Life Out There (Suicide)
by Rebecca Shwayri (Feb. '01)
January tends to be a reflective time for many of us, as we work to create resolutions for this new year. For me, January tends to be contemplative for a different reason. In the month of January during my freshman year of college, one of my best friends, an Orthodox Christian, committed suicide. Suicide is a debilitating problem among young people of college age because the signs are often ignored. The frequency of suicide is quite disconcerting. In fact, suicide is the ninth leading cause of death in the United States, with 31,204 deaths recorded in 1995. There are more suicides than homicides each year in the US. Today, suicide is the third leading cause of death for teenagers between the ages of 15-19.
The Church’s philosophy on suicide is quite clear. St. Paul writes: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (I Corinthians 7:19). As Orthodox Christians, our lives belong to our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ. God created man’s life. Consequently, man’s life belongs to God. St. Paul also states: “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which is God’s” (I Corinthians 7:20). In this instance, St. Paul is referring to the fact that Christ was the ransom for our life. Christ died for us, and, in effect, owns us. This ownership must not be viewed as bondage. Rather, this ownership has set us free.
While college students and teenagers are “susceptible” to this problem, there are a number of things we can all do to make suicide less frequent. First, if your friend is talking about suicide (even jokingly), take the threat seriously. Talk to your friend’s parents, priest, counselor, etc. Second, if you notice that your friend has become irritable, anxious or withdrawn, talk with him or her. If you still suspect that your friend is in physical danger, do not hesitate to ask. Finally, if you are having thoughts of suicide, do not be afraid to talk with someone. Take comfort in the fact that God loves and cares about you.