A Chicagoan is sharing her story of survival to remind others healing is possible during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Liz Catalano says her suicidal ideations started at six years old.
“I just know that I wasn’t as loved as other children, and I felt different. I had a feeling of not wanting to be here anymore,” said Catalano who now works in the nonprofit sector. “In my early adolescence and early adulthood, coping mechanisms that I thought were just extreme personality traits, were really just survival strategies. Overspending or anger.”
Then, in her late twenties, she was “stopped in her tracks,” when she saw an ad for an upcoming support walk, put on by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), on a a CTA Red Line train.
“One sign, one conversation, it can make a difference,” she said.
She’s now a volunteer coordinator for the Illinois chapter after nearly a decade of volunteering.
She credits AFSP and a therapist she trusted with saving her life.
“It’s a chance to share your story, a sense of community,” said Catalano. “I like to say my story started in the dark, but it definitely didn’t end there.”
AFSP is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide through education and fundraising. Dr. Cynthia Paidipati is a board member and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.
“Therapy can be incredibly powerful and really save someone’s life,” said Paidipati. “Talking it out, learning how to identify feelings, expressing those feelings in a healthy way.”
According to the AFSP, something to look out for when concerned a person may be suicidal is a change in behavior related to a painful event, loss or major life change; talk of suicide or feeling hopeless, increased use of alcohol or drugs, isolation, depression and irritability.
Risk factors include mental health conditions, prolonged stress and stressful life events, and a family history of suicide or generational trauma.
“It doesn’t discriminate against one particular race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic background, so all of us want to pay attention to the signs and symptoms,” said Paidipati.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.
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