September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. According to the CDC, Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the US. Every year, 45,979 people in the US die by suicide. This is about 1 death every 11 minutes. The number of people who consider suicide is even higher. In 2020, an estimated 12.2 million Americans seriously thought about suicide, 3.2 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.2 million attempted. With statistics like these, you or someone you know has likely been affected by suicide.
On Saturday, September 10th, NC Open Gym and Asheville local crossfitter and coach Brooke Lyon will host UPL;FT, a suicide prevention awareness workout. The goal is to shed light on the growing population of those struggling with mental health, share the love, and let them know they have places of support. James Wise, the founder of UPL;FT, said:
“I want others to know that they are NEVER alone and they can get through their struggles. I want more conversations to come up around the topic and make it normal to talk about so we as a whole can help end this stigma.”
For more information and to register for the UPL;FT Suicide Prevention Awareness fundraising WOD, check out the signup page here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054bacae2aa5f49-allpain1.
In the article below, Brooke opens up about her challenges with mental health and her desire to help. She wants to let others know they don’t have to struggle alone.
Hi! My name is Brooke. I believe music is therapy, adventure is necessary, and movement is a gift. I am also just a person, a person who is trying to thrive and survive in a world filled with unrealistic social norms and toxic levels of judgment knocking down every door. I have admittedly suffered chronically from high anxiety and depression my entire life, and I know I am not alone.
In the past year, my mental health suffered more than ever. On the outside, I looked like I had it made. I was fit, healthy, hard-working, and not struggling to survive. Or so it seemed. On the inside, though, I was crumbling. I went through some of the most emotionally challenging moments I have ever been through in my 32 years of life. Days got dark, really, really dark. No one knew how bad things got; I suffered in silence.
Every single day, I felt suffocated, like someone was constantly standing on my chest. I felt isolated and alone even with tons of good people surrounding me. I felt shattered, empty and hopeless, although it seemed like I had everything to live for. Eventually, I felt like leaving this earth would hurt less. I tried to follow through on those feelings.
And it was not until I started to open up to and lean on (little by little) those who I knew loved and cared about me (saw me for me, judgment-free) did I start to slowly, day by day, see that life is worth living, that what is meant to be, will be and that each and every one of us has a purpose of being shared on this earth. And I believe that with all I have in me.
Dark to the light, if we are being completely honest, I am still not where I was (mentally or physically) previously, and who knows if I ever will be. I still have ups and downs, days that are better than others (like most of us) but I have HOPE, FAITH & LOVE in/for myself. So when I have my days of sadness and doubt, I know I am NOT ALONE and am strong enough to fight for a life worth living.
Because I want to raise awareness around struggle, open eyes to signs, and remind us all to Be. Kind. you can never judge a book by its cover, so smile and hug and laugh and love.
And if YOU are the one who is struggling to survive, remember that it is ok to open up about the PAIN you are facing. You are not here alone, and you are loved. They cannot rescue you if they do not know that you need it.
Ask for help and live to fight another day. All Pain. Will Pass.
-Brooke Lyon
Register for the UPL;FT
For more information and to register for the UPL;FT Suicide Prevention Awareness fundraising WOD, check out the signup page here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805054bacae2aa5f49-allpain1.
* Image by Pixabay
