Today starts MH Awareness Month, 2023. It’s a month that MH from ALL angles should be discussed – bc it applies to us ALL. We’ve partnered w 15 Families for an impt month-long campaign of vulnerable story-sharing.
Right now in America, if you’re under the age of 50, the # 1 most common reason you may die is overdose, & # 2 is suicide. If we’re ALL susceptible to MH declines, & therefore all susceptible to suicidal ideation from those declines, just like we are to a heart attack or stroke, we MUST discuss it.
For far too long, fams who’ve lost loved ones to suicide have had to unfairly hide in shame.
The common misconceptions abt “choices” & “decisions” have loomed nastily over this topic. These brave 15 Fams, however, have come together to share their personal stories. To be LIFE Savers. To lift that cloud of shame – so that as a society we can openly discuss this topic just like we do any other health topic/outcome.
Every other day in May, a new story will be shared. You’ll learn from their shares, that suicide is not simply abt a choice or decision one makes. It’s about declining MH (that often goes unnoticed as “severe” even by many of the sufferers themselves) from a myriad of factors that take over one’s cognitive & rational thought processes, leading to error messages of self-harm.
The more we educate abt what these error messages feel like, & sound like in one’s mind, the more we can prepare folks w a positive plan of action if they are to occur, provide hope, & ultimately improve outcomes.
The loved ones these fams lost had so many amazing traits & qualities you’ll learn abt in their stories. And so many commonalities. These families are holding hands, partnering w their loved ones, & sharing bravely as LIFE Savers all on one Purple Virtual Brick Wall, so that this topic can be discussed openly, &, more & more can notice the signs, & we can prevent these tragedies from happening.
Please read their shares (will be posting links in Stories) & come back every other day as a new one is posted.
And please read abt & share the free LIFE Saver, first-person suicide prevention posters, cards, & video.