This September marks the 46th annual National Suicide Prevention Month, which aims to educate more people on prevention and ways to recognize the warning signs of suicide. It highlights the importance of talking about suicide and mental health, and allows schools like NDB to bring the subject up.

According to Rosemary Dito, a family and marriage therapist who has been licensed since 1991, “It’s important to make people aware what the symptoms of depression are and that there’s help out there. And that depression doesn’t have to be a permanent condition, that there’s lots of different ways of dealing with it.”

“I think we just being able to have a chunk of time where we can bring awareness to such a difficult topic [is important]… as well as normalizing that it’s okay to not be okay,” said NDB counselor Allan Gargaritano.

When asked about the stigmas that come with talking with suicide and mental health, Gargaritano says that, “I think people are afraid to talk about it because they don’t want to be looked at a certain way or they don’t want to be deemed as someone who has depression or people start to associate themselves with whatever it is they’re feeling.” Oftentimes the statement becomes, ‘I am depressed,’ rather than ‘I am dealing with depression.’”

In honor of this month, Notre Dame participated in the Out of the Darkness walk and contributed over $1700 to the fight against suicide.

NDB also took part in a Suicide Prevention Week that was organized by the Health & Wellness Board. Students got involved by wearing colors that correspond with different inspiring statements, such as “I am Brave” and “I am Loved,” and those who participated could earn spirit points for their class. The Health & Wellness also worked with NDB counselors to reach out with students and provide resources to support the NDB community.

For students struggling with suicidal thoughts and/or mental health, Gargaritano advises daily self-check ins.

He adds that “[daily check ins] are going to help us realize what we need in a day.”

The counselor hopes that this month will push people to reach out to him and other support at NDB.

“Just someone’s showing up to my door or sending me an email about where they are, whether it’s something good or hard or physical…just being able to ask a question takes a lot of string and confidence and shouldn’t be taken lightly,” he says.

Throughout this month, and all the others, it is important for NDB students to remember that help will be there when they reach out. As cheesy as it is, no one is alone!

National Suicide Hotline: 800-273-8255