World Suicide Prevention Day: TN woman shares journey from suicide attempt survivor to mental health advocate
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — In honor of World Suicide Prevention Day, one local suicide attempt survivor is using her near-death experience to bring hope to others through advocacy.
At 15 years old, Sherilyn Duckworth began self-harming, something she said was a cry for help.
“I had started cutting my left wrist,” Duckworth said. “As crazy as it sounds, no one noticed the scratches on my arm, or if they did notice, they didn’t have the tools that they needed to actually ask me how I was doing.”
A few months went by before she tried to take her own life. She said thankfully, she wasn’t successful in doing so.
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“Don’t take it lightly when you have a friend saying, ‘I don’t want to live anymore’, ‘I just can’t do this anymore’, or ‘I’m thinking about taking my life’ because those were my exact words to my best friend 20 years ago, ‘I’m going to take my life tonight’,” Duckworth said. “If it wasn’t for her really taking me seriously and calling my dad, who then called my mom and got me to the emergency room, I would not be here 20 years later.”
After seeking care, Duckworth said she was diagnosed with depression.
“I was mandated to see an adolescent counselor, but I was born and raised in one of the poorest places in the U.S., the Black Belt region in Alabama,” Duckworth said. “My mom couldn’t afford to take off her work to take me to see my adolescent counselor, so I only got to see her one time. Suicide as well as mental health were taboo subjects in black communities, so for 15 years or so of my life, I lived with depression, what I like to call the dark assassin. I went untreated, and it took a toll on my life.”
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At 35 years old, she’s still being treated for depression as well as anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
“I take four different medications for my mental disorders and I have to see a psychiatrist,” Duckworth said. “I still get suicidal thoughts, and these thoughts can come when I am feeling as high as ever.”
(Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth) (Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth) (Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth)
Duckworth admits every day is a struggle, but there are numerous ways to overcome life’s challenges. That’s why she dedicates her time to connecting people to mental health care and resources, things she wishes she knew about as a struggling teenager.
“I’m supposed to be here,” Duckworth said. “One of my purposes for being here is to share my story of my suicide attempt and to get others to talk about theirs in a normalized fashion.”
Additionally, Duckworth created a nonprofit called ‘A Friend of Mind’ that uses yoga, meditation and journaling to promote suicide prevention awareness.
(Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth) (Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth) (Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth) (Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth) (Courtesy: Sherilyn Duckworth)
“It’s a way to give adolescents an outlet to cope with their mental illnesses,” Duckworth said. “I teach adolescents and their parents about these different mental disorders and give them the tools that they need to cope.”
According to a 2023 report by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH), over 1,000 lives are lost due to suicide each year. The state’s 2022 mortality rate of 17.7 was 19% higher than the national rate.
The TDH said five steps you can take to prevent suicide are:
Maintain meaningful social connections
Know the warning signs
Identify specific mental health needs
Reduce access to lethal means of suicide
Seek help for yourself or someone else
“Suicide is preventable,” Duckworth said. “You are not alone in this struggle of feeling hopeless, unloved and worthless. You are not alone, and there’s help available.”
Anyone struggling with a mental health crisis can receive support 24/7 through:
Statewide Crisis Phone Line: 1-855-274-7471
Statewide Crisis Text Line: Text “TN” to 741 741
National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or Text 988
Tennessee RedLine (substance abuse/addictions): 1-800-889-9789
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