These things are always important, but September is Suicide Prevention Month, a time set aside to remember those we’ve lost to self-harm, to think about those among us struggling with depression, to check in on our own emotional well-being, and to refresh our box of tools for combating mental illness.

This Suicide Prevention Month is perhaps more important than any in years, as the uncertainty of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has pushed many of us into unknown realms of sadness and anxiety.

As Mary Schalk said in a recent column on the Lifestyles page of The News, the biggest tools in that suicide-fighting tool box are reaching out and speaking up, whether you are someone struggling or someone who loves someone struggling.

“Talking with someone who cares and will listen without judgement can go a long way in reducing feelings of loneliness, overwhelm and distress,” Schalk wrote. “If you are struggling, talk to someone you trust. If you are concerned about someone, start a conversation, ask how they are doing and be prepared to listen in a way that helps you understand. Don’t jump to giving advice or trying to “talk them out of it.” Help them find resources to address their needs — employment, parenting, mental health, food, substance use, or myriad others. Check in with each other regularly.”

And you can participate in Alpena’s Suicide Prevention Walk at 10 a.m. Saturday at Bay View Park. Registration begins at 9 a.m. (Lifestyles Editor Darby Hinkley is an organizer of the event).

Don’t be afraid to talk. Help is available, and no one has to take their own life.

The Suicide Prevention Hotline can be reached at 800-273-8255.

(THE ALPENA NEWS)