WHAT INSPIRED MAN OF THE HOUSE?
“Man Of The House” originated from a phrase my father used to say, before he left the house, “When I’m not here, you’re the Man of the House.” Sadly, at the age of 5, he died by Suicide, leaving my 1 year old sister, 29 year old mother, and many other loving Family and Friends. For most of my life, no one in my family talked about his suicide, including myself, because I was too afraid to be vulnerable and possibly be judged by my peers.
But life, growth, and the strength in others allowed me to open up and share what really happened to my father, and because of their courage and wisdom, I am able to share this story and be a voice for those that are struggling silently with depression, or any Mental Health issue.
#MentalHealthAwareness #SuicidePrevention
A CONVERSATION WE MUST HAVE
Suicide Statistics: According to the American Foundation on Suicide Prevention and National Institute on Mental Health.
- Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the US
- Suicide was the third leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 14, and the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 and 34.
- In 2015, the highest suicide rate (19.6) was among adults between 45 and 64 years of age. The second highest rate (19.4) occurred in those 85 years or older. Younger groups have had consistently lower suicide rates than middle-aged and older adults. In 2015, adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 had a suicide rate of 12.5.
- On average, there are 121 suicides per day
- For every suicide, 25 attempt
- Firearms account for almost 50% of all suicides
- Men die by suicide 3.5x more often than women
- Stigma surrounding suicide leads to underreporting, so the numbers could be higher
- Over the past 15 years, the total suicide rate continues to increase