I am a psychotherapist who has been in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1987. I interact with clients, friends, colleagues and acquaintances daily about the state of their moods. I am struck by how many folks are feeling overwhelmed. They are having moments (sometimes more than moments) of depression and anxiety.

Statistics show that people attempting to kill themselves and those who do commit suicide are at an all time high in this country. There are many reasons for this including the influence of social media, the stress of making enough money to survive, job loss, death of a loved one, relationship break up, loneliness, isolation, the intense pressure to obtain a 4.8 grade point average, the belief that only extreme financial success will increase self-esteem and security. In addition to these reasons, I believe we have lost our way. We don’t realize that the purpose of life is to be happy. We don’t know what the definition of that word is anymore.

According to The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the tenth leading cause of death for all age groups. In 2017, over 47,000 people committed suicide. 77% of these suicides are men; overwhelmingly white. According to The Parent Resource Program/The Jason Foundation, suicide is the second leading cause of death for ages 10-24. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college-age youth and ages 12-18. More teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease, combined. Each day in our nation, there are an average of over 3,041 attempts by young people grades 9-12.

Here are 13 Reasons Why Suicide is the Ultimate Mistake:

1. You cannot come back to life once you’re gone
2. You won’t have to opportunity to work through the pain you are experiencing.
3. You can never say goodbye or hello again.
4. You will never hear the music you love again.
5. You will never hear the laughter of your loved ones again.
6. You will never smell the salty air that comes from the ocean.
7. You will never feel the calmness that comes from intense exercise again.
8. You will never experience the feeling of endless possibilities again.
9. You will never feel the touch of a lover again.
10. You will never be there to help a friend through tough times again.
11. You will never see a sunrise again.

12. You will never make new friends.
13. You will never love or be loved again.

Feel free to add your own reasons for continuing to live. If you change all the negative words to positive such as: I will get to hear the music I love or I will get to hear the laughter of my loved ones; you may be on the road to finding joy and happiness.

If you are feeling suicidal, call a trusted friend or family member, your therapist or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.