GOOD CHARLOTTE & SUICIDE PREVENTION

I wrote what follows over a year ago. I put it on an expensive Web Site I got good hits on. I have begun to return to this most important and needed subject. I point out that great information comes from the most unusual places. I have since purchased Good Charlotte’s new CD. I just need time to work my way through it. I do want to share the following with you:

Suicide is like cancer and heart attack—Let’s don’t talk about it! Perhaps it is worse than those things, and I know it doesn’t sound like a very encouraging subject, but today it is such an important subject. It is true that most folks don’t even want to speak the word suicide and there are many, many myths surrounding the subject. But, it does help to talk about it and most certainly to folks who have suicidal ideation.

Did you know that: Every 18 minutes someone in the U.S. dies by suicide. Every 19 minutes someone is left to make sense of it. That I got from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. You could never guess where I found that Website. It was late and I was just sitting there flipping channels and there it was, on of all places, MTV. Now, I might just watch a little CMT and VHl, but MTV? Hardly!

A few years ago I spent about an hour in our living room, about 1:00 a.m., talking to a guy who had a loaded and cocked 30-30 in his mouth. That’s not the only encounter I have had but that particular time I just stayed with him, listened to him mostly, and talked to him. Finally I got up, crossed the room, took the rifle and unloaded it and put it up in my closet. You don’t forget times like that. More recently I have spent much time in suicide studies and have had specialized training for all ages of persons who threaten to complete suicide. Why? I will go to all lengths to help anyone who is suicidal or in trouble in any way similar to that.

What is it that drives people to that point? Despair? Hopelessness? Life has just lost all its meaning! Questions need to be answered and there seem to be no answers! But, right there on MTV was this Punk Pop band called Good Charlotte singing Hold On from their CD entitled The Young and the Helpless. I was greatly impressed and so proud I had found the source.

Now, come to find out, the Hold On video is a team up effort with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Band member Benji Madden, said: I did come to certain points in my life where I thought that [suicide] was an option. But with Hold On he says, It’s the most important song on the album to me because we wrote it for one specific reason. All of our lyrics are really personal, and we got a lot of personal letters. . .We want to give fans hope, just let them know it’s never worth taking your own life.

How refreshing! And it comes from a Punk Pop band on MTV. Good things come from some of the most amazing places. Keep your eyes and ears open. Shock and surprise might just come your way too. Share this message with young people you know.