With September being Suicide Prevention Month, the Oxford community aimed to create awareness and discussion surrounding the topic. Suicide rates have continued to rise over the past couple of years although, according to NPR, teen suicide has been on the decline. Suicide is still one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
In honor of this month, Oxford High School has made moves to create a sense of community, showing students they are
not alone. Oxford High School nurse Ashley Ledbetter had students write encouraging statements on sidewalks to help better students’ mental health.
“Even little small notes of affirmation, the messages that people wrote with sidewalk chalk,” Ledbetter said. “I was watching everyone and I could tell they were enjoying writing the messages. It is the connection of sharing those affirmations, and it really just takes one person to feel like ‘Hey, I am not alone.’ I am also wanting to put posters
up with the crisis lines, information about cope and other resources in the community just so people do not feel alone and make them realize that they really do matter.”
Talking about mental health has become increasingly important with the rise of social media. Social media fosters insecurity, and promoting healthy coping mechanisms helps to avoid anxiety, depression and desire to self-harm, which can eventually lead to suicide.
“These days it is a lot easier for people to isolate themselves, and even though they might still feel like a part of the community because they have friends on social media, spending all your time scrolling on social media and being immersed in your computer does not take the place of human interaction,” Ledbetter said.
The club, R.I.S.E., at the high school attempts to create a safe space to talk about these difficult topics. They also inform students of resources available if one is struggling mentally.
“Through our classroom presentations, we try to teach students that it is okay to talk about [mental health], to break down the barriers through some of our activities,” Deborah Jones, sponsor of R.I.S.E., said.
Other than discussing mental health, it is also important to be observant of friends and family for signs that they are struggling. This can help prevent people from feeling hopeless and alone.
“Someone that you know normally really
takes care of themselves, and suddenly they have changed the way they dress, their hygiene habits are different, things like that,” Ledbetter said. “A lot of times, when you know someone and love someone, you know how to read them. And, suddenly, when trying to connect with them seems off, that is a huge red flag.”
Breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health and making others, especially teens, realize they are not alone can help to prevent suicides.
“Hopefully, by talking about it, it prevents kids from getting to the point where they feel hopeless and like there is nothing they can do and no way out,” Jones said.
