It has been a rough week. News of the suicides of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain and several patients living with suicidal ideation have left me shaken. I am constantly reminded that you just never know what people are struggling with.

Suicide is on the rise and currently is the 10th leading cause of death. So often, people living with suicidal thoughts want less to die than they want the emotional pain and turmoil they are in to simply stop. People living with suicidal ideation often see death as the only way for their pain to stop. They simply cannot see another way to be free of the often overwhelming feelings of hopelessness, helplessness and worthlessness that plague them.

In recent days, I have heard people say that suicide is selfish, that those who attempt or complete suicide fail to think of how their actions will affect others. To some extent this may be true, but more often than not people who attempt or complete suicide are feeling so alone they think everyone in their life will be better off without them. So often, people who are feeling suicidal feel as though they are a burden on those around them. They feel isolated and alone in their pain.

What we as care givers, friends, loved ones must do is frequently remind those living with profound depression, crippling anxiety, substance use disorders or eating disorders or other mental illness that they are not alone, that there is hope and that more likely than not tomorrow will be better. Those living with suicidal ideation often find it impossible to believe that their lives or situations can get better. We must remind them that it can. We must work to instill hope.

Living with mental illness, substance use disorder and eating disorders is not a choice. Mental illness is not a flaw in character; it is a flaw in chemistry. Please, if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal ideation, seek help or encourage your loved one to seek treatment. There is help; there is hope. Anyone feeling as though they want to commit suicide may call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or text the Crisis Text Line at 741 741 to speak with a counselor.

You are not alone in your illness. There are people who care. There are people who are willing to talk to you and remind you that there is hope. You may feel as though things will never get better. If you are willing to seek treatment and participate in your own recovery, you will get better. Tomorrow can be better. Tomorrow will be better.