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How one survivor teaches the mental health crisis version of CPR to help prevent suicide
In 1995, mental health advocate Fonda Bryant was living in Charlotte, North Carolina and struggling. Her appetite was non-existent, she was exhausted all of the time, and she willingly sought out isolation. “I was in so much pain, excruciating pain. People don’t realize how much pain you’re in because this [the brain] is the most important organ in your body,” says Bryant. “I couldn’t take it anymore. My apartment was immaculate. I had a plan. I wanted to make sure that when I implemented my plan, my son wouldn’t find me, my brother would. And that would be the end of it. I wouldn’t be in pain anymore.” On the day of her planned suicide, Bryant called her aunt Spanky, and offered her all of her shoes. Sensing that something was wrong, Aunt Spanky called back and asked Bryant if she had plans to kill herself. “I said, yes,” says Bryant. “And she went into action, like a superhero.” Soon after, there was a knock at the door and Bryant came face to face with a Charlotte police officer. After some slight resistance, she agreed to go with him to a mental health facility — a choice that saved her life. That pivotal day saved Bryant’s life and thrust her into a life of service. Today she runs the nonprofit Wellness Action Recovery (WAR), whose mission it is to bring awareness to mental health and suicide prevention. While WAR programming is open to everyone, Bryant works to ensure that the Black community knows that mental health does not have to be a silent struggle. “Most people are training in CPR to help someone having a heart attack or stroke. QPR is the same, but it’s for a person in crisis mentally or suicidal,” says Bryant.”If we talk about it, we can stop it. If we ask that person the suicide question, it lowers anxiety, and gives the person a chance to open up and share what’s going on with them. And it gives us a chance to help them.” By learning about the resources available ahead of time (ie. mobile crisis units, walk-in services), Bryant says that we can all play our part in keeping ourselves and those we love safe and healthy.
