Suicide is one of the ultimate taboos in society.

It’s rarely talked about, but is extremely prevalent. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among individuals between 15 to 34 years old. The leading cause of suicide among college students is untreated depression.

There are many misconceptions about what will happen if we talk about suicide. There is a misconception that having conversations about suicide will give the person the idea to do it. Another misconception is that people who plan on committing suicide are unwilling to seek help. These harmful assumptions are almost always untrue, and yet they are still perpetuated.

For the past decade, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has been actively battling the stigma surrounding suicide with the annual Out of the Darkness Walk. This past weekend, the student organization Ask.Listen.Save once again hosted the University of Wisconsin’s Out of the Darkness Walk.

Through its campus walks, the organization helps raise funds and spread awareness to fight the stigma and help end suicide.

Ending the stigma surrounding suicide and other mental illnesses is crucial for saving lives. The statistics show that 1 out of 4 college students suffer from some form of mental illness, but 75 percent of college students do not seek help.

Students struggling with mental health find solace in UW suicide prevention programs

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among college students, and 4 out of 5 students who contemplate or attempt suicide show clear warning signs. If we became more proactive and open about suicide prevention, more lives would be saved.

Whether it’s a personal struggle or watching a loved one grapple with it, suicide touches almost everyone indiscriminately. It is so often ignored, and when an individual does come into contact with suicide for the first time, it can blindside them.

Mental illness is treatable, whether it is through talk therapy, medication or any combination of treatments available. Distinct warning signs accompany suicide in 75 percent of cases. There is help available at levels ranging from UW campus to worldwide.

As the suicide awareness and prevention movement is gaining traction across the globe, suicide and mental health issues are slowly becoming more approachable. Student organizations such as Ask.Listen.Save are leading the way in this battle. As advocacy is improved, more and more resources are available for anyone struggling with suicide.

The University Health Services sponsors free, online suicide prevention training for UW students and staff. This is one of the many resources offered on campus, not to mention resources such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline that exist on a much larger scale.

Campus awareness walks and fundraisers are essential for starting the battle against suicide. But for our society to truly make progress, we need to be open and proactive about how we view suicide and mental illness. Every life is precious and worth living. The battle against suicide can be won if we are all willing to step up and be part of the solution.

Hannah Fricke ([email protected]) is a junior majoring in microbiology and life sciences communication.