Ashe Mountain Times

Why is it we do not become involved in an issue until it directly affects us?

With the upcoming memorial candlelight vigil at the Ashe County Courthouse on Sunday, the Ashe Suicide/Depression Awareness and Prevention task force is facing another battle: raising public awareness.

In three years of covering awareness events for not only ASAP, but also for any other public education event, I've become disheartened by the lack of attendance and visible support for this or any other subcommittee.

The task force has worked tirelessly over the years to reduce the incidents of suicide in the county, provide support for the survivors, and raise general awareness of this societal issue that ranks Ashe County first in the state for suicides per capita.

Even more so, the group has fought to remove the stigma associated with suicide and mental illness in the county. 

Throughout the year, they hold or assist with support meetings for family members, survivor walks, and candlelight vigils in an attempt to elicit a response in the community.

So far, it looks as if those efforts and requests for help have not been well received by Ashe County citizens. I don't know if you could call it apathy or just a general disinterest because it's one of those issues that just isn't nice to talk about. 

At most of the public awareness events, turnout has been modest at best with family members of suicide victims comprising the bulk of the attendance. This is not acceptable.

Ashe County has long prided itself as a collection of communities that band together for their own in a time of need.

These tightly woven townships hold bake sales and spaghetti fundraisers for those who are sick and unable to pay stack upon stack of costly medical bills.

We are a community that is filled with churches that look for ways to help those in their darkest hour.

But it is not money that ASAP is necessarily looking for. They are looking to raise awareness and eliminate a longstanding societal ill.

It is believed by some in the task force that the stigma associated with mental illness is to blame for the lack of awareness. People seem uncomfortable to talk about such a delicate issue.

We must look past this. Ignoring the problem will not make it disappear.

The community can no longer ignore such a pressing issue. It is time for Ashe County to stand together, combine its resources and address its appallingly high suicide rate and whatever reasons are to account for it. 

We are too strong and proud of a community to let this trend continue.

Ashe County is known as a place that takes care of its own, regardless of the plight.

Help remove the stigma by joining the cause and lending a voice of support.

Come to the events, become educated and ask how you can make a difference.

I would ask that area churches do the same and take advantage of the services the task force is offering and agree to distribute depression educational handouts to its congregations.

After all, education is our best weapon in raising awareness.

 

Jesse Campbell is a reporter for the Ashe Mountain Times. He can be contacted at (336) 246-6397 or (jesse.campbell@mountaintimes.com)