There’s no question that suicide has become an epidemic in our country and world today. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among people aged 15–24 in the U.S., and according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, nearly 20% of high school students report serious thoughts of suicide with 9% having made an attempt to end their lives. Beyond that, there’s a significant concern for our girls and our daughters as the CDC recently reported that 57% of our girls reported signs of persistent sadness and depression, with 30% of our girls reporting seriously considering and contemplating suicide. This is alarming and is a fight that we must all stand up and fight against through creating environments of safety and vulnerability for people so they understand they do not have to suffer in silence. Thankfully today, we have a very special guest who has a personal testimony around the topic of suicide as she is a suicide attempt survivor and now renowned mental health and suicide prevention advocate, Emma Benoit. In this conversation Emma helps expose many of the pressures and stressors facing today’s generations, but she also provides us with hope, encouragement, and strategies that we can begin implementing within our homes, friendships, and workplaces to work against the suicide epidemic. One thing we know is that just because someone carries it well does not mean that it’s not heavy. Together, we can remind people that they were made for so much more!

Emma’s Website: https://www.myascension.us/emma-speaks

MyAscension Documentary: https://www.myascension.us/