Philadelphia

Photos: The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Walk – Philadelphia PLUS Masquerade Ball Info

October 17, 2013 by HughE Dillon 1 Comment

I wish there was an organization like  American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to reach out to for help when I was so desperate,
when my mental health was compromised, when I didn’t see a brighter
future.

I already told you that I once did not see a bright future, after years
of being bullied [insert here everything others thought was a failure of
my person], I tried to kill myself in my early 20′, once ending up in
the hospital getting my stomach pumped. (The other time involved a gun
that didn’t go off.) (I also killed myself off a million times in my mind) I’m glad I’m here, it was a short road to a better life. A few hours from the darkness, there really is light.

 Fox 29’s Dr Mike and Garden Logan. Garden and her PR company are a godsend. Her brother killed himself a few years ago. She sought out counseling and found the AFSP, and has made it her mission to get the word out. There’s an organization to help you, whether you’re troubled or someone you love has killed themselves.
 
 When someone is trapped by the dark thoughts that fill our minds at times and we don’t see the light, we forget that people do love us. 
Now even if we don’t feel those people are there for us, know that there is an organization that cares for you and can really relate to the struggles you face.

Seeing all these families, friends walking in the name of someone they loved, really brought tears to my eyes.

Pat Gainey, Philadelphia regional director for the AFSP, looks on as middle school teacher Catherine Siciliano talks about her son Anthony, the “Finding the Light Within” project and the importance of the AFSP organization.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is
the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated
to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and
advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those
impacted by suicide. 
To fully achieve its mission, AFSP engages in the following Five Core
Strategies:

Fund scientific research
Offer educational programs for professionals
Educate the public about mood disorders and suicide prevention 

Promote policies and legislation that impact suicide and prevention
Provide programs and resources for survivors of suicide loss and people
at risk, and involve them in the work of the Foundation

 Suicide is the third leading cause of death in middle and high school and the second cause of death in college students. Minding Your Mind does free community outreach to students to discuss mental health, mental illness, depression and to remove the stigma so the students can address these issues.

 During the walk, families, friends, and loved ones dedicated their walk to the person they were walking in the memory of, some walked in honor of themselves having survived an attempted suicide.

  There was a lot of love and awareness at the Art Museum – Nearly 3000 people came out to show the world – YOU ARE LOVED, we remember and we are there for you.
(I have to say when I tried to kill myself my family was not there. They had had enough of me and my reckless life ie drugs, drinking, homelessness, (all to mask my pain of being gay, the bullying, the desperation to be accepted, lack of direction, or motivation.) Had I known there was an organization like this, I would have definitely had reached out to them. I was so desperate for someone to save me. I don’t blame my parents and certainly not my siblings who were all too young to know. Within months of trying to kill myself the 2nd time, I got sober and saved myself.)

 

 Follow them on Facebook HERE

Bachelor Craig Robinson‘s bff former ‘Bachelor’ star Gia Allemand committed suicide in August. Craig and his friend were there to walk to raise awareness of this epidemic that is preventable. We have to drag it out of the darkness, remove the stigmatism, raise awareness, and we can save some lives. Who know what those people can go on to achieve in their lives.

AFSP-Greater Philadelphia
Pat Gainey, Philadelphia Regional Director
3535 Market Street, Suite 4047
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 746-7256
fax: (215) 746-7307
pgainey@afsp.org

AFSP: Understanding and Preventing Suicide Through Research, Education and Advocacy

Suicide is the fatal consequence of mental illness and can be prevented
with proper treatment. Mental illness is a disease like any other,
cancer, MS, the flu and needs to be regarded as such in order for people
to find the help they need without fear of stigma. The stigma
associated with treatment can and does kill because people will not
allow treatment to occur or reach out to search for it.

Bring Change 2 Mind

If you are in crisis and need help immediately please call
In Crisis support 1-800-273-talk (5255).
For mental health information and resources please call 877-726-4727