Dear Friends,
Each September, we pause to reflect on the importance of connection, compassion, and hope. Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is a reminder that each of us has a role to play in building a world where no one feels alone in their struggle. By coming together, listening deeply, and sharing resources, we can be a guiding hand to healing and resilience.
This year, we have been especially blessed with opportunities to be out in the community – working alongside partners and civic groups who share our vision of hope. From offering QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide preventionl training here in our office and across the UPstate, to presenting at the Trhiving in Recovery conference in Columbia, and even partnering with local pizza restaurants to spread the word that hope is just three digits away, we are grateful to see our mission to erase suicide and promote positive mental health lived out in new and meaningful ways.
Suicide Awareness Month: Hope, Connection, and the Power of Community
Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is a time to come together to raise awareness, share hope, and strengthen the connections that save lives. Suicide is complex, but it is also preventable—and each of us has a role to play in creating a world where no one feels alone in their struggle. By listening with compassion, supporting one another, and ensuring access to care, we can build a culture of resilience and belonging. Together, one conversation and one act of care at a time, we can make a difference.
A Lifeline in Three Digits: How 988 is Changing the Way We Respond in a Crisis
Since its launch in 2022, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has transformed how people access mental health support. Just like 911 signals a medical emergency, 988 signals a mental health crisis—and ensures the response is compassionate, confidential, and available 24/7. But 988 is more than a number; it’s a nationwide commitment backed by local care. In South Carolina, Mental Health America of Greenville County is one of the centers answering those calls, offering both immediate support and connections to vital community resources. Discover how 988 works, why local response matters, and how you can help spread the word.
Finding Quiet Strength in Solitude
Loneliness can feel like a rabbit hole—easy to slip into and hard to escape—and it can take a real toll on mental health. During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, it’s important to remember, as frequent guest writer Vanessa Vestergaard shares, that there’s a powerful difference between being lonely and choosing solitude. By turning down the noise and leaning into silence, we can nurture our well-being and rediscover genuine connection—with ourselves, with others, and with the world around us.
Together, these reminders call us to action: to check in with those we love, to share life-saving resources like 988, and to recognize the ways connection can lift us out of despair and into hope. Each conversation, each gesture of care, each moment of listening helps create a stronger, more resilient community. And, as we continue working side by side with our partners, we are reminded daily that hope is not just possible—it is already taking root in our community.
With gratitude,
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