OPINION
September is suicide prevention awareness month.
There are several options available for help if you or anyone you know are struggling.
There's 988, available for a free and confidential call or text in the U.S. or Canada.
If you're a veteran, you can either call 988 and press 1, or you can text 838255.
If you feel comfortable texting but not calling, you can also text HOME to 741741.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness also provides resources for people who are experiencing suicidal ideation or who loves someone who is struggling at bit.ly/4gTTMzw.
Suicide is a plague that persists best when people are afraid of talking about it.
There are small ways you can check in with your loved ones to help them know they can share their mental state with you.
Sometimes that can be as easy as asking someone who has been struggling, 'How is your brain doing?'
Depression, no matter the cause, is an illness like any other.
It needs to be handled and often treated formally to improve.
We don't shame diabetic people for needing insulin. We encourage them to take the medicine they need to properly manage their blood sugar levels.
We don't shame someone for getting a cast to help a broken arm heal properly. We caution them about overusing the injured arm so they don't disrupt the healing process.
We should look at a sick brain the same way as we see physical illnesses where there are visible symptoms of the illness or injury.
Suicide, too, has a lasting impact on the people who are closest to the person who claims their own life. Sometimes that impact means direct family members are at an increased risk of committing suicide themselves.
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has information regarding suicide rates throughout the country.
According to the fact sheet for Texas, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death overall, with it ranking second in the age ranges of 15-24 and 25-34. It's still in the Top 10 causes of death for people through 64 years of age, dropping to 18th for ages 65 and older.
Also according to the fact sheet, '68% of communities experienced a mental health provider shortage in 2025, according to federal guidelines.'
The fact sheet, though updated in 2026, is based on the data available from 2024.
The stats might have shifted since then, but the problem remains.
We need to watch out for each other to help reduce the impact suicide has on our society, and we need to support organizations like Denton County MHMR and United Way of Denton County that can help people in crisis find a light in the darkness.
Abigail Bardwell is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal, and she serves on both the North and East Texas Press Association and the Texas Press Association boards. She can be reached at abardwell@postsignal. com.
