There is a lot of stigma surrounding mental illness.
It is virtually impossible to pick out those who are suffering internally from a crowd because there is a lot of shame and isolation that comes with suicidal ideation. Most of the time, we do not know that someone is hurting until it is too late.
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Suicide is among the top three leading causes of death in America.
Between 1999 and 2014, the annual suicide rate in the US rose 24% .
Though health professionals are getting better at identifying suicide risks such as certain mental health conditions and social factors, there is still a lot more that needs to be done.
We need to look out for one another.
Community initiatives that encourage conversation surrounding tough topics are vital to preventing suicide rates from rising. When we check in on one another, we let people know that they are not alone.
This Seattle father has started his own campaign to encourage community conversation.
After a cluster of suicides in his town, 42-year-old Colby Wallace decided that something needed to change.
“These were local high school students and no one was really talking about it,” he told Yahoo Lifestyle .
Inspired by a campaign from a few years prior, Wallace began placing signs with encouraging messages around his community.
After hearing about Amy Wolff’s Don’t Give Up Movement from 2017, Wallace purchased various signs, posters, and wrisbands with phrases like “you matter”, and “your mistakes do not define you.”
“I’ve learned that you never know who is struggling.”
Wallace explains that the signs are a non-intrusive way to get across a positive message of hope.
“Some people seem like they have it together but need to hear this,” he said, “We placed signs across the street from my daughter’s school and an older woman told me, ‘Thank you so much because people my age really need to hear this.”
Wallace’s “You Matter” campaign has picked up a lot of local traction.
Wallace’s five- and nine-year-old daughters’ elementary school asked to feature the signs in its newsletters, and others in the community started helping with distribution.
“A woman told me she was in tears after dropping off her daughter at school because the sign made her feel heard.”
Neighbors are donating money to keep the campaign going, despite backlash from certain community members.
Someone has apparently been tearing down Wallace’s signs. When asked about the culprit, Wallace simply replied, “Maybe it’s someone who needs to hear these messages.”
“I would love for someone to continue this work in other neighborhoods.”
According to Wallace, anyone could start their own similar campaign in their own town.
We hope that his actions continue to inspire others to enact positive change.
h/t: Yahoo Lifestyle