral. |
