People don’t really understand suicide. It’s easy to dismiss it as a selfish act. I won’t argue for or against that point. However, although suicide is about those left behind, being suicidal has nothing to do with anyone but the person suffering. Losing the will to live or to continue the simple act of living is not an easy place to be. When the depression becomes so thick that you can’t see anything but hurt, it is a last resort to find peace in a chaotic sadness.

I’m not advocating suicide by any stretch of the imagination, but I do believe that the first step in helping those who are suicidal is to acknowledge and accept how real their feelings are. Well-meaning people attempt to downplay these feelings out of love and fear, but trying to convince someone that what she or he is experiencing isn’t real will only make that person feel more like an outcast. Getting out of bed and dusting yourself off, even kneeling in prayer, feels impossible.

People who suffer from depression need permission to feel what they feel without fear of being dismissed, sent to hell or sent to Jesus. Our young men and women are under increasing pressure to live in a world that is constantly changing and challenging.

Falling victim to the stress isn’t about a lack of strength or faith; it is merely about a need for support and understanding. It is important to be able to pay attention, lend support and offer the tools necessary to increase wellness.

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— Bassey Ikpi on “Black Teens & Suicide” (via buttahlove)