More and more teens are facing mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, which far too often results in an individual attempting or committing suicide.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of overall suicides has increased from 29,199 in 1999, to 42,773 in 2014. But as this issue becomes more prevalent in the Valley, the Chandler Unified School District has taken proactive strides to make this life-shattering epidemic less of a stigma.

Aligned with national suicide prevention week (Sept. 10-16), school counselors across CUSD reached out to its students on Sept. 14 in an attempt to help teens who feel they are in jeopardy of harming themselves or even killing themselves.

Councilor Kirstin Gregg said that all secondary schools showed a teen suicide prevention video produced by the Mayo Clinic and handed out resource cards to students that included hotline phone numbers.

“We just want students to know that we care and that we’re here to help and we have the resources to help if they need it,” Gregg said. She noted that councilors are ready to provide resources including faculty members, support groups, and community agencies on campus.

In addition to the video shown in all first hour classes, teachers had their students complete a survey which asked if they felt they needed to talk to someone about themselves or a friend who may be at risk.

Of the more than 3,500 students at Perry, 200 answered “yes,” the equivalent to one in every 18 students — roughly six percent of the school’s population.

While that number may seem small, PHS is not immune to teen suicide.

Since the school opened in 2007, two students have passed away as a result of suicide; it is impossible to know how many others may have attempted or seriously considered it.

Many suicide attempts have occurred in the East Valley, most recently at Queen Creek High School where three students have taken their lives within the past year.

“We know it’s hard sometimes being an adolescent, it is adolescence is the time of change and figuring out who you are sometimes you need help along the way,” Gregg said. “I think we can just continue to do a better job of letting kids know that that’s what we’re here for and we care and that we want to help if they need help.”

Senior Ellie Poplawski said the presentation had its pros and cons.

“I thought [the video] could have been done better and it seemed to normalize the issue,” she explained. “It isn’t normal for people. I feel that the presentation was more helpful to the people who aren’t dealing with it personally, but know someone who is. It showed how it can be effectively dealt with.”

Psychology teacher Jocelyn Dolan said it is hard to have that weight on your shoulders in a situation so heavy as this.

“Suicide is something that makes most people very uncomfortable to talk about,” she said. “Just keep open dialogue.”

Suicide is such a taboo topic, it is not something that casually comes up at the dinner table. But bringing attention to it is necessary to possibly save lives, ignoring an issue does not solve it.