The holidays always bring more attention to suicide, though you may be surprised to know rates are actually lower in December.
But this year, the numbers are higher than ever.
“I hope people know they can hold on to hope, there's always hope,” Becky Kruse said.
Becky Kruse remembers her son's death like it was yesterday.
“I grabbed a picture of my three kids and fell to my knees and said, 'not my Adam, not my Adam,” Kruse said.
Adam, a fun loving college student, shot himself. His mother says he was overwhelmed by growing stress at school.
“There's just always sadness and things are not the same, things will never be the same,” Kruse said.
Adam died in 2007. In the years following, Kruse began advocating for suicide awareness.
“We've got to stop this, the numbers are going the wrong way," Kruse explained.
This year in Tulsa, 91 people committed suicide. In 2014, 99 killed themselves setting the city’s record.
“It's something you should put right out on the table and speak openly about,” Mark Davis said.
Mark Davis works with the Mental Health Association of Oklahoma. He handles the most severe calls coming into the suicide helpline.
“I try to be that beacon of hope and support to help and to let them know, you're not alone in this fight,” Davis said.
He says if you have family or friends who seem suicidal; you need to talk to them about it.
“Oftentimes, that person just really needed to speak to somebody that they felt understood,” Davis said.
Davis says, once you start the conversation you can help them find a support system and experts who can help.
If you know someone struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
