>> In 2023, more than 1500 people in Illinois took their own lives.

That's according to the CDC this weekend.

People who have been touched by suicide are coming together to honor the lives lost in a local event.

Organizers say it is the largest suicide prevention event in the United States.

The out of the darkness Chicagoland walk will also help share information about suicide warning signs and where to find help.

Joining us now, our Angela Cummings, executive director for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Illinois Chapter Sean Connelly board member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Illinois Chapter.

Thanks to both for joining Thanks for having so.

Currently suicide is the 14th leading leading cause of death in the state of Illinois.

Angela, what direction would you say?

The suicide rate in Illinois is trend which going?

Well, actually, we're leveling off.

So we were fortunate in 2019 2020.

We did see a death in the rates at during those years.

And then, of course, the pandemic came along and then we saw a U-turn.

>> And they did kind return to the pre pandemic.

>> pre pandemic phases.

And so now we're just kinda leveling off, which is not where we want to be.

We want to bring the suicide rate down and we know that there are warning signs that their incomes are every winter and interventions that anybody can learn.

And so we really feel hopeful that we can start to bring this rate down for to what do you attribute or what factors to can you attribute to win rate changes that we did obviously COVID.

>> That is an outlier, right?

But when goes up or down, what can you attribute that to when it went down?

We like to think that it was because of the work that we're doing, educating people about the risk factors, educating people about the warning signs and then the protective factors that can help people if they are experiencing, you know, a mental health crisis and then how to get the help you know, the pandemic was not good for anyone for various reasons.

One good thing that did come out of it, though, is telehealth.

I will say that was a silver lining before COVID people.

Insurance companies did not think that you could.

see if through zoom and then that was the only people can get help.

And now suddenly that's how many people get help.

And it's much more equitable.

Very calm.

And so, yeah, yes, Sean, we know that we lost your sister, Alex to suicide.

We're sorry for your loss.

Tell us more about her.

Please get my sister died 12 years ago this year and she had diagnosed bipolar.

And I think that's a common thread.

We see a lot of times and suicide deaths is.

>> But overall, majority time that either have a potentially treatable are diagnosable mental health condition and she was the last survivor looking at her now.

Yeah, she had attempted to take her own life once before.

So we knew this risk.

Was there.

It 2013.

It was a different time via the ACA was just getting rolled out, which ensured that mental health care was held as an essential health benefit on insurance plans made it hard for her to maintain consistent access to high-quality care.

And I think in the years since she died, I mean, it's brought so many conversations of grief is real complicated emotion.

It's complicated experience.

But for me, it's really brought home.

This idea of I don't think before this thought of suicide preventable.

Cause of death.

You know, you words like the person committed suicide.

You don't say someone committed cancer, you know, 6 committed heart disease.

It's the same sort of thing trying to figure out the actual root causes that could increase suicide risk in addressing those in in a thoughtful half away.

And that comes through all sorts of different news in ways.

But said she died.

It's been really interesting.

Eye-opening experience for because you mentioned, you your experience with grief, which can be different for every one.

Of course, what was what was your Yeah, I think, you know, ongoing still.

I think, you know, there's always a NICU period of time for people where it's it's really bad and it's really hurt and it can have a lot of different emotions.

But as you continue on past, whatever lost your grieving, you know, it stays with you.

And I think it's something that sometimes we think of as it has an end point.

And I don't think that's always the best way to think about it.

For folks.

I think it's better to think about it like something that you carry with.

You.

It's all your memories and all the love you have for that person.

Pre last through the last bit anger, sadness, you feel it.

Sometimes you have to engage the different components of grief.

But it's something that.

It's nice to remember that as you grieve, that means you still have the person with you.

That's how I always think about it.

And there's no right or wrong way to do.

It's not anybody schedule and sometimes goal year.

Do you think about it some years?

It's like a this is hard me every day.

So I really think it support people have one-off perspective on it, of course.

And what are some of the risk factors warning signs that people need to be watching out for?

risk factors are different than warning signs and risk factors are kind of those environmental things that might exist in someone's life that could increase their risk.

>> A job loss or relationship lost a history of mental illness in the family and undiagnosed mental illness.

And the warning signs are those observable signs that someone may be entering a suicidal crisis moment and those are typically group and talk behavior and mood.

yeah, people talk about it.

Their behavior is obviously different.

Their mood is different and it's not going back to baseline that this is when you want to reach out.

What do you think?

Stops people from getting help?

Well, there are a lot barriers to care.

The cost for one stigma, cultural stigma, for example, can be a big factor to their some communities that thank you.

Just need to pray and prayers, wonderful and a protective factor.

But just like any other health condition, if mental health, if treated properly, you can get better.

And so we just want to make sure that people understand that know how to get to that care.

we can bring down those various barriers, workforce expansion is a huge thing to there.

Just are not enough mental health care providers in Illinois and really across the country.

And what we know.

You've got the walk, A F S P It is it to it out of the darkness.

Walk and Saturday.

We that money go that the money that is raised on that out of your awareness.

Great question.

So if this guy is the largest private funder of research into suicide prevention in the world, so a large chunk of though fundraising goes into research specifically about suicide and suicide prevention.

>> And mental health, the rest of it goes to all of our free programs and free resources.

We are and we never charge for a program or resources in Illinois.

So we're really lucky that people are so generous come out of this walk and donate what they can and it allows us to go out there and do our work advocacy education survivor support and research.

Of course, Sean, of course, you know, so as I can be a very sensitive topic, right to getting a lot of people together who share have a shared experience right to describe the mood.

>> At the Yeah.

Like the Chicago and Walk.

It's it's a beautiful day.

We do it in Montrose Harbor.

See right on the lakefront.

And there's just real community care.

>> So whatever motion you're coming to the day with that'll be taken care of so it can be of deeply.

You know, I'm still takes a lot of pain.

We'll take care of you.

It could be a day where I feel good.

The sun is up.

I'm surrounded by other people were all feeling.

What we feel together and could just sort of be like a big bear.

Hugs have always described to get out there.

It's a couple 1000 people.

It's just a really beautiful event.

And, you know, you're surrounded by carried if you never meet all the people that are caring for you out there, we all have each other's backs.

We all understand what everyone else is going to in some meaningful way.

And it's very fragile with one another.

And I feel like it's a lot of vulnerability out there.

is really beautiful, really great lot of understanding people such a hopeful event.

People just feel so hopeful, hopeful that they can.

>> Keep keep another family from going through.

That loss are hopeful they can keep another person from ever reaching that crisis moment I got to have hope, OK?

Well.

>> I hope you all have a good walk on Saturday to awnings.

And Connelly, thank you so much for joining us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And if you or someone you know, is struggling with depression or suicidal ideation, you can call or text 9, 8, 8, to