World Suicide Prevention Day
Today, September 10th, marks World Suicide Prevention Day, a global initiative dedicated to raising awareness about suicide, reducing the stigma surrounding mental health, and fostering meaningful conversations around the importance of support and understanding. Suicide remains one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized topics, often clouded by misconceptions that prevent individuals from reaching out for help or being adequately supported by others.
One of the most critical misunderstandings about suicide is the belief that people who contemplate or attempt suicide simply want to die. In reality, many individuals who struggle with suicidal thoughts do not necessarily want to end their lives—they just feel overwhelmed by pain and hopelessness, and don’t see any other way out. It’s not so much about wanting to die, but about not knowing how to keep living through the unbearable circumstances they’re facing.
I lost someone very dear to me last year to suicide. It’s hard, so incredibly hard, but I don’t judge him. He didn’t choose to leave because he didn’t love me or those around him. He left because, in that moment, he couldn’t see a way forward through the pain. It wasn’t about wanting to end his life, but about not knowing how to continue living with the burden he was carrying.
For someone grappling with suicidal thoughts, it can feel like an endless cycle of emotional, psychological, or even physical suffering. Often, they are caught in a state of intense inner turmoil, where the thought of death feels like the only escape from overwhelming pain. What they really want is relief—a way to stop hurting, but they don’t see any other options. It’s not that they seek death, but rather, they’re searching for a way to end their suffering, and in that moment, the path forward isn’t clear to them.
I don’t judge him, I never did. I’ve learned that his struggle wasn’t a reflection of his love for the people in his life, nor a rejection of it. His battle was against the pain, not against us. And while I wish every day that he had found another way, I’ve come to realize that it’s not about judging or questioning the “what ifs.” It’s about remembering the love and the moments we shared and understanding that, in those final moments, he didn’t know how to stay.
In my experience, I’ve learned that judgment doesn’t belong in grief like this. Those of us left behind often carry the weight of wondering if we could have done more, said more, been there in a different way. But the truth is, we don’t always know the depth of someone’s inner struggle, and often, the love and support we gave was more than we’ll ever realize. Even when it’s not enough to pull them out of the darkness, it was enough to keep them going for as long as they did.