Marty Gordon
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth age 10 and 34 according to 2017 data from the Centers for Disease Control.
The government agency also reports 60 percent of high school students claim that they have thought about committing suicide, and nine percent say they have tried at least once.
New numbers also reveal the suicide rate among teens and young women continues to be on the increase in the United States. A Christiansburg mother knows these statistics too well. Tracy Pugh LInkous’ daughter Brianna, known as Bri, took her own life last April.
Tracy describes her daughter as happy, well-adjusted, loved her friends and was involved in cheerleading. But there was a dark side to the girl who fought mental illness for most of her teenage years.
“Things started to change in middle school,” Linkous said. “I didn’t notice at first, and I thought most of it was just normal changes for kids.”
Her mother said Bri had been cutting herself and was withdrawn from her friends.
“It’s a mistake to ignore it,” she said. “I wish I had paid more attention to it all.”
Linkous hopes her story can help others facing similar problems. The key, she says, is to recognize signs a teenager might be suffering from mental problems.
Her remarks come during National Mental Health Month, May, which is set aside to raise awareness about mental illness. She is delivering a very important message to other parents.
“I want to raise awareness on the bigger picture that people might be suffering, and we must do something about it,” Linkous said.“The key is at least trying to recognize the signs.”
The CDC says those signs can be, but are not limited to: A disinterest in favorite activities, substance abuse, behavioral problems, withdrawal from family and friends, changes in sleep and eating habits, physical problems, declining grades in schools, and neglecting of hygiene and other matters of personal appearance. This can also include cutting, which is described as a way to control an emotional pain.
In Bri’s case, her self-harm was sometimes covered with long sleeves, not allowing the outside world to notice. The same was true for most of her other emotions. Bri had also been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, causing her to struggle with other health problems.
“What I want most for her is that she be remembered for the kind, loving person she was. She so appreciated beautiful sunrises, sunsets, flowers…I want us all to look for the all the things in life that are beautiful, and live for Bri,” Linkous said.
Thus, she has created an effort called “Living for Bri”, where people can share good things from their own lives—the sunrises and the high.
It’s very similar to another memorial started by close confident, Melissa Poole who has been battling her own grief. Poole’s daughter, Ashlyn, was killed last summer in a car wreck. The girls, Bri and Ashlyn, grew up together and were friends. Now the two mothers share something that most parents hope they never feel—loss.
“We share something a lot of parents don’t understand. We know what each other is going through and she has been very supportive,” Linkous said.
Many other parents have reached out to Linkous since her daughter’s death, telling her they also have faced and continue to face similar challenges.
“It’s tough, but it’s something parents need to learn more about and deal with,” she said.
Linkous blames social media for causing kids’ especially young girls’ problems we may never understand.
“They (kids) see the perfect pictures and expect to look that way, and it hurts them in so many ways,” she said.See More
One of the biggest things Linkous hopes is that the school system will be more open to youth sharing their thoughts and concerns about life.
“It’s okay to talk about it, and everyone needs to realize that,” she said.
“So many suffer silently, and they shouldn’t be. I want them to realize they can reach out and feel they can get the support and help that they need.”
The key, according to the grieving but determined mother, is that kids need to know they can talk, not only to their parents, but also administrators and school staff about their problems.
A concert is scheduled for Sunday, May 19 at Fat Back Soul Shack in Christiansburg to raise money for a scholarship in Brianna’s memory.
The “Living for Bri” suicide awareness event will feature live music with a $5 cover. The scholarship will be given to a graduating student from Christiansburg High School that plans to go into nursing, something Bri had expressed interest in.
For more information on “Living for Bri” visit: #living4Bri #rememberbri on Facebook.
For individuals facing some of the feelings discussed in this article, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
