Letter to the Editor: Suicide is a tragedy, not a sin

Recently a candidate running for the presidency suggested that veterans who succumb to suicide may not be "strong enough" to deal with what they have experienced.

I am so saddened at the ignorance behind this statement. Such statements only add to the stigma of mental health issues and the stigma around suicide. Twenty two veterans a day are succumbing to suicide due to issues of PTSD and depression. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college aged students and youth 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.

The stigma surrounding suicide must be addressed, and education about mental illness is a first step, which is why I am writing to say:

Suicide is not a sin. It is a tragedy.

Suicide is not a selfish act, or a sign of weakness.

Suicide occurs when our coping mechanisms are overwhelmed by our psychic pain.

Victims of suicide truly believe the world would be better off without them. Victims of suicide believe there is no way out of the darkness, despair and anguish that they are experiencing. Depression is a mental illness. It is as real as any physical illness such as cancer or heart disease, and can be just as deadly.

Depression occurs when there is a chemical imbalance in the neurotransmitters of the brain, in much the same way that diabetes occurs when there is a disruption in the production of insulin. The church bears great responsibility for its damaging, inaccurate, destructive teachings regarding suicide.

When suicide occurs, God's heart is the first to break. Suicide is not a sin. Suicide is a tragedy.

Pastor Judy Gustafson

St. Paul's Lutheran Church

Hackensack