I have recently dealt with the lost of a close friend due to a suicidal drug overdose. His name was Matthew James Davidson, He was a kind-hearted man who cared about those around him. He was one of the few people that helped me get through my issues and tragically lost on the morning of October 30th. He death with a variety of mental health issues ranging from bipolar disorder, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and drug addiction. The reason why I'm writing this is because of the lack of awareness, compassion, sympathy, and understanding of issues relating to mental health and drug abuse. I am writing this in memory of him and to help raise awareness on the topic at hand. I knew he had issues and I feel like if he got the help he needed he would still be here to this day. He was 19 at the time of his death.

Suicide is the leading cause of death in the U.S. with 1 death every 11 minutes. 

There were 46,412 suicides among adults in 2021. But suicides are just the tip of the iceberg. For every suicide death*, there were about:

3 hospitalizations for self-harm**
8 emergency department visits related to suicide***
38 self-reported suicide attempts in the past year****
265 people who seriously considered suicide in the past year****

• CDC

1. Suicide risk factors
   mental illness
   drug or alcohol abuse
   access to guns, drugs, or other means of self-harm
   prolonged stress or a stressful life event
   suicide of a family member, friend, or classmate
   childhood abuse, neglect, or trauma

 This demonstrates the severity of an issue suicide is in America.

Furthermore, 77% of suicides are by men, this is due to the massive amount of pressure society puts on them to be "strong" causing them to not get the help they need.

Please spread this to raise awareness on the issue and in memory of my best friend, that I miss very dearly. Furthermore, we need to pass laws to ensure everyone has access to affordable mental health care, and help rehabilitate drug users without punishing them.