September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and today, September 10th, is World Suicide Prevention Day.
I know firsthand what it feels like to live with thoughts of suicide, daily — the weight of them, the way they creep in and make you feel small, hopeless, and unworthy. I also know what it feels like to be a survivor. That’s why today, I find myself needing to take a pause to reflect on my own journey.
Each year, an estimated 720,000 people die by suicide worldwide. Behind every number is a real person, a real story, a real struggle, and a life that really matters.
This year’s theme, as set by the International Association for Suicide Prevention, is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide”. A focus being placed on accessibility, translating resources into more languages so that support can truly reach and engage communities around the world.
Changing the narrative on suicide means encouraging open conversations everywhere, offering kindness and support to those who may be struggling, raising awareness, ending stigma, and spreading the message that every life has value. Too often, those who are hurting feel silenced by fear or judgment. The silence is heavy, and carrying it alone can feel unbearable.
We may never fully understand someone else’s battles, but we always have the power to show compassion, to reach out, to listen, to remind each other that no one has to walk this road alone, and that it’s okay to not be okay 💛.
Today, and always, I am holding space for those who are fighting suicidal thoughts, for those who have lost a friend or loved one to suicide, for those who have survived a suicide attempt, for those who love someone who is suicidal, for those who feel alone, and for those who are too afraid to ask for help.
Please remember that reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Not every day feels good, but together, we can help one another find some good in every day.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 9.8.8.
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YouAreEnough 