MAINE, Maine — Mary Gagnon said she's had a passion for advocating for mental health awareness for a long time.
After years as a licensed family and marriage therapist, she is now the Director of Suicide Prevention for the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI Maine.
During National Suicide Awareness Week, Gagnon shared ways Mainers can start difficult conversations related to mental health, like suicide with friends or loved ones.
According to the United States CDC, the five leading causes of death among those aged 15-19 are accidents, homicides, and suicide. Gagnon said suicide is a "public health crisis" and shared three ways Mainers can prevent further tragedies from happening.
First, she said, show your loved ones that you care. That can mean listening carefully to co-workers, friends, or family, and inviting them to share what's been going on in their lives.
Second, ask the question: "Are you thinking of harming yourself or are you suicidal?"
"Asking is the only way to know if someone is suicidal and so if we try to skirt around the question, it really tells the other person that we’re nervous and then they might not be willing to share with us. So, it’s important to ask the question directly, kindly, compassionately [and] in a loving way".
Third, make sure to share resources with those in need.
Remember you are never alone. There are a number of services available in Maine if people are struggling with mental health. The national suicide and crisis lifeline can be accessed by calling 988. If you call, you'd be directed to someone in Maine.
NAMI also has a helpline. You can access that resource by calling 800-464-5767 & press 1. You can also call the state helpline 211. NAMI Maine has more resource information here.
“We want to gently lead [people in crisis] to the next person who can be a support for them and anybody can have this conversation and should have this conversation because it’s important that we all do our part to prevent suicide," Gagnon added.
Along with public advocacy, Gagnon and her team also work in schools, within law enforcement agencies, and with organizations on suicide prevention training.
NAMI Maine and the Maine CDC also work with families who recently lost someone to suicide and help them through the grief process.
“[We] feel that being able to support folks after a loss will prevent, hopefully prevent, further tragic losses from happening and we also feel like it really opens up the door for those conversations that need to happen about mental health".
There are some ways Mainers can learn more about services provided by organizations across the state. NAMI Maine is hosting its annual fundraising walk on Sept. 28 at Capitol Park in Augusta.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention will host its annual 'Out of the Darkness' walk on the same day in Bangor.