Normalizing conversations around Suicide
It is Suicide Awareness Month, and Centering Wholeness Counseling would like to break the mystery behind suicide and explore ways to talk openly about this.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, in 2020, 45,979 Americans died by suicide. That same year, there was an estimated 1.20 million suicide attempts.
There is a lot of misinformation amongst our Black and Brown community. We were taught to believe that “the more you talk about suicide, the more it will happen” in this case, suicide is not a topic of discussion because that will increase suicide chances.
Thus, we continue to make suicide a secret in Black and Brown communities, so the question is how we can make a space for healing if we sweep things under the rug and not confront the truth.
There are a few factors we must understand before opening conversations around suicide:
Understand that suicide can no longer be kept a secret. This allows us to normalize the feeling, emotions, the process of loss, or the journey toward healing.
Suicide is a personal choice, and it is something that a person who dies by suicide decided was the right choice for them.
Now that you’ve understood those two factors, you can move on and get the support you need. This support will help suicide survivors and everyone in your community.
Many emotions play when experiencing the loss of a loved one by suicide. Emotions like sadness, anger, exhaustion, guilt, or intense feelings of loneliness. Not processing these feelings can hold you back from experiencing joy again. So, here we have three steps you can take to start seeking help and start your healing journey.
Seek therapy: A professional can help you understand the process and become a support system during this time. This will help you overcome the trauma of losing your loved one.
Join a support group - There are groups available you can join to relieve some of the pain. Support groups offer an environment to share your story or to listen to someone else’s story. This can reduce isolation and empower you to continue to heal.
Have open conversations - Family members must be honest about discussions with suicide survivors and other family members. This helps to understand different perspectives and how they see life through their lenses.
This Suicide Awareness Month, we’d like to continue to spread the word about awareness to avoid losing the people we love, mainly because our world is better with them in it.
If you or someone you know is struggling with everyday life. You can reach out for help to these Mental Health Crisis Resources:
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline you can call 988 or text HOME to 741-741
The Trevor Project is a free, confidential resource and support for LGBTQ+ young people. You can call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. You can call 1-800656-HOPE (4673)
National Domestic Violence Hotline Call 1800-799-SAFE (7233) or Text START to 88788
Ask for help if you or your loved one is experiencing mental health distress or crisis. You don’t have to wait to have suicidal thoughts to reach out to these organizations.
We’d like to remind you that while hotlines are essential resources for anyone in crisis, they are not short- or long-term solutions, or a replacement for therapy. So, if you are in OHIO or NY and struggling with mental distress, reach out to us by calling 614-896-3599 or clicking below for a 15-minute consultation. Our professionals can help you start this healing process from the convenience of your home.
In addition, we’d like to invite you to our Community Conversations happening on Thursday, September 29th at 6:00PM EST. This month we will be focusing on preparing for the season change. We will have Andrea Marie help "Create Your Own Wellness Forest”. We will paint a small tree forest and write words of affirmation while listening to an old family folk story from Andrea Marie of the ancestors speaking through the wind and leaves teaching respect for nature's beauty & the wisdom of those who lived before us waiting to pass the good news forward. Everyone is welcome!