Is someone you know struggling?

September is National Suicide Prevention?Awareness?Month.??

This time?continues to inspire me to?continue?doing all I can?to raise awareness of this tragic epidemic.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.??Call?or?text?988 or chat?988lifeline.org?to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Lately, I?have?often?been contemplating the?idea of?co-creating another chapter for the book my daughter and I wrote in 2019.?‘Keep Looking Up’?was written after, first?losing my husband, and then my son to suicide.

Since launching ‘Keep?Looking Up’, and speaking very publicly about our story, both Laurel and I?have?people reaching out to us, asking for advice on how to help someone they sense is?truly?struggling mentally.?It is?heartbreaking and unfortunately, we are?receiving?more and more of these messages.

We always want to make it clear that neither of us is professionally trained in this area and we only offer advice from hindsight and experience.

Many thoughts come to mind?as I continue reflecting on this?horrific epidemic,?but, if you are in this situation,?here are five?initial?ideas?to?consider doing:

• Let them know you are there for them in whatever way they feel they need your help. Do they need to talk and get advice, or just have you listen?
• Can you encourage (or maybe even join) them in getting outside for walks and exercise. Many people who struggle with stress or anxiety report that this helps them tremendously with how they are feeling. It also cuts back on ‘screen time’ which has become linked to mental health.
• Do not judge what they are telling you, or force what YOU would do on them. The last thing they need is to feel pressure.
• Do not believe the myth that asking them if they are thinking about ending their life will ‘plant the seed.’ I believed this and did not ask.
• Seek professional help sooner?rather?than later. I would recommend finding someone who specializes in helping people with high anxiety, depression, trauma, suicidal thoughts.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.??Call?or?text?988 or chat?988lifeline.org?to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Consider this:

Can you help them to see past the current situation of their life?and?give them some hope for the future? Can you talk to them about how they would envision their ideal life and help them take some baby steps that offer them hope?

?Get your Keep Looking Up Hat TODAY!!!!

These hats will be available for purchase the entire month of SEPTEMBER!

10% of all purchases will be donated to?Generation Why in honor of September being suicide awareness month!

• We will be offering Two hat colors White with black thread color and Black with white thread color
• Each hat $25 for local pick up or $30 if it's being shipped
• Contact my daughter Laurel to make your order!