I think sometimes we make suicide prevention harder than it has to be.

We think we need to know exactly what to say. We think we need to have the right answer. We think we need to be able to fix whatever is hurting someone before we can really help them.

But we can’t always fix someone’s pain.

And that’s a hard thing to accept.

As a mom, I know what it’s like to want to take away the hurt from someone you love. You want to make everything better. You want to protect your kids from the things that hurt them. You want to find the answer that makes everything okay again.

But life doesn’t always give us that answer.

Sometimes helping means sitting beside someone while they’re hurting.

Sometimes it means listening to the same thing more than once.

Sometimes it means saying, “I don’t know how to fix this, but I’m here.”

And sometimes it means getting other people involved because what someone is dealing with is bigger than what you can handle alone.

That isn’t failing them.

Getting help isn’t failing them.

You aren’t supposed to be someone’s entire support system all by yourself.

And if you’re the person who is struggling, you don’t have to make your pain easier for everyone else before you ask for help.

You don’t have to explain it perfectly.

You don’t have to prove that it’s bad enough.

You can simply say, “I’m not okay, and I need someone with me.”

Sometimes we can’t fix the whole situation.

But we can help someone get through the next hour.

We can stay.

We can listen.

We can make the call.

We can remind them that they don’t have to carry it alone.

And sometimes that’s where prevention begins.

If someone is in immediate danger or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If there is immediate danger, call 911.

#SuicidePreventionMonth #SuicideAwareness #YouDontHaveToDoItAlone #CheckOnYourPeople #TalkAboutIt