HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Many people are still in shock, after pageant queen Cheslie Kryst’s death of a reported suicide.
Here in Alabama, suicide is the third leading cause of death for people ages 10-34, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
FOX54 News’ Keneisha Deas spoke with a Huntsville psychotherapist about how you can be a support system for people suffering from depression.
2019 Miss USA Cheslie Kryst’s last post on Instagram reads, ‘May this day bring you rest and peace’. This was posted just hours before her death.
She was 30 years old.
“We can make assumptions, and we can try to identify a solution but, we have to understand that a lot of time suicide is a relief of pain. ‘I’m in pain, and I’m looking for a solution’,” said Huntsville Psychotherapist and Counseling Services Inc. Psychotherapist, Monretta Vega.
Her death begs the question for many people, why?
“We have to be okay with accepting that there is an unknown - attempting to say to someone that may be in a similar situation, just because they look like they have everything going on and it looks good to me, and there could be, you know, a little bit of comparison, and ‘Oh, I wish, I wish, I wish', and hashtag ‘life goals’; we still want to be able to say ‘Hey, are you good?’, and ‘You matter’, and ‘You’re enough',” said Vega.
Vega said when you see the changes in a loved one or a friend, reach out and check on them. However, even if you don’t see the signs, here’s what you should do if they cross your mind.
“Take a moment when you have that one-on-one alone time with yourself, and you’re processing it. If they cross your mind again, go ahead and reach out, because that could be your intuition and your gut feeling saying, ‘this person, may need to hear a friendly voice at this time’,” said Vega.
If you believe someone you know needs therapy, Vega said to be careful with your approach.
“Well, once you mention that option, give them alternative options. Therapy may not be the route that they may want to take at that time. They can go to life coaching, they can have a peer support group,” said Vega.
We also know there's a stigma associated with seeking therapy.
In fact, in Alabama, not much has changed over the years in the average number of adults with mental illness - who received mental health services.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 41% of adults with any mental illness, received mental health services between 2017 and 2019.
However, between the years of 2008 and 2010, 39% received services.
"A lot of times we have to be mindful that there is a stereotype associated with mental health and therapy and truly going into that alternative, however, there is life coaching and there's peer support and there's support groups out here and other things in the community that can be beneficial," said Vega.
If you, or anyone you know is in need of suicide crisis prevention, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1(800)-273-TALK.
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