May 4, 2025 • 15 mins
Original Air Date: May 4, 2025
Erin Kenny is the overnight senior manager for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention. June 21st, AFSP will hold their Out Of The Darkness Overnight Walk to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. Erin says a much earlier walk saved her own life.
Erin Kenny is the overnight senior manager for the American Foundation For Suicide Prevention. June 21st, AFSP will hold their Out Of The Darkness Overnight Walk to raise awareness and funds for suicide prevention. Erin says a much earlier walk saved her own life.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Sunstein Sessions on iHeartRadio, conversations about issues that matter.
Here's your host, three time Gracie Award winner, Shelley Sunstein.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I want to introduce you to Aaron Kenny, the Overnight
Senior Manager for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP.
And Aaron is joining us this morning because a big
event is coming up June twenty first, it's Out of
(00:31):
the Darkness Overnight Walk. So explain Aaron what this is
and how people can get involved.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Of course, thank you so much, Shelly.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
So, the Overnight Walk is AFSP's national fundraising event. It's
our endurance event, it's our flagship event, and we change
cities each year. And during the walk, it's a sixteen
mile walk, maybe.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
A little more, and it's truly overnight.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
So our participants are walking throughout the city each overnight
for suicide prevention and for mental health awareness. So each
walker has agreed to fundraise, they're raising money, they're raising awareness,
they're walking all night. And most of our community members
have lost someone to suicide. Some of our community members
also have mental health conditions or lived experience.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
And so where is the walk?
Speaker 4 (01:22):
So the walk this year will be a New York
City starting and ending at.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
The Intrepid.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
And what time does it start?
Speaker 5 (01:32):
So our opening ceremony will start about seven.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Thirty PM, but walkers should plan to get there earlier
to check in around four thirty and then after our
opening ceremony, we'll all start walking together around eight pm.
And it does take the average walker six hours to finish,
so we have a closing ceremony back at the Intrepid
around five am.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
How long have you been doing this? I mean the
organization sure so.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
AFSP introduced the overnight into thousand and two and it
was in Washington, DC.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Was actually from Virginia to DC.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
And it was over twenty miles and then it was
outstanding and the org took a little break and then
came back in five So we've been doing it.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
This is actually this year is our thirtieth walk.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Wow. How many people do this?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, so we have about two thousand.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
We've got walkers, crew members, volunteers, and our staff so
we're all there together. So it'll be about two thousand,
just over two thousand people all together.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
If people want to sign up and do the fundraising
and do the walk, how do they do this?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Of course, you can go to theovernight dot org, so
just theovernight dot org and you can read all about
it and you can register right online there and then
you'll also get a walker coach, so we have people
that support you the entire time. As soon as you register,
you're supported in fundraising, training and any.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Questions you have along the way. It's important to know
you're not alone.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Tell me about your involvement. How did you get involved
with this? Sure?
Speaker 4 (03:06):
So, I actually I volunteered at the New York City
Walk in twenty eleven. I myself have mental health conditions
and it was a year I really needed it and
I was serving breakfast at two am as a volunteer,
and my life changed.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Something shifted.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
I saw all these people surrounding me that have lost
someone to suicide or that they were struggling, and I
knew I had to do something.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And so when I.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Graduated school in twenty thirteen, I became a walker coach,
so one of those people that support our participants, and
I've been working on the event ever since and I'm
so lucky. In twenty nineteen, I became the manager, so
now I get to run the event that quite literally
saved my life.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Can do you feel comfortable sharing about your mental health struggles?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Oh yeah, sure.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
So I live with anxiety and depression, and I've gone
through quite a number of diagnosis.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
But right now, you know, I'm on medication and talk.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Therapy works and it's really helped me a lot. But
in twenty eleven, I was at my lowest, so I
was feeling suicidal and one of my best friends found
out about the walk through her college. There were flyers
there and she basically forced me to come to the
walk and I was like, absolutely not. And like I said,
it just we were serving eggs and my whole life
(04:23):
shifted there. I knew that I wanted to stay.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You know, talking about volunteering period, I have heard this
before that if you are depressed, that one of the
best things you can do is volunteer somewhere, just even anywhere,
because when you give of yourself, there's something joyful that arises.
(04:50):
I mean, I'm not quite sure why. It's almost like,
I mean, for me, when it comes to presence, I
get more joy giving a present and then I do
receiving a present. Not really sure why, but I think
the two are kind of intertwined.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Yeah, I definitely see what you mean. I think there's something.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Special about and any of any diagnosis, right, I think
there's something special about giving a part of yourself, like
you said, and you know, as a volunteer, becoming part
of our community too. And this is a community that
we surround around healing and hope and making sure that
you know that there's someone there with you and for you.
