When University of Alabama senior Mae Farmer was a child in Indianapolis, Indiana, she struggled with anxiety and depression. Her passion for mental health and wanting more youth representation in those conversations led her to work with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), which is hosting a series of Out of the Darkness walks. The Tuscaloosa walk is Sun., Sept. 24.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death in Alabama for young people ages 10-24, according to AFSP. There were 793 reported deaths by suicide in Alabama in 2020.

“(The walk) brings awareness to something that otherwise people wouldn’t want to talk about,” Farmer said. She said suicide should be discussed more because it can make a difference.

Michelle Moss is UA’s suicide prevention coordinator in the Division of Student Life. She said AFSP’s goal for the walks is to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention and training. The 2022 walk raised $5,894.

“(The AFSP) go into schools, they provide resources, and they actually provide free trainings as well on suicide prevention, which is a great resource for the Tuscaloosa community,” Moss said. She added this walk is to “let people know they’re not alone and that there’s hope.” Licensed therapists and other professionals certified in a specific kind of curriculum for suicide prevention, known as Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR), handle the UA and community training. QPR certification helps people recognize the risks and warning signs of suicide.

Farmer said this is a unique walk in that it blends the efforts of UA students with residents of Tuscaloosa.

“I feel like we’re really growing in the community space a lot more, which is fun and exciting,” Farmer said.

Registration begins at 5 p.m. Sept. 24 outside the Student Center near the fountain. Food trucks and community partners for resources and information will be present. After community speakers share their stories, the group will walk around the Quad. To register for this or other Alabama walks, go to the AFSP web site.

——-

If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts or experiencing a crisis, please dial 988 or text HOME to 741741 to speak or text with someone at the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. For more information, visit 988lifeline.org and CrisisTextLine.org.