suicide

It is no secret that there is a correlation between mental health and suicide. The thing about suicide is, there are a variety of reasons and triggers that can cause one to take their own life. Many of these reasons however, relate to our mental wellbeing. As humans, we have all experienced some type of negative life event or feelings of frustration and despair. These negative emotions can heavily contribute to our mental health, raising the question: How do we focus on our mental health to prevent the risk of suicide?

Qandeel Baloch was a 26-year-old Pakistani celebrity. Dubbed “the Kim Kardashian of Pakistan,” she was an activist for women's rights in the Middle East, challenging Pakistan's patriarchal norms and the government for their inequalities and corruption (Alam). Qandeel Baloch inspired thousands of young girls to advocate for themselves in Pakistan. With over thirty-six thousand followers on Twitter, she was a beloved but also a controversial figure, and her controversy led to her death. After her name reached large media companies, people began to wonder who Qandeel Baloch and her family were. On March 29th, 2016, her real name was revealed as Fouzia Azeem, and according to CNN, her family began to receive backlash for “not controlling” (Saifi, et al). Eighteen days later, on April 16, 2016, Qandeel Baloch was found strangled to death by her youngest brother, Khan Baloch. Her brother willingly admitted to the murder saying Quandeel Baloch had brought “shame” and “dishonor” to the family name (Sadiq). Her brother, later on, said he did not regret killing his sister, claiming it was his responsibility to hold his family accountable and make sure the family name was not tarnished. Khan Baloch was given life in prison for his crimes. However, three years later, he was acquitted of all charges due to a loophole in the Pakistani legal system (Sadiq). This is only one of the thousands of cases in Pakistan where victims of “honor” killings were failed by the justice system and their own government.

I remember that day. A few years ago, in the fall, our local community received the unfortunate news: a teenage girl had taken her life. Almost instantly, a thick dark cloud crept into the city and for a moment, everything seemed to stop. Perhaps, in solidarity for the life we had lost. But, that silence only lasted momentarily.