The Power of Hope
On Friday, May 30, the With Hope, Amber Craig Memorial Foundation held a conference in the Performing Arts Center with the aim to educate students on the prevention of suicide through the awareness of depression and its affect on a person’s mental health. John Stanton spoke to health and psychology students during a 45 minute interactive presentation about the causes and ways to prevent suicide, and on how to recognize depression. The non-profit organization was inspired by the loss of Amber Craig, a fourteen-year-old girl who had taken her life almost 10 years ago.
His lecture included a personal story in which Stanton himself had lost a friend to suicide, and numerous scientific information to give credit for the information presented. He discussed the leading cause of suicide, depression, and stressed that most depression goes unnoticed or untreated, causing it to be the leading cause of disability in the world. He introduced startling statistics that reveal suicide is becoming a more apparent issue for children and teens, as the second leading cause of death for 18-24 year olds, and the third leading cause for 15-24 year olds. Stanton also mentioned multiple well-known celebrities that have dealt with depression and have even attempted or succeeded at taking their life, to draw connections and demonstrate to the audience that this is a prevalent issue.
>Stanton also discussed the importance for those who seem to be depressed to receive help, even if the person is reluctant or dismissive of receiving treatment. He said if someone knows of another person who is suffering from depression or has had thoughts of taking their life, to “never promise to keep this secret,” and to contact an adult that the person can trust with the information so that they person can receive help. Although there are many causes of depression, treatment in the form of medication and therapy have helped most of those who have suffered.
Stanton believes it is a good idea for families to discuss their mental health history and that educating others about depression and suicide will be a determining factor in combating a mental health issue that takes a life ever 14.2 minutes in the United States alone. For more information on the With Hope foundation and on depression and suicide warning signs and information, visit their website at www.withhopefoundation.org.