By Alexander Bessey

Suicide is something that many of us have some emotional reaction or connection to. A great many of us know someone who has taken their own life, someone who has attempted suicide, or someone who has spent time thinking about suicide. The consequences of such actions may seem self-evident, to me included; but upon attending a recent event aimed at the prevention and awareness of suicide, my eyes were opened to the subject in a particularly meaningful way.

Out of the Darkness is an organization with the goal of both preventing and raising awareness in regards to suicide. This past week, there was a suicide prevention walk in Bath to raise funds in donation to this noble cause. Prior to attending the Out of the Darkness walk, I thought I knew a great deal about suicide and it’s far-reaching effects, but after participating in the walk I have realized a greater importance to protecting and educating one another regarding this particularly emotional topic. Suicide leaves tremendous holes in families and communities alike, indiscriminately presenting itself across all walks of life.

When I signed up for the walk as a member of the Midcoast Campus team I wasn’t sure what to expect, having never participated in such an event before, despite my long-time interest in the cause. When I arrived at the event, teams were assembling, raffle tickets were being sold, and volunteer t-shirts were being distributed. As more and more participants arrived I was humbled by not only the large attendance, but by the way in which people interacted: mingling and shared their sorrowful but sincere connections to suicide. There were t-shirts commemorating family and friends lost to suicide, memorial bracelets being sold for donations, and a great many people invested in preventing even one more loss.
All too often the suffering of others goes unknown and as a result unaddressed. I learned through my observation that the questions surrounding suicide often go unanswered. There is a tremendous amount of loss that occurs even after the initial loss of a loved one to suicide. Families and friends of suicide victims are forced to go on with so many unanswered questions, but there is one answer that I learned the power of this past week: the answer to the call for help.

Lending our ears, our attention, and our efforts to the cause of suicide prevention and awareness can and will help the people and families struggling with the terrible sense of loss associated with it. As I found out, a walk to raise awareness, or a similar event, can make all the difference in showing others the importance, weight, and obligation we all have to prevent the loss of our family members, friends, and fellow human beings. Ending the existence of suicide is by no means something any of us can do alone, but with cooperation, dedication, and unity, we can work toward a future without the self-inflicted loss of those we love.