Ways to Die and the American National Safety Council
Think about all the commercials you have watched in the last week. Several a day are "public education" announcements for the flavour of the week. They are announcements for our protection, teaching us how to protect ourselves from certain death. I have seen West Nile, boating, drunk driving, HIV/Aids, carbon monoxide, fires, and hot weather. After the earthquakes overseas I was taught how to hide in my home. After the tsunamis I was shown how to hang on to the top of my car with my seatbelt wrapped around my arms to keep me safe during a sudden flood. I know how to hide in a ditch during a tornado and I know how to keep my car warm if I am caught in blizzard.
I recently received my copy of National Geographic and in it was an article showing a graph from the American National Safety Council on your likelihood of dying a certain way.
What do you think your top five ways of dying are? What do you think is most likely to kill you?
Cancer? Number 2. You have a 1 in 7 chance of dying of cancer.
Car accident? Number 4. 1 in 84.
Flood? Nope 1 in 144,156.
What about suicide? Where does that stand?
Heart disease 1 in 5.
Cancer 1 in 7.
Stroke 1 in 24.
Car Accident 1 in 84.
Suicide 1 in 119.
It is the fifth likely way to die.
How many public announcements have you seen for suicide lately.? I have seen a lot of fluffy commercials for the drugs that can help you, but those are paid for by the drug companies that want you to by their drugs. How many commercials paid for by with public funds have you seen?
According to these statistics you could run around all day with your tin foil hat and a golf club during a thunderstorm, survive, and then come and swallow a bunch of pills.
Its not the terrorists that are going to get you. Its you that is going to get you.
So what do you think the problem is?
Is their some conspiracy against us, keeping the crazies in the closet? (Well, some of us may truly think that, but that is just our sickness talking.)
Truly, it is our fault. It is our shame and our embarrassment that is keeping others from knowing how to see the signs and protecting themselves. Public money will only go to what is determined as important to the public.
We need to stop being embarrassed by our feelings. The only thing we need to be embarrassed by is our refusal to treat ourselves. The only shame we should have is in not talking about it.
When I first really became diagnosed, I was very open with who I was and where I had been. People were shocked. Some distanced themselves from me and whispered "crazy" behind my back. Even today, Brooke Shields admission of post partum depressions is mind blowing to some. If we stood up, in just our normal day, we would have less Andrea Yates with us.
It is okay to mentally ill. We do not have a choice in being it, so why be shameful? What is not okay is living with it untreated, wallowing in it, savoring the drama of it.
We need to stand up for who we are. Soon you may see me on a commercial.
"Hello, my name is Tiffany, and I am crazy. You may have seen me in other public announcements like 'Your prozac and you' and 'No, your VCR is not recording your thoughts'."
Stand up, get help, and help others. Its our blessing.
NSC Ways to Die
I recently received my copy of National Geographic and in it was an article showing a graph from the American National Safety Council on your likelihood of dying a certain way.
What do you think your top five ways of dying are? What do you think is most likely to kill you?
Cancer? Number 2. You have a 1 in 7 chance of dying of cancer.
Car accident? Number 4. 1 in 84.
Flood? Nope 1 in 144,156.
What about suicide? Where does that stand?
Heart disease 1 in 5.
Cancer 1 in 7.
Stroke 1 in 24.
Car Accident 1 in 84.
Suicide 1 in 119.
It is the fifth likely way to die.
How many public announcements have you seen for suicide lately.? I have seen a lot of fluffy commercials for the drugs that can help you, but those are paid for by the drug companies that want you to by their drugs. How many commercials paid for by with public funds have you seen?
According to these statistics you could run around all day with your tin foil hat and a golf club during a thunderstorm, survive, and then come and swallow a bunch of pills.
Its not the terrorists that are going to get you. Its you that is going to get you.
So what do you think the problem is?
Is their some conspiracy against us, keeping the crazies in the closet? (Well, some of us may truly think that, but that is just our sickness talking.)
Truly, it is our fault. It is our shame and our embarrassment that is keeping others from knowing how to see the signs and protecting themselves. Public money will only go to what is determined as important to the public.
We need to stop being embarrassed by our feelings. The only thing we need to be embarrassed by is our refusal to treat ourselves. The only shame we should have is in not talking about it.
When I first really became diagnosed, I was very open with who I was and where I had been. People were shocked. Some distanced themselves from me and whispered "crazy" behind my back. Even today, Brooke Shields admission of post partum depressions is mind blowing to some. If we stood up, in just our normal day, we would have less Andrea Yates with us.
It is okay to mentally ill. We do not have a choice in being it, so why be shameful? What is not okay is living with it untreated, wallowing in it, savoring the drama of it.
We need to stand up for who we are. Soon you may see me on a commercial.
"Hello, my name is Tiffany, and I am crazy. You may have seen me in other public announcements like 'Your prozac and you' and 'No, your VCR is not recording your thoughts'."
Stand up, get help, and help others. Its our blessing.
NSC Ways to Die
posted by TIffany at 8:24 AM
3 Comments:
Amen!
I didn't know suicide was so high on the list. That's really urr..odd/scary. It's silly how our world works. How we're all so scared of others opinions when we're adults. Why should it matter? But it does. The real adults are the ones who can say "I have a problem, I'm..." and not worry about the loss of friends. Those people aren't friends. Transparency should be a freeing experience.
Tiffany,
These are some of the most amazingly transparent entries I have read. In a world where it seems like the hardest thing a person can do is simply be "real" you do it with grace. I am reminded of a verse in a J.Knapp song that goes "...she's strong enough to stand in His love". You truly are strong enough to stand and be tranformed by the Love of Christ. I encourage you to consider writing a book about your journey.
Many Blessings,
Mike
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