This year’s theme for World Suicide Prevention Day is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.” This means actively working to reduce stigma, encourage the tough conversations, and challenge myths surrounding suicide.
The path to understanding how we can better support individuals who are in a dark place lies in open communication. We must do what we can to make them feel comfortable discussing their inner thoughts and feelings.
To encourage this, and gain some insight, I interviewed a student who kindly opened up about their experience with suicidal thoughts.
This interview was performed via email, on September 6, 2025. The individual chose to remain anonymous.
If you didn’t discuss these thoughts with anyone, why did you not feel comfortable doing so?
“I always tried to be full of energy and appear as happy as I could because I couldn’t open up, so it felt like no one would believe that I was struggling. I was so convinced I didn’t have a ‘real’ reason to feel what I felt and have those thoughts so I kept ignoring them and hoping they would disappear.”
Was there anything someone could’ve said or done to make you feel comfortable discussing it?
“I think if the people I was surrounded by had just directly asked me how I was doing and showed up without judging me maybe that could’ve made a difference.”
Would seeing more representation/awareness in the media have helped?
“100% yes. Knowing someone’s story and knowing that someone felt the same way helps to know you’re not alone and makes you feel less isolated.”
Do you think anyone knew you were feeling this way?
“I don’t think so. I felt like I had to keep going and pretend that nothing was wrong for the sake of everyone around me.”
Were there any signs you wish people had picked up on?
“I wish that people would’ve (…) picked up on my substance abuse instead of encouraging it. I was 16, drinking and smoking seemed like a rebellious ‘teenager’ thing to do (…). Instead of stepping in, people around thought it was just me having fun which kept encouraging those (…) unhealthy coping mechanisms.”
What helped to bring you out of that dark place?
“I remember someone telling me once that the good thing about each day is that it always ends and that you’ll never have to live that same day ever again. Yeah, the next day might be even worse, but that day will still end, and there will be a whole new day. That really stuck with me and became a little mantra I’d always keep in mind to keep pushing.
Getting into crafting helped a lot too. I’d set aside time in the evenings to do something creative like crocheting or drawing and have a movie playing in the background. It gave me something to focus on, gave me the ability to look at [my] finished creations everyday and inspired me to create new projects. Not every day was easy. There were obviously days where I couldn’t bring myself to do anything and I would leave it, but then I would try to make it a habit to work on something for max 5 minutes just so something would be done. It was slow progress, but it was progress.”
Do you think anything could’ve prevented those thoughts? (In work, school, your social life, the media, etc.)
“Honestly, (I’m) not sure. I believe the friends I had throughout school contributed to developing bad coping mechanisms so surrounding myself with people who were more supportive of me could’ve helped.
I also think my high school could’ve provided more resources for students since I don’t remember them having any options (…) especially during the covid times.”
How do you think we can encourage others to talk about their thoughts, if they’re feeling that way?
“Listening. Really listening because sometimes just having someone listen without judgment or without trying to provide a solution can make a huge difference.
It’s also important for people to know that it’s okay to ask for help. I know for me, I grew up in a family where mental health wasn’t really talked about, so I was scared to reach out. I kept everything to myself for a long time until eventually, they found out. When they did, they gave me their full support. Even though they didn’t fully understand what I was going through, they wanted to understand. They wanted to help me in any way they could because they’d rather walk with me through the pain than visit my grave.
If you are scared to talk to your family I completely understand and have been there before. But more often than not, they love you and want to be there for you (…).
There are also professionals out there who do understand and want to help and asking for help is not a weakness but an act of bravery (…). The more we open up, the more we break the stigma, making it easier for others to speak up too.”
Is there anything else you would like people to know about individuals who experience suicidal thoughts?
When [experiencing] suicidal thoughts, one of the most common things I used to hear was that “time heals all.” I remember how frustrated [I got] when hearing that and felt like no one understood what I was going through. After some years though, I realized that time gives you space to grow and allows you to make room for those thoughts so you can work through them.
You will experience good days where your mind feels calm and you can see beauty in everything and there will be bad days where it feels like you’re hitting rock bottom and losing all the progress you’ve made and that is all okay. You don’t have to keep it all together all the time and even on those tougher days you are still moving forward.
(…) Reach out for support even if it feels hard because you are worth the support and the fact you are reading this means you are still here, still fighting through those thoughts. [That] shows how strong you are even if you don’t feel strong. You’ve already battled your darkest day and that strength will carry you through.
You are worth feeling better and (…) it does get easier when you take it one day at a time, which is the hard part. But it will get easier, I promise.”
Disclaimer: Edited slightly for clarity.
These wise words demonstrate the pressure that individuals may feel to maintain their outward persona of being okay. It shows that people who are in a dark place may not always appear to be. Reassuring your friends and family that you are there for them, no matter what, encourages these tough conversations. Though they may be difficult, it’s a vital step towards reducing the loss due to suicide.
If you need immediate mental health assistance, please call:
9-8-8: The Canadian Suicide Hotline
9-1-1: For medical emergencies
If you need to talk to someone about being in a dark place, reach out here to schedule an appointment with one of our counsellors.
