GEORGIA (WALB) - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2023, one person died by suicide every 11 minutes. In Georgia, statistics show that suicide is now one of the top five causes of death for Georgians ages 10 to 24.

Behind those statistics are real people and real pain, something Carsyn Crews knows too well. Her friend Caroline Smith, a cheerleader in Coffee County, died by suicide in Feb. of 2019.

“I would’ve 100% rather taken on her burdens than let her go through it all by herself,” Crews said.

Crews urges people to be present and intentional with the people they love.

“Love your people while they’re here,” she said. “Even if you’re having a bad day and the last thing you want to do is answer that friend’s call, that phone call might be the one thing that saves them.”

Mental health professionals say stories like Caroline’s are becoming all too common. They are urging people to break the stigma and speak openly about mental health struggles.

“There is no shame,” said Bobbie Davis-Johns, a certified behavior analyst with Unison Behavioral Health. “There’s stigma, and there’s shame — It’s a vicious cycle. When you live in that silence and don’t feel like it’s safe to share, you end up suffering in silence.”

Davis-Johns knows firsthand what that pain is like. After silently battling OCD for 15 years, she finally received a diagnosis and began to heal with the help of faith and peer support.

“I recover out loud because people are dying and suffering in silence,” she said.

Davis-Johns is now one of the many advocates working to raise awareness and improve mental health support in Georgia through Unison Behavioral Health.

In response to the new statistics, the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) has increased funding for mental health initiatives and expanded outreach efforts. This includes the promotion of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, a free, 24/7 resource for those in emotional distress.

Free resources are available for those in need of support:

• Georgia’s 24/7 Crisis and Access Line: (800) 715-4225
• Peer2Peer Warm Line
• Unison Behavioral Health
• Watch survivor stories and resources on YouTube
• Community support on Facebook

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is just three numbers away. Call or text 988 — the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — 24 hours a day.

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