So I think it's important to note that any role
(05:31):
you have at the overnight, you're with us and we're together.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Let's talk about some of the signs that somebody may
be considering suicide. What can we look for in our
loved ones? What are some of the indicators that the
warning signs?
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Sure?
Speaker 4 (05:49):
So, warning signs do include mood changes and a down mood,
irritability or lack of interest.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
It could be changes in your sleep, in.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Your appets, eating more or less, low energy, stifferent feelings
maybe of worthlessness or a failure, humiliation, and then of
course actually talking about suicide and saying that you're thinking
about it. And then sometimes also if you see an
increased use of different substances or alcohol, that can also
(06:21):
be an indicator.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
How should you approach a loved one if you think
they are at risk.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
You should absolutely reach out to them and talk to
them and ask them forwardly. It's important to have an
open dialogue about it. I think a lot of people
get scared. They don't want to put an idea in
someone's minds. But really, the more we talk about it,
the more we're reducing that stigma and we're making people
feel comfortable about it.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So you should absolutely directly ask.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
And research does tell us that asking about it can
be life saving. The person knows that they can that
this is a safe space and they can be open
about it. And then and then of course nine eighty eight.
Always call nine eighty which is the crisis line.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I don't think most people are aware of the line
because it's it's relatively new. It's very hard getting the
word out. I mean, we know, you know what to
call in an emergency, but we don't know what to
call in a mental health emergency. How what are you?
What are your feelings about getting the word out about that?
(07:27):
How can this become a household thing, just like nine
to one one.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
That's exactly what I was going to say, is that
I think it's important when we're teaching, you know, we
teach our kids or.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
You know people that we watch.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Nine to one one is like what we call in
an emergency because I think we're we're we have to
take care of ourselves physically, but the same thing goes
for our mental health. The brain is just as an
important organ as the rest of them, so we need
to take care of ourselves mentally.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
So I think.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Teaching youth, teaching students anyone that nine is just as.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
An important number as nine one. One to call in
a crisis or emergency.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Is nine eight eight now nationwide.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Yes, yep, we're really excited. It's nationwide. And it was
the lifeline number. It had a longer number that was
much harder to remember, but nine eighty eight stick that
in your brain.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I'm speaking with Aaron Kenny, the Overnight Senior Manager American
Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP and coming up June twenty first,
the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk here in New
York City, beginning and ending at the Intrepid as you
(08:41):
walk over sixteen miles from dusk till dawn. It's to
raise awareness for suicide prevention. It's also a fundraiser. If
you would like to participate or you want to spread
the word, go to theovernight dot org. Okay, what I'm
(09:02):
gonna throw a little curveball to you because there's a
big discussion about the availability of guns in your household
and the link to suicide. What are your thoughts there?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
My thoughts and I think as an organization, is that
we believe in safe gun holding, so teaching people how
to safely store weapons and if someone is in crisis,
removing firearms from the home. Yeah, I think it's important.
Whatever your choices, it's important to know that there are
(09:42):
ways that we can minimize firearm suicides, including locking up
the firearms and removing them from the home if needed.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
But what if the person in charge of the gun
is the person who ultimately becomes at risk.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
I do think maybe that and they when they're purchasing
the gun, perhaps they should know about the different safety
precautions as well as other people in the home. Maybe
they should know about the safety precautions as well if
there's anyone else. And then I think it goes back
to having those open conversations about mourning signs and about
how someone's feeling and destigmatizing the conversation. Being able to
(10:21):
openly speak on it.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
How can we recognize in ourselves that we're spiraling and
perhaps becoming at risk of suicide.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Yeah, that's such a good question. It's so important to
try to be so self aware. Right, we know ourselves
better than anyone knows us, you know, And I think
if we notice that things are starting to change or shifts,
just the same morning signs I mentioned before, it's important
to tell someone someone you trust, and that could just
it could be something like, I'm find myself eating more.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Why am I eating more? Let's talk about it. Let's
just talk about what.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I'm feeling and what I might be going through and
all the warning signs I mentioned.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
It's really scary for parents because more and more young
people are at risk of suicide. Now we talked about
the conversation you should have. What is the conversation we
should be having with the kids, And I want you
to be very specific in terms of the language that
should be used.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
I think it's important to note that.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
You have to be honest.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
I think as an adult speaking to a child, honesty, transparency,
non judgmental behavior, and active listening. I think those are
the most important things we as adults can do for
our kids, and I think specifically to say to.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Our children, are you okay? Tell me how you're feeling?
Speaker 4 (11:54):
And I you know, like I said, research shows that
if you directly ask someone about suicide, they will open
up about it.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
And that's what.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Are the words? What are the words you should use
specifically with a kid when it comes to you're trying
to find out if they are considering suicide, because like
you said, you don't want to put a thought in
their head. But there I think there is specific language
that would be helpful.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Yeah, and that language can be are you okay, tell
me how you're feeling.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I'm here for you, You're not alone.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
And then if you do think that it's elevated to say,
are you thinking about suicide? Please tell me what you're
feeling and what you're thinking.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
What are your thoughts? Aaron on social media and mental health.
What what should we be doing that we are not
doing for our kids and also for ourselves? I mean,
you know it affects everybody.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Yeah, yeah, that's so true.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
You know, I think that social media, you know, there's so.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Many cons to it because because of all of the
things that we're seeing that we're seeing negative things, we're
seeing hurtful things. There's bullying that goes on through it.
But on the positive side, there's so much more hope.
People are connecting to each other, You're seeing positivity. People
are talking about mental health and what they're doing and
how they're helping. So there are pros and cons to it.
(13:20):
I do think as humans we should try to take breaks.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I do think we.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Need some breaks and we need to get ourselves some
time off the screens.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I do think that that's important too.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Okay, we only have like a minute and a half left.
What have we not touched on with the Out of
the Darkness Overnight Walk or suicide prevention that you would
like to tell the audience.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Suicide prevention is so important. Everybody should talk about their
mental health. It is just as important as your physical health,
and you can talk about it. There should be no
stigma attached to it. And I invite and welcome everyone
to join us at the over Night on June twenty
first at the Intrepid in New York City. It is
a community full of healing and hope, and you're not alone,
(14:07):
and there is a role for you.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
There's a place for you there, and we welcome you
and you.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Can volunteer because, as you pointed out, Aaron Kenny, this
saved your life by volunteering. You were at your lowest
and this basically turned everything around for you to be
first of all, to volunteer and also to be surrounded
by such a supportive community it did.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
It's absolutely saved my life.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
And if there's one thing I can say is that
I actually can't describe the feeling to you, but it's
like going into a giant hug of two thousand strangers
that you didn't know you needed to know that they
will welcome you with arms wide open.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
And for more information theovernight dot org coming up June twenty. First,
theovernight dot Org.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
You've been listening to sunseteen sessions on iHeartRadio, a production
of New York's classic rock Q one O four point three.
Welcome to Sunstein Sessions on iHeartRadio, conversations about issues that matter.
Here's your host, three time Gracie Award winner, Shelley Sunstein.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I want to introduce you to Aaron Kenny, the Overnight
Senior Manager for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP.
And Aaron is joining us this morning because a big
event is coming up June twenty first, it's Out of
(00:31):
the Darkness Overnight Walk. So explain Aaron what this is
and how people can get involved.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Of course, thank you so much, Shelly.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
So, the Overnight Walk is AFSP's national fundraising event. It's
our endurance event, it's our flagship event, and we change
cities each year. And during the walk, it's a sixteen
mile walk, maybe.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
A little more, and it's truly overnight.
Speaker 4 (00:57):
So our participants are walking throughout the city each overnight
for suicide prevention and for mental health awareness. So each
walker has agreed to fundraise, they're raising money, they're raising awareness,
they're walking all night. And most of our community members
have lost someone to suicide. Some of our community members
also have mental health conditions or lived experience.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
And so where is the walk?
Speaker 4 (01:22):
So the walk this year will be a New York
City starting and ending at.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
The Intrepid.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
And what time does it start?
Speaker 5 (01:32):
So our opening ceremony will start about seven.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Thirty PM, but walkers should plan to get there earlier
to check in around four thirty and then after our
opening ceremony, we'll all start walking together around eight pm.
And it does take the average walker six hours to finish,
so we have a closing ceremony back at the Intrepid
around five am.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
How long have you been doing this? I mean the
organization sure so.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
AFSP introduced the overnight into thousand and two and it
was in Washington, DC.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Was actually from Virginia to DC.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
And it was over twenty miles and then it was
outstanding and the org took a little break and then
came back in five So we've been doing it.
Speaker 3 (02:15):
This is actually this year is our thirtieth walk.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Wow. How many people do this?
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, so we have about two thousand.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
We've got walkers, crew members, volunteers, and our staff so
we're all there together. So it'll be about two thousand,
just over two thousand people all together.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
If people want to sign up and do the fundraising
and do the walk, how do they do this?
Speaker 4 (02:39):
Of course, you can go to theovernight dot org, so
just theovernight dot org and you can read all about
it and you can register right online there and then
you'll also get a walker coach, so we have people
that support you the entire time. As soon as you register,
you're supported in fundraising, training and any.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Questions you have along the way. It's important to know
you're not alone.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
Tell me about your involvement. How did you get involved
with this? Sure?
Speaker 4 (03:06):
So, I actually I volunteered at the New York City
Walk in twenty eleven. I myself have mental health conditions
and it was a year I really needed it and
I was serving breakfast at two am as a volunteer,
and my life changed.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
Something shifted.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
I saw all these people surrounding me that have lost
someone to suicide or that they were struggling, and I
knew I had to do something.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
And so when I.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
Graduated school in twenty thirteen, I became a walker coach,
so one of those people that support our participants, and
I've been working on the event ever since and I'm
so lucky. In twenty nineteen, I became the manager, so
now I get to run the event that quite literally
saved my life.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Can do you feel comfortable sharing about your mental health struggles?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Oh yeah, sure.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
So I live with anxiety and depression, and I've gone
through quite a number of diagnosis.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
But right now, you know, I'm on medication and talk.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
Therapy works and it's really helped me a lot. But
in twenty eleven, I was at my lowest, so I
was feeling suicidal and one of my best friends found
out about the walk through her college. There were flyers
there and she basically forced me to come to the
walk and I was like, absolutely not. And like I said,
it just we were serving eggs and my whole life
(04:23):
shifted there. I knew that I wanted to stay.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
You know, talking about volunteering period, I have heard this
before that if you are depressed, that one of the
best things you can do is volunteer somewhere, just even anywhere,
because when you give of yourself, there's something joyful that arises.
(04:50):
I mean, I'm not quite sure why. It's almost like,
I mean, for me, when it comes to presence, I
get more joy giving a present and then I do
receiving a present. Not really sure why, but I think
the two are kind of intertwined.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Yeah, I definitely see what you mean. I think there's something.
Speaker 4 (05:09):
Special about and any of any diagnosis, right, I think
there's something special about giving a part of yourself, like
you said, and you know, as a volunteer, becoming part
of our community too. And this is a community that
we surround around healing and hope and making sure that
you know that there's someone there with you and for you.
So I think it's important to note that any role
(05:31):
you have at the overnight, you're with us and we're together.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Let's talk about some of the signs that somebody may
be considering suicide. What can we look for in our
loved ones? What are some of the indicators that the
warning signs?
Speaker 3 (05:49):
Sure?
Speaker 4 (05:49):
So, warning signs do include mood changes and a down mood,
irritability or lack of interest.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
It could be changes in your sleep, in.
Speaker 4 (05:59):
Your appets, eating more or less, low energy, stifferent feelings
maybe of worthlessness or a failure, humiliation, and then of
course actually talking about suicide and saying that you're thinking
about it. And then sometimes also if you see an
increased use of different substances or alcohol, that can also
(06:21):
be an indicator.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
How should you approach a loved one if you think
they are at risk.
Speaker 4 (06:30):
You should absolutely reach out to them and talk to
them and ask them forwardly. It's important to have an
open dialogue about it. I think a lot of people
get scared. They don't want to put an idea in
someone's minds. But really, the more we talk about it,
the more we're reducing that stigma and we're making people
feel comfortable about it.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
So you should absolutely directly ask.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
And research does tell us that asking about it can
be life saving. The person knows that they can that
this is a safe space and they can be open
about it. And then and then of course nine eighty eight.
Always call nine eighty which is the crisis line.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
I don't think most people are aware of the line
because it's it's relatively new. It's very hard getting the
word out. I mean, we know, you know what to
call in an emergency, but we don't know what to
call in a mental health emergency. How what are you?
What are your feelings about getting the word out about that?
(07:27):
How can this become a household thing, just like nine
to one one.
Speaker 4 (07:33):
That's exactly what I was going to say, is that
I think it's important when we're teaching, you know, we
teach our kids or.
Speaker 3 (07:39):
You know people that we watch.
