Most people go through many difficult situations throughout their lives, and most of the time there’s a solution; whether it be good or bad. Too often people choose suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary problem.



Every three minutes, another person attempts to commit suicide and what people don’t know is that suicide is more common among teenagers then most people assume. One out of ten teenagers have committed or contemplated suicide, and I’m sad to say that my friend was one of those people.


On October 30th, a day before Halloween, my friend Victoria’s best friend, Rachel, was pronounced dead from excessive blood loss. She had been in a coma for a week before they finally pulled the plug right before her eyes. Days before, Victoria had been noticing cuts along Rachel’s arms, but never though anything serious about it. Everyday a new cut would appear; each one deeper and deeper then the last. It finally just got out of hand. She went too deep and ended up hitting a vein.


Victoria never got to say farewell to her beloved friend; she wasn’t even able to go to her funeral. They say the loss of a friend is like the loss of a limb, you can anguish the wound, but it will never truly heal. Ever since it has torn me apart to see the expression on Victoria’s face and to know that one could die so young.

Rachel’s death was later ruled suicide.


I can’t say that Victoria and I have never once considered suicide as an answer, and I would be lying if I did, but knowing all the hurting brought on to others has convinced us to look beyond it. We now strive to become the woman Rachel never got to be, and we are truly thankful for the help we have been provided that she never sought for.


Everyday, another story like mine is produced. Another loss and another statistic are added to the count. I’ve found that there are many other ways than suicide; you just have to reach out and find the one for you.