By Liisa K. Hyvarinen
On Ten News at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, anchor Sue Zelenko brought you a story the Surgeon General's new initiative on fighting the increasing numbers of teen suicide. The following is a transcript of the broadcast version of this special report.
IT'S A SUBJECT THAT MAKES MOST OF US UNCOMFORTABLE.
BUT NOW THE SURGEON GENERAL IS ENCOURAGING PARENTS, TEACHERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS TO PUT ASIDE THOSE FEELINGS AND TALK ABOUT IT.
EVERY -1- HOUR AND -45- MINUTES A PARENT LOSES A CHILD TO SUICIDE IN THIS COUNTRY AND THAT HAPPENS 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.
SUE ZELENKO JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THE SURGEON GENERAL'S NEW CAMPAIGN
SURGEON GENERAL, DOCTOR DAVID SATCHER, POINTS OUT THAT EVERY DAY *85 PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY KILL THEMSELVES AND OF THOSE 85, 15 ARE TEENAGERS.
THAT'S MORE TEENS KILLED EVERY DAY THAN WERE KILLED IN THE COLUMBINE TRAGEDY - 12- TEENS DIED ON THAT DAY.
AND TO FIGHT THOSE STATISTICS SATCHER IS COUNTING ON THE HELP OF A YOUNG SUICIDE SURVIVOR *AND A POPULAR MUSIC GROUP, THIRD EYE BLIND.
THIRD EYE BLIND SINGER: This is probably the most depressing song we know how to play but it makes us feel good to play it. This is a song for you. This is called "Jumper."
Song "Jumper": "I wish you would step back from that ledge my friend. You could cut ties with all the lies you've been living with"
THE SONG JUMPER BY "THIRD EYE BLIND" IS ABOUT DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE SOMETHING THE GROUP MEMBERS ARE FAMILIAR WITH.
"In my early 20's I went through a period where I was just felt like I was on my death bed and I went through practically every antidepressant there was on the market so I know what it feels like to you know feel like to you know to ahm wake up and just wanna go right back to bed."
THEY KNOW GETTING HELP IS CRUCIAL.
"But if you're really depressed and you don't enjoy the things you used to you can't you have trouble sleeping or you just wake up in the morning just don't buy into the stigma of having a possibility of having a mental illness you go in and get help."
TO ENCOURAGE YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH FOR HELP, THE SURGEON GENERAL IS RELEASING A VIDEO ON DEPRESSION - CALLED "ON THE EDGE."
THE VIDEO OFFERS STRAIGHT TALK WITH EXPERTS AND TEENS ABOUT DEPRESSION, SUICIDE AND MENTAL ILLNESS.
Dr. David Satcher, the Surgeon General: Just like things go wrong with the heart and the lungs and the livers and the kidneys things go wrong with the brain. And we ought to feel the same way about identifying these problems and treating them early.
THE VIDEO ALSO TAKES THE VIEWERS TO PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA WHERE AT LEAST -14- TEENS HAVE KILLED THEMSELVES IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
KELSEY BARTELL'S BROTHER WAS ONE OF THEM.
Kelsey Bartell: "If people ask when I say my brother is deceased I plain out tell them because I think they need to know that it's not a choice at all to take your life. And so I using my experience I try to help people."
HER BROTHER'S DEATH SENT KELSEY INTO A DEEP DEPRESSION *SHE EVENTUALLY OVERDOSED.
SHE WANTS OTHER TEENS TO LEARN FROM HER EXPERIENCE AND SEEK HELP.
Kelsey: "That the light at the end of the tunnel does show and you will get through it just fine and don't give up hope."
25- THOUSAND COPIES OF THE VIDEO, "DEPRESSION - ON THE EDGE" ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED TO PUBLIC MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS AROUND THE COUNTRY STARTING THIS WEEK.
THE EFFORT IS FUNDED BY THE RONALD MC-DONALD HOUSE CHARITIES *THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO REACH 13 AND HALF MILLION STUDENTS NATIONWIDE.
BUT THIS ISN'T THE ONLY EFFORT TO REACH TEENS, IS IT?
NO, THE SURGEON GENERAL IS ALSO LAUNCHING A NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN AIMED AT TEENS *HOPING TO REACH A TOTAL OF -37- MILLION.
THAT CAMPAIGN WILL FEATURE PRINT AND RADIO ADS ALONG WITH A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH WILL PLAY IN CINEPLEX MOVIE THEATERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
AND IF YOU'RE A TEEN IN CRISIS, WE HAVE A PHONE NUMBER FOR YOU.
THE LOCAL SUICIDE HOT LINE NUMBER IS (813) 234-1234.
THAT NUMBER AGAIN IS (813) 234-1234 AND IT'S OPEN -24- HOURS A DAY.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VIDEO, "DEPRESSION - ON THE EDGE", OR OTHER SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES, LOG ON TO OUR WEB SITE AT WTSP.COM
LINK TO MORE INFROMATION ON TEEN SUICIDE PREVENTION
http://www.spanusa.org/
LINK TO MORE INFORMATION ON "DEPRESSION - ON THE EDGE VIDEO"
http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/shows/transcript_depression.html
http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/onedge.html
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