Speaker 4 (07:41):
Nine to one one is like what we call in
an emergency because I think we're we're we have to
take care of ourselves physically, but the same thing goes
for our mental health. The brain is just as an
important organ as the rest of them, so we need
to take care of ourselves mentally.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
So I think.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Teaching youth, teaching students anyone that nine is just as.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
An important number as nine one. One to call in
a crisis or emergency.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
Is nine eight eight now nationwide.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
Yes, yep, we're really excited. It's nationwide. And it was
the lifeline number. It had a longer number that was
much harder to remember, but nine eighty eight stick that
in your brain.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
I'm speaking with Aaron Kenny, the Overnight Senior Manager American
Foundation for Suicide Prevention AFSP and coming up June twenty first,
the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk here in New
York City, beginning and ending at the Intrepid as you
(08:41):
walk over sixteen miles from dusk till dawn. It's to
raise awareness for suicide prevention. It's also a fundraiser. If
you would like to participate or you want to spread
the word, go to theovernight dot org. Okay, what I'm
(09:02):
gonna throw a little curveball to you because there's a
big discussion about the availability of guns in your household
and the link to suicide. What are your thoughts there?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
My thoughts and I think as an organization, is that
we believe in safe gun holding, so teaching people how
to safely store weapons and if someone is in crisis,
removing firearms from the home. Yeah, I think it's important.
Whatever your choices, it's important to know that there are
(09:42):
ways that we can minimize firearm suicides, including locking up
the firearms and removing them from the home if needed.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
But what if the person in charge of the gun
is the person who ultimately becomes at risk.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
I do think maybe that and they when they're purchasing
the gun, perhaps they should know about the different safety
precautions as well as other people in the home. Maybe
they should know about the safety precautions as well if
there's anyone else. And then I think it goes back
to having those open conversations about mourning signs and about
how someone's feeling and destigmatizing the conversation. Being able to
(10:21):
openly speak on it.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
How can we recognize in ourselves that we're spiraling and
perhaps becoming at risk of suicide.
Speaker 4 (10:34):
Yeah, that's such a good question. It's so important to
try to be so self aware. Right, we know ourselves
better than anyone knows us, you know, And I think
if we notice that things are starting to change or shifts,
just the same morning signs I mentioned before, it's important
to tell someone someone you trust, and that could just
it could be something like, I'm find myself eating more.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
Why am I eating more? Let's talk about it. Let's
just talk about what.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
I'm feeling and what I might be going through and
all the warning signs I mentioned.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
It's really scary for parents because more and more young
people are at risk of suicide. Now we talked about
the conversation you should have. What is the conversation we
should be having with the kids, And I want you
to be very specific in terms of the language that
should be used.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
I think it's important to note that.
Speaker 3 (11:32):
You have to be honest.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
I think as an adult speaking to a child, honesty, transparency,
non judgmental behavior, and active listening. I think those are
the most important things we as adults can do for
our kids, and I think specifically to say to.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
Our children, are you okay? Tell me how you're feeling?
Speaker 4 (11:54):
And I you know, like I said, research shows that
if you directly ask someone about suicide, they will open
up about it.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
And that's what.
Speaker 2 (12:01):
Are the words? What are the words you should use
specifically with a kid when it comes to you're trying
to find out if they are considering suicide, because like
you said, you don't want to put a thought in
their head. But there I think there is specific language
that would be helpful.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
Yeah, and that language can be are you okay, tell
me how you're feeling.
Speaker 3 (12:25):
I'm here for you, You're not alone.
Speaker 4 (12:28):
And then if you do think that it's elevated to say,
are you thinking about suicide? Please tell me what you're
feeling and what you're thinking.
Speaker 2 (12:38):
What are your thoughts? Aaron on social media and mental health.
What what should we be doing that we are not
doing for our kids and also for ourselves? I mean,
you know it affects everybody.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Yeah, yeah, that's so true.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
You know, I think that social media, you know, there's so.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
Many cons to it because because of all of the
things that we're seeing that we're seeing negative things, we're
seeing hurtful things. There's bullying that goes on through it.
But on the positive side, there's so much more hope.
People are connecting to each other, You're seeing positivity. People
are talking about mental health and what they're doing and
how they're helping. So there are pros and cons to it.
(13:20):
I do think as humans we should try to take breaks.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I do think we.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
Need some breaks and we need to get ourselves some
time off the screens.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
I do think that that's important too.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Okay, we only have like a minute and a half left.
What have we not touched on with the Out of
the Darkness Overnight Walk or suicide prevention that you would
like to tell the audience.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Suicide prevention is so important. Everybody should talk about their
mental health. It is just as important as your physical health,
and you can talk about it. There should be no
stigma attached to it. And I invite and welcome