Learn about Suicide Awareness
Welcome to September.
For the past twelve years, in honor of Suicide Awareness Month, for the Brian Dagle Foundation, September has been an overscheduled with community events, resource fairs, and educational programming to increase awareness and understanding of mental health.
We are grateful for each opportunity to teach people about the warning signs and risk factors of suicide. We try to slowly erase the stigma surrounding suicide by discussing facts versus the myths.
And most importantly we start to normalize the conversation on mental health and suicide as we remind the world that our mental heath is equal to our physical health.
Brian is with me every day. He is the reason why I educate, advocate, and speak because maybe, “if I knew then what I know now, I like to think my life would be different.” In 2011, I didn’t know the signs of someone struggling with their mental health or how to even talk about it. Brian didn’t have the language to share about his pain and I didn’t have the knowledge or understanding about how much he was struggling.
It continues to be my mission and part of the mission of the Brian Dagle Foundation to share the knowledge we have learned so we can help those experiencing a mental health crisis.
Here are a few things you can do this September to raise awareness for suicide:
- Call or text 988 if you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis
- Pause and listen to someone when they tell you about their day.
- Attend a suicide awareness event or training near you.
- Ask for help when you need it.
988 – the mental health crisis hotline – is a tremendous resource. It is available any time of day or night, whether there is an immediate crisis or if you just need to speak with someone who is trained to help you decide what to do next.
I want to personally invite you to a few of the important events happening this month:
9/8 988 Day Press Conference with the Brian Dagle Foundation and the United Way of Connecticut
Tuesday 9/8, 3pm at the East Lyme High School Athletic Field
We will discuss 988, the importance of mental health in athletes, and the launch of the new LAX2LIVE® video. In attendance there will also be State Leaders, representatives from DMHAS and DCF, State Mental Health Advocates, a student athlete, and a parent representative.
9/12 Southeastern CT Out of the Darkness Walk to prevent suicide
Saturday 9/12, 10am at McCooks Park
Registration: AFSP.org/Niantic
9/21 Community QPR Suicide Prevention Training
Monday 9/21, 5-6:30pm at the Brian Dagle Foundation
Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help.
I hope you’ll join me this month in building awareness to prevent future suicides and honor the survivors left behind.
In hope-
Ann