Out of The Darkness Walk 2023

Out of The Darkness Walk 2023

By Niamh Smithers, M.A.,

Change is hard and change is inevitable. Transitioning out of high school and into college or careers is an often chaotic time. Emotions are complicated and hard to navigate, relationships and friendships are constantly shifting, and finding yourself can become overwhelming. Having mental health support can make a huge difference in processing these changes and improving quality of life and mental health overall. 

In my sophomore year of college, I found myself living alone in a dorm, too easily isolating myself from friends or social events. It was during this time that I decided to join Active Minds, a campus club that aims to educate and fight the stigma around mental health struggles. By my senior year, I was Vice President and Resource Liaison for the club, which allowed me to help connect students with the right mental health resources on or outside of campus. I also had the privilege of helping to organize the campus Out of the Darkness (OOTD) Walk for two years in a row. Since graduating in 2019, I have continued to created art and merchandise to raise money and awareness for suicide and suicide prevention, even when I could not be present for OOTD walks. Through my experience with Active Minds and previous OOTD walks, volunteering at a suicide hotline, and working in crisis intervention, I have become well versed in the world of suicide, suicidal ideation, and suicide prevention. Here are some of the most recent statistics: 

• Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for teens and young adults, ages 10-34 (CDC, 2022). 
• Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the US (AFSP, 2023).
• In 2021, 48,183 American’s died by suicide (AFSP, 2023). 
• 25.5% of adults ages 18-24 reported having seriously considered suicide in the past month. This is a higher percentage than any other adult age group (CDC, 2020).
• 18.8% of high school students reported having seriously considered suicide in the past year. This percentage is higher among females (24.1%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual teens (46.8%) (CDC, 2020). 
• 8.9% of high school students attempted suicide in the past year. This percentage is highest among females (11.0%), black teens (11.8%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual teens (23.4%) (CDC, 2020).
• In 2021, there were an estimated 1.70 million suicide attempts (AFSP, 2023).

When discussing this sensitive topic, it is important to consider the language we use. The way in which we talk about suicide can have a drastic impact on how other people around us view, approach, or talk about it too. For example, language like “commit” suicide can imply the person is a criminal and did something immoral. While no suicide should be taken lightly, shifting to using the phrase “died by suicide” can allow others to see the occurrance more clearly for what it was–a person who was deeply struggling and felt that ending their life was the only way to relieve that pain. Additionally, encouraging friends and family to steer away from casual phrases of, “I want to kill myself” when discussing an upcoming exam or their favorite sports team losing, can allow people who are truly struggling to be taken more seriously when the topic of suicide is brought up. 

Another aspect I have learned is that although there are certain groups of people more heavily impacted by suicide, it can affect just about anyone from any age, gender, religion, culture, or background. The Out of the Darkness walk is a reminder that even if suicide has touched or impacted your life, showing up in support of suicide prevention speaks volumes without having to say a word. I was thrilled to be able to join the Castlebrook Counseling Team in person for this year’s Metrowest OOTD Walk. It quickly brought me back to the excitement, the emotion, and the connection I felt in the campus walks I had participated in earlier years. No matter how suicide has touched people’s lives, everyone shows up with positivity and hope–something I believe this world desperately needs more of. Unspoken support comes in the form of a sea of people all walking for suicide awareness and prevention, color coded beads to signify how suicide has touched one’s life, and several sponsor tables offering information and resources for mental health support. Out of the Darkness walks will always have a special place in my heart and it was an honor to walk with Castlebrook’s team. I am looking forward to future walks with this incredible group of people!

Getting involved in your local OOTD Walk or other suicide prevention events can be a great way to stay connected and know you are not alone–as cliche as that sounds sometimes. If you or someone you love is struggling with mental health and/or suicidal ideation, don’t heistate to reach out to your local mental health services, connect with a therapist, or dial 988 for extra support.