Thousands more people die from suicide then homicide in the United States, but except for a handful of celebrity cases, the public rarely hears about the country's 11th leading cause of death.

Those who participated in the "Out of the Darkness" fund-raising walk in Washington, D.C., this weekend were seeking to change all that. The only way to prevent suicide, they say, is to recognize the signs and get people the help they need before it's too late.

"We need to remove the stigma of suicide and mental illness and show our support, that we're not going to let there be any more secrets about suicide and depression," said Middletown resident Kate Kauranen, who completed the 26-mile walk yesterday morning with thousands of other participants.

"It's the first step in talking about an issue that the public doesn't want to talk about. I want everyone to understand the signs of depression and suicide."

More than 3,000 people registered for the event, which raised money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Each walker had to raise a minimum of $1,000. Kauranen rounded up more than $1,700, much of it from members of St. Timothy's Lutheran Church in Aston.

After trekking the streets of Washington from dusk until dawn, the crowd emerged from "Out of the Darkness" yesterday morning. For many of those who have lost a loved one to suicide, or attempted to take their own lives, the 12-hour walk was a cathartic experience.

"It was about 3,000 of us coming together as strangers but joining as a community that had that common experience," Kauranen said.

"So many people opened up to us ..there were a lot of people hugging strangers as they sobbed.

"They said things during the walk that they have never said before. There was a lot of healing," she said.

Prior to graduating college, Kauranen lost her mother to suicide. Her mother was 45 years old at the time; she was 21.

That tragedy has instilled in her the will to stop future deaths and teach others to recognize the signs of depression and oncoming mental illness.

"I'm not afraid, if there is a kid in my neighborhood or church who's had a behavioral change, to ask their parents, tactfully, if everything is OK," she said.

Senior citizens, who may be coping with retirement, medical issues, or the loss of a spouse, often need special attention as well.

The help is out there -- it's just a matter of letting people know, she said. "As long as those of us who have had this experience with suicide don't talk about it, nobody will talk about it. If we stay isolated, nobody benefits."

SMHAI Home | About Suicide | About Mental Health | Suicide Prevention | Suicide Survivors
Suicide Attempters | Self-Injury - Cutters | Crisis | Donate | SMHAI Library | Online Support & Resources
Speakers & Presentations | Memorials, Remebrances & Celebrations Of Life | Healing Music
Suggested Reading - Survivors | Suggested Reading - Attempters & Self-Injurers | Mental Health Pros.
Upcoming Events | Dr. Roerich's Welcome | Ann Gay's Welcome | Legal & About SMHAI
Privacy Policy | Copyright Notice | Awards Honoring SMHAI | SMHAI Awards Program | Contact

© SMHAI 2004 - 2006 All Rights Reserved.
No copying or redistribution without expressed written permission of SMHAI.
Logo Design by Allen R. Jacobson.
Site launched July 01, 2004.