Out of the Darkness: annual walk raises suicide awareness, sheds stigma

BY PAT FARNELLI
Correspondent

Supporters, family members, and friends of persons struggling with depression or thoughts of self harm gathered Saturday at the Montrose Area High School track to speak of mental illness, share hope and grief, and walk to honor those who have fought personal battles Saturday.

The Out of the Darkness Walk was held to give people a time and a place to speak of these subjects, and to offer hope and help. “Assume you are the only one who will reach out,” one pamphlet advises.

Lisa McVaugh, who with her husband Bill and daughter Megan volunteered for the event, said, “This hits our family personally, with sadly too many family, extended family,

friends, friends’ families that are suffering daily with the devastation of suicide. It’s not a journey I’d wish on even my worst enemy.”

“We need much more awareness, funds to help those battling depression, PTSD. This is one way we can help and not do what so many have done for years, and that’s not talk bout it….it needs to be talked about,” McVaugh said. “It needs to be an open discussion so families and friends don’t suffer with the empty spots at the tables, birthdays, holidays. We need to help and this is our way of helping. ”

Paul Reed from the Scranton Counseling Center informed participants about the crisis services his organization has to offer residents of Susquehanna County. “We can provide a 24 hour a day, seven days a week telephone hotline for Susquehanna County, with a local phone number of (570)278-6822,” Reed said. “If you call, we can have workers come and meet you at local hospitals such as Endless Mountains and Barnes Kasson.”

He said that counselors and a psychiatrist are available Mondays through Fridays at the Scranton Counseling Center from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Lori Hubal of NEPA Community Healthcare spoke to the services her company provides, which include primary health care and behavioral care, in three locations in Susquehanna County.

Carol Cundey said that she was glad to hear of a mobile crisis center that can come to the aid of someone in distress in Susquehanna County. When she lost her husband to suicide after two years of illness, little help was available.

Cundey said that she is raising her daughter to speak of mental illness in a matter-of-fact manner, just as if it were any other serious illness, and without shame. “We need to talk about our loved ones and bring these things out into the open and into the light, so that we can help each other,” she said.

“Our most important resource is our youth. A suicide of a young person shakes our community to its core,” County Commissioner MaryAnn Warren said.

Duane Mead, father of Scott Mead whose death by suicide occurred in October 2013, said that while it is valuable to make people aware of the signs that someone is considering suicide, sometimes there are no signs or clues.

“My son and I had discussions about being bullied, and at the end he would say that everything is fine now, I’m okay,” Mead said. “I wish I had known.
There was no clue. We had just discussed how school went, class by class, the previous evening. When I left for work, I checked to be sure he was up and getting ready to be picked up by his grandmother to go to school, and then I left. I had no idea I would be called home, or find the state police and coroner pulling up to my house.”

Mead said that he was participating in the Out of the Darkness walk on his own, and not part of a team, in order to honor all of the victims.

When asked if there were a lot of hurting people participating, he said, “No, a lot of hopeful people. People who want to try to do something, for something to make a difference to somebody.”

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, more than 40,000 Americans die by suicide every year. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the US.

For every woman who dies by suicide, four men die by suicide, but women are three times more likely to attempt suicide.

Every 40 seconds, someone dies of suicide, and every 41 seconds, someone is left to make sense of it.

A six-month month study on suicide is being conducted, and a report on what the local communities can do is in the works, and should be completed by March 2016.

“We do these walks to remember those we’ve lost. We need to speak their names and lose the stigmas. We want people to get the help they need,” Warren said. “It is not because they are weak or a coward, but because of illness. We need to eliminate the illness.”

Hotline numbers:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK
Scranton Counseling Center hotline: 570-278-6822.