Suicide Awareness Month has come to a close, but this doesn’t mean that suicidality suddenly evaporates until next September. The need for essential conversations doesn’t stop when the calendar turns past the first weeks of fall. People don’t stop wanting to die. People shouldn’t stop wanting to understand.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, taking almost 50,000 lives annually, and an average of 132 every day. This has yet to tell the whole story, though. Beyond those who succeeded in their attempts, the U.S. saw over 1.7 million suicide attempts in 2021. We cannot expect people to want to stay if their struggles are minimized or misunderstood.

We open our minds up each September to empathize, or at least attempt to empathize, with those who lose their sense of purpose in this life. This is isolating, all-consuming, and in some cases hard to mask. The energy exhibited throughout Suicide Awareness Month must make its way over into the remaining 11 months of each year.

If you are struggling, the National Suicide Hotline is always available at 988, and the University of New Haven’s Counseling and Psychological Services is also available around-the-clock at 203-932-7333. You are not a burden for asking for help. You are not alone and should not ever feel like you bends to be. Mental health recovery is never a solo effort. Do not force that upon yourself.