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Care Enough to Act Promotes Suicide-Prevention

Care Enough to Act is a sort of suicide-prevention task force for Butte, Tehama and Glenn counties. This week, the organization is blitzing the area with events and information to spread awareness and spur action. 

I sat down with three people from the North State who come from different backgrounds but who all contribute to Care Enough to Act.

Chris Sims is a licensed clinical social worker with Passages Connections. He said people have misconceptions when dealing with suicidal thoughts, whether they are their own or someone else’s.

Sims: “People misinterpret suicidal thinking or depression as like character defect. But really it’s depression, and depression is treatable. So people that are having those thoughts that are so uncomfortable — it’s OK to have those thoughts. The important thing is what you do with them.”

Tom Kelem is the executive director of the Stonewall Alliance of Chico, and sort of heads up Care Enough to Act. He talked about how hard of time suicidal people are actually having, and how just a few kind words can make all the difference.  

Kelem: “I think most of them are in such a difficult place in their lives that they don’t see any other way out. They think that this is a solution, and that… the difference between really acting on a plan and following through with it can be just the slightest moment, the slightest recognition that someone else cares, that someone else will actually listen. And I think about, like, talking to people, you know: I think there’s a difference between talking to somebody who’s just going to try to make you feel happy, like you should be happy and not sad, or you should feel good instead of depressed. But, somebody who can listen and acknowledge  yeah, your life sucks right now and that’s OK and we can talk about it. And we can work through that. ”  

Robyn Engel lost her brother to suicide when he was 20 years old. She was 22 at that time. It’s been a long road to healing since then — that was 1988 — but she’s committed to helping others through the pain that she knows so well.

She pointed out some simple things to keep in mind if you or a loved one have depressed or suicidal thoughts.

Engel: “Depression can be extremely isolating. And it messes with our thoughts and gives us, like, inaccurate messages as far as how we see the world and ourselves. And yet depression is the no. 1 mental health  problem throughout the world. So we really want to convey that those feelings are understood by so many people and you’re not alone. And the more someone can hear that when they’re feeling in despair, the more they can feel healed.”

Later today on the Chico State campus Care Enough to Act is putting on a discussion at Selvester’s and a suicide-prevention training session. The week will culminate in the fifth annual Chico Out of the Darkness Walk Saturday morning at 9 in the Downtown Plaza.  

You can see the Care Enough to Act Insert in the current issue of the Chico News and Review. There you’ll see survivor stories, find resources to help if you’re feeling depressed or alone or just need to talk, and you’ll also be able to read features with our guests: Robyn Engel, Tom Kelem, and Chris Sims.

For more information on Care Enough to Act and Suicide Prevention Week, go to care enough to act dot org.