Suicide Prevention Ad Shows That It's Not Something We Should Judge Someone For; Everyone Struggles In Their Own Way
In the aftermath of Robin Williams’ suicide, people came out the woodwork to chastise him for being selfish. Fox News anchor Shepard Smith called him a coward — and since apologized — while punk rocker Henry Rollins wrote in a blog post for LA Weekly that he regards anyone who commits suicide “with a bit of disdain.” It’s worth saying that Rollins also tried to explain how hard it is for people to deal with depression, but failed to mention that, when it comes down to it, it’s just impossible to understand how another person thinks and feels.
That’s what the suicide prevention ad below tries to explain, and it’s emphasized through a boy whose voice doesn’t match his appearance — you can just imagine him saying “you don’t know me!” Daily struggles, like a boss who constantly rejects good ideas or having the money to afford a meal, build on each other. While these may be managed by some, others can’t handle the pressure, and one small altercation could be the tipping point.
“What you’re failing to understand, that there’s a lot of people out there on their last dollar. They’ve been thinking about cashing it in, over and over again. Fighting every single day just to understand their existence,” the boy (kind of) says.
The reality of it is that depression is a serious, serious disease. Those who suffer from it feel a deep, painful sadness that eats away any hope or positivity. “That’s the thing about depression,” Elizabeth Wurtzel, a writer and journalist once said. “A human being can survive almost anything, as long as she sees the end in sight. But depression is so insidious, and it compounds daily, that it’s impossible to ever see the end. The fog is like a cage without a key.”
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, call the suicide prevention hotline at 1-800-273-TALK.