September is Suicide Prevention Month, and for me this is not just about awareness. It is about survival. I have been on both sides of suicide. I have lost people close to me who attempted, and others who were tragically successful. I have also been the one who was ready to give up.
I had a plan. I even started. But I couldn’t finish. What stopped me was the thought of the people I would leave behind, the family, the friends, the colleagues - who might believe they weren’t enough to keep me here. I couldn’t put that weight on their shoulders. That realization became my turning point, but the battle didn’t end there.
Every day since, I’ve learned that surviving isn’t a single choice - it’s a series of choices. Each morning, I wake up is a win. Every day is a chance to work through the thoughts that once convinced me I didn’t belong here. Every day is an opportunity to repair and strengthen relationships that remind me I am not alone, even when my mind tries to convince me otherwise.
The work of living is not easy. Some days, it feels impossible. But I have also discovered that healing comes from paying attention to every part of myself. My mental health matters as much as my physical health. My spiritual health matters just as much as both. When one of those pieces is neglected, the others suffer. When I invest in them - through conversations, counseling, prayer, exercise, or simply rest - I build strength to face the next day.
One of the hardest lessons for me was accepting help. For years, I believed I had to be strong for everyone else. That reaching out would mean I was weak. The truth is the opposite. Asking for help is one of the bravest things you can do. It takes courage to admit you can’t carry everything alone. And none of us were meant to carry it alone.
If you are struggling, I want you to know you are not broken, and you are not a burden. You deserve help. You deserve healing. You deserve to live. Reaching out to a counselor, chaplain, doctor or trusted friend may not solve everything overnight, but it can be the step that pulls you back from the edge.
And if you notice someone around you who seems withdrawn, overwhelmed or not themselves, don’t stay silent. You don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes just asking, “Are you OK?” or “Do you want to talk?” can open the door to hope.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, dial 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Veterans, service members and their families can dial 988, then press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line. Help is available 24/7.
Suicide prevention is not only about saving lives - it’s about choosing life, one day at a time. I remind myself daily: my life has value. So does yours. Every tomorrow we are given is another chance to heal, to grow, to reconnect and to choose hope.
| Date Taken: | 08.29.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.29.2025 08:27 |
| Story ID: | 546874 |
| Location: | MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 17 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Personal View: Choosing Life, Choosing Hope, by 1SG Vannessa Josey, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
