A few days ago, while unable to sleep, I read a powerful, shocking, and eye-opening post on CNN’s excellent site: In Japan, more people died from suicide last month than from Covid in all of 2020. And women have been impacted most. I recommend you read it, as there are powerful and important stories and insights in it.
As a suicide prevention researcher, writer, and speaker, I wanted to share some thoughts with you on what I read.
An Online Counseling Service
In the article, one of the things they discussed is a college student Koki Ozora starting a nonprofit called “Anata no Ibasho,” or “A Place for You.” He created this safe online counseling service as a way to help combat the rising suicides in Japan.
It’s completely outstanding that Ozora did this, and his example is inspiring. Ozora had his own serious struggles with depression growing up, and he’s significantly helping others. We all have the power to take action and make an impact on the cause of our choice.
People are severely struggling with the challenges of the coronavirus together with family life, and they need help.
A Tragic and Unacceptable Case of Cyberbullying
The article also touched on Professional wrestler Hana Kimura, who took her own life over the summer. She did this after social media users bombarded her with hateful messages.
Our dysfunctional society is absolutely messed up, to put it lightly. Cyberbullying is fully unacceptable, yet it continues. In my opinion, cyberbullying needs to be made illegal – or, at the very least, given more serious repercussions for those who partake in these childish and disgraceful actions.
Before you say I’m being harsh, or that cyberbullying is something that needs to be “accepted” because it will never change, please let it sink in that cyberbullying is literally leading to suicides. In fact, all forms of bullying are leading to people harming themselves.
Bullying destroys people’s self-esteem and causes them to believe they’re worthless – and that’s only the beginning, as it does way worse than that. Stay tuned, as I’ll be doing more research on this in the years ahead.
Seventeen years ago, when I was fourteen years old, the person who I thought was one of my best friends severely cyberbullied me for hours. He was giving me crap because I was going to a private all-boys high school, calling me a faggot and all sorts of brutal names. I chose this school because of the influence of certain people in my inner circle, and this fake friend made it seem like I was a really bad person for going to this school. This is a long story for another day that I won’t fully go into with you today, but I mention it to share with you that I know first-hand how brutal it is to experience cyberbullying. It’s no joke, and this epidemic needs to stop.
The Powerful Story of Eriko Kobayashi
At the beginning of the CNN article, they say Eriko Kobayashi has tried to kill herself four times. At the end of the article, they quote Kobayashi saying the following:
I come out to the public and say that I have been mentally ill and suffered from depression in the hope that others might be encouraged to speak out. I am 43 now and life starts to get more fun in the middle of my life. So, I feel it’s good that I am still alive.
Eriko Kobayashi, suicide survivor
If only there was a way to show people who are suicidal that things will, most of the time, get better.
When you commit suicide, you eliminate all chances of something good happening to you in the future.
I know what it’s like to be clinically depressed. I know what it’s like to be abused. I know what it’s like to be suicidal, as I came incredibly close to hanging myself when I was seventeen years old (due to other unexpected setbacks not discussed in this post). And I know what it’s like to think there’s no way out.
But your demons aren’t right. There’s always hope. There’s always light.
Stay strong, my friend. I believe in you.
Jeff Davis is an award-winning author, most recently publishing The Power of Authentic Leadership: Activating the 13 Keys to Achieving Prosperity Through Authenticity. He’s also an authentic leadership keynote speaker and Executive Coach to leaders and CEOs, offering individualized coaching. Follow him on Twitter.
