Suicide. It’s a scary word. Most of the time, a shameful word. We live in a culture where talking about your feelings is looked down upon, we stuff our feelings down into the pit of our stomachs and wonder why we are all sick and dying. Nearly 450 million people worldwide are currently living with a mental illness, yet nearly two-thirds of people with a known mental illness never seek treatment. Most people are too afraid to talk about it. I want to change that.

In this very special episode of H2BH, I sit down with the one and only, Fonda Bryant, as we talk about her childhood trauma, the importance of suicide prevention in the wake of a pandemic, and we share our self-care tips since we can't go the gym! She is a suicide prevention and mental health advocate. She teaches QPR Suicide Prevention training and other classes with Mental Health America of the Central Carolinas (that I have taken!) She was awarded the MHA Advocacy of the Year Award in 2019. She has worked tirelessly to put up suicide prevention signs on rooftops all over Charlotte and beyond. She speaks to schools and colleges on the importance of mental health, and she gives the best damn hugs. I am so honored to have shared so many spaces with her.

What does it mean to advocate for suicide prevention and mental health? What does that look work look like in the real world? Can anyone be an advocate? Can anyone prevent suicide? My dear friend, Fonda Bryant, thinks so.

This episode is in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness, most very very alone. If you are one of those millions, Fonda and I are here to tell you…you can ALWAYS rekindle hope. You are NOT alone.

Here is a place to start: 

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness

Mental Health America of the Central Carolinas

Promise Resource Network 

Hard To Be Human