Editorial

It was a regular school morning for Alice Farricker as she woke up her 15-year-old daughter to prepare for school alongside her other children. She had no idea that within five minutes her daughter would be gone.

The individuals who take their lives are not always the ones who seem gloomy or depressed. Sometimes they appear like everything is okay, and they are holding it all in.

More work needs to be done to provide resources and help those experiencing suicidal thoughts in Shelby County and a group of parents in Chelsea have recognized that.

Local residents recently gathered for a parent seminar on suicide prevention in Chelsea in the first step in learning how to better spot the signs of suicide and how to help those experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Children, and adults too, need to know that they are not alone and that it is okay to experience negative thoughts. We need to remove the stigma around mental illness and suicidal thoughts. It’s okay to discuss these topics and its okay to reach out for help. Everyone has moments of doubt and darkness.

Let them know of the resources that are available and ensure that those resources can actually help them with the problem. Parents need to work with their children and let them know that it’s okay to come to them and discuss these topics safely.

There  have been several suicides in Shelby County recently and one loss is one too many.