We don’t like talking about sad things or acknowledging some of the sad realities of this world. That is why when we log on to social media, we see happy faces and perfect lives. We don’t see people struggling, and we don’t see anyone posting a picture of them crying.

A lot of people avoid the subject suicide, but we shouldn’t. It is a problem. However, compared to other states, California ranks very well. California’s suicide rate is actually lower than the national average. Alaska is currently the highest-ranking state for suicides. In 2009, the suicide rate in California was about 9.4 per 100,000 individuals. The national average was 11 per 100,000 individuals...