Editor’s Note: The need for suicide prevention takes focus in the Crestview area, particularly after Iraq War veteran and Hub City resident Drew Winkler’s unexpected death.
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Dear editor,
Suicide is one of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States, and it's preventable.
Nine out of 10 people who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental health condition, like depression, at the time of their death. Together, we can help people who struggle to seek help, improve the quality of their lives, and stop this tragic loss of life.
I volunteer with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to raise awareness and teach our communities ways all of us can help to prevent suicide.
From learning the risks and warning signs of suicide, to having an honest conversation with a loved one about seeking mental health help, we are dedicated to bringing people together to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.
I will be traveling to Washington, D.C. this month to tell my members of Congress how important this issue is to me. It is important to me because it affected me directly — I lost my father to suicide in 2007.
Please take five minutes right now to call your U.S. representative and senators at 202-224-3121, and tell them to make mental health a national priority and to fund suicide prevention research today.
Join me in this fight to #stopsuicide. Together we can make a difference.
What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet us.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: LETTER: Help fight suicide now, Northwest Florida