Documentary on suicide prevention will be shared with public

With the percentage of suicide attempts and suicide overall increasing, school counselor Susan Langan is calling attention to a local event to raise awareness on suicide. Ascension is a documentary on a young woman who had a suicide attempt when she was in high school and is now trying to spread awareness about suicide prevention. 

“It’s a documentary of a young woman who attempted suicide when she was in high school, I think she was a senior,” Langan said. “She has made this documentary, and goes around to speak about it to give people hope and that suicide is not the answer.”

Langan said the movie is powerful, and “I think it gives the message that there are other options, and when you choose suicide you have no idea how it affects other people.”

Langan said teens have been facing a wave of pressures in recent years. “High school students have been through a lot these few years with COVID and all the changes in our country and all the different things that are going on, and those that give us anxiety like school shootings, things like that, so it’s something when you are feeling like there’s no hope. Hopefully after watching this movie you will know that there is hope.” 

Langan said the movie is sponsored by the Black Hawk Grundy Mental Health Center, for suicide prevention, and is scheduled for Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. at the Gallagher Bluedorn.

“Emma Benoit is actually going to be there in person at the viewing, so she will be able to do a Q & A after the viewing of the documentary,” Langan said. “We have some representatives in the coalition, and we are trying to get students, families and teachers to fill up the Gallagher Bluedorn for this movie. I would really encourage you to attend. It will be very emotional. It could trigger you if you have had experiences like this, so there will be mental health counselors there to talk to about this.”

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