Many students in our school have either heard of or knew a young Metamora man by the name of Noah Johnson. This young man took his life due to circumstances unknown to us. He was a football player and a very active person, loving to lift weights, play sports, and hunt. For the people left behind in this tragedy there is a fog of questions. What made him do it? What could I have done? How can I help? Where can I go for help? Although the reasons for his actions are not known and may never be known, there is still things we can do. If you are worried about a friend being in danger of taking his life, think about the dos and don’ts mentioned previously. Also, if you have real concern for a person that may be in danger of taking his or her life, tell someone. Contact an adult you trust. A parent, teacher, or administrator is better equipped to help and handle the situation. If you want to help, the family of Noah has requested that any memorials be made to Metamora Township
    High School c/o Noah Johnson Memorial Scholarship Fund for Class of 2012. If you are looking to help in general there are ways to do that as well. If you are looking for ways to help your fellow teens go to Teenlineonline.org. Teen Line is a way for teens in need to talk to people who understand the most what they are going through, other teens. You can apply to be a Teen Line listener. In this position, you will receive calls and texts from other teens seeking someone to talk to or in need of helpful advice.
     Finally, if you yourself need help dealing with grief or remorse for someone you have lost or you similar feeling as Noah, tell someone. If you are suffering from remorse for lost loved ones talk to a friend or seek the help of a professional who will be able to help you with grief and crisis counseling. If you are afraid to talk to someone in person, you can contact the Teen Line at (310) 855-HOPE (4673) or Just text “TEEN” to 839863. If you are having similar feelings as Noah, please seek help. There are people who are ready to give you the hand that you need.
     Teen suicide is a horrible tragedy that is felt in more than just the family that has lost a child. Classmates, friends, and even people who have never met Noah feel remorse in the aftermath of his death. If you need help, please, please seek it. If you want to help, there are places you can go. Together we can save the life of someone close to us. When a teen commits suicide, everyone is affected. Family members, friends, teammates, neighbors, and sometimes even those who didn't know the teen well might experience feelings of grief, confusion, guilt — and the sense that if only they had done something differently, the suicide could have been prevented. Suicide is a mystery to some, and for some it is all too familiar. Nobody really has a complete answer as to why people commit suicide. There are so many very different reasons people end their lives in such a tragic way. In 2007 it was the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 34,598 deaths. An estimated 1
    1 attempted suicides occur per every suicide death.
     Some people who have severe thoughts of suicide do not always show how they are feeling or tell anybody about their thoughts. They want to hide it and do not want to tell people about how they feel because they are ashamed they feel this way. But it is better to talk about it, and it is better to let someone know. To have that person you can call when you have nobody else to talk to, and who knows what all is going on. Or you can call The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Lifeline is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. By dialing 1-800-273-TALK, the call is routed to the nearest crisis center in the national network of more than 150 crisis centers. The Lifeline’s national network of local crisis centers, provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals day and night.
    Tips for Prevention:
    Do:
    • LISTEN - don't give advice, make judgments, or attempt to solve the problem - just listen
    • Comment on the changes that you have noticed ("Lately I've noticed that you have been spending a lot of time alone in your room, is something bothering you?") - this shows that you are concerned
    • Take their problems seriously
    • Send them the message that they are important to you, you care about them, and you want to help.
    Don't say:
    • "Oh come on, things aren't that bad."
    • "You have it good compared to ..."
    • "Aren't you exaggerating a bit?"
    • "Suicide. That's a stupid way to solve your problem."
    • "Hang in there things will blow over."
    (http://www.youthsuicide.ca/youth_questions/feelings.htm)