Every 16 Minutes

Well if you want  honesty then you better brace yourself

Because I’m going to be real here

Depression is a real thing

And it’s time we have a talk about the fact that

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in youths age 10-24

Yes you heard me right

Ten years old? Imagine your little sibling

Fighting back tears and thinking those thoughts

But you would never see it coming.

It’s time to open your eyes and see that 4 out of 5

That’s 80%

Of teens who commit suicide give

Clear warning signs that they intend to do so

And you say you didn’t see it coming?

Look me in the eye

And let me tell you not what you want to hear but what you need to

That more teens die from suicide than from cancer

Heart disease

AIDS
Birth defects

Stroke

Pneumonia

Influenza

And chronic lung disease

COMBINED.

No, you did not mishear.

And you say this isn’t real? In the united states alone

Every single day there is around 5,000 suicide attempts in grades 7-12

5,000 is no small number and suicide is no small matter.

Put yourself in my shoes for a second and imagine feeling this way.

Put yourself in my shoes and wonder where you went wrong.

Put yourselves in my shoes and try and tell me this isn’t real

Every 16 minutes someone kills themselves

Every 16 minutes someone takes their precious life away

Because they don't feel loved

Or supported

Or welcomed

Or like anyone would care

Or like they could ever go anywhere

They don’t feel like it’s worth it

And tell me, mother, who told me I just need to be happy,

And tell me, mother, who wouldn’t leave me alone,

Tell me how you think this makes me feel?
Dear boyfriend who dumped me because I was depressed

Dear boyfriend who dumped when you knew I was down

Dear everyone who knew I wasn’t okay but continued to hurt me anyway.

So tell me, is it real yet?
Do you see it yet?

Do you believe me yet?

 

This poem is about: 
Me
My community
My country
Our world

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If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741