Please Note:
This article contains discussions of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
It’s ok to talk about suicide. September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and talking openly about suicide can be an important step toward eliminating the stigma and helping people find hope.
If someone doesn’t feel they have the resources or the ability to ask for help, it increases risk. If someone is worried about a friend or family member and they don’t know how to address it, it increases risk.
Join the Anti-Stigma Coalition on September 24 at noon for an open and compassionate conversation about suicide, including the myths that can keep us silent, how to recognize when someone may need support, and what we can do to help ourselves or someone we care about.
Panelists include Maria Pascucci-Maciejewski, speaker and mental health advocate; Anne Nowak, MS, LMHC, coordinator, Sweet Home Family Support Center/Employee Assistance Program; and Gwen Mysiak, CEO / co-founder, WNYCC & P.U.N.T.
The event is moderated by: Karl Shallowhorn, training specialist, School Mental Health Resource & Training Center MHANYS.
Maria Pascucci-Maciejewski will share her mental health journey – a story of hope and survival. She is the founder of Campus Calm and You Can Bounce Back, and a speaker and coach focused on empowering people to let go of the pressure to be perfect and bounce back from adversity.
In the summer of 2024, she experienced a stress-induced breakdown and attempted to take her life. Pascucci stated that she has an extensive family history of mental health disease. Despite success as a speaker, author, coach and fitness entrepreneur, she experienced a rift in her family of origin and the trauma of loss and ongoing health issues. There were signs that she was struggling that even her clients recognized.
“I was so ashamed, but rather than trying to fix me and give me advice, I needed unconditional love and support, and to have people really listen.” Pascucci said.
Pascucci’s story is one of hope and resilience, and one she shares to raise awareness and encourage people to ask for help.
Maria Pascucci-Maciejewski
founder of Campus Calm and You Can Bounce Back
data tracked by Erie County Coroner’s office and the CDC
- ^The rate of suicide is highest for white males 40-55.
- ^The unemployed as well as occupations of construction workers and first responders are among the highest.
According to Nowak, stigma negatively impacts people seeking help.
“Although we have made strides in the field of mental health, there are still significant pockets where people may feel embarrassment, shame, concern that friends, family, coworkers will look at them differently or it will affect relationships,” she said. “This is especially true for certain ethnic groups, races and men.”
How can people help if they are concerned that someone is considering suicide?
According to Nowak, let people in your circle know you are there if they ever need to talk.
“Maybe they won’t need to at that moment, but now you have signaled that you are part of their support system when they are ready.” She spoke.
“Second, if you see something, say something. Unfortunately, after a suicide we often hear those who knew the person say they noticed something was off, they seemed different, they had distanced themselves.”
Nowak says don’t assume someone else will address the situation. Even if you aren’t sure what to say or are afraid to say the wrong thing, choose to say something.
Nowak suggests not to assume someone else will address the situation or you aren’t sure what to say or afraid to say the wrong thing, so you choose not to say anything.
Letting someone who is struggling know you notice them is impactful and helps to counter the negative self-talk in their head telling them they don’t matter. There are many free educational workshops to assist people in noticing the signs, how to start a conversation and where to go for help. AFSP offers programs for communities, schools, workplaces but there are also other organizations that offer similar programs as well.
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It is important that people are sensitive and use safe messaging when posting on social media or reporting about mental health or incidents of suicide in the community. This can be traumatizing and activating for those who have lost someone or those who are struggling. You never know who may be watching, reading your posts or your articles.
Anne Nowak, MS, LMHC, coordinator, Sweet Home Family Support Center/Employee Assistance Program
Critical Resources
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: This is a 24-hour, toll-free, confidential suicide prevention hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Calls are routed to the nearest crisis center in a national network, where callers receive crisis counseling and mental health referrals.
- Call or text 988
- Chat at 988lifeline.org
Veteran’s Crisis Line: 988, then select 1, or Crisis Chat, or text: 838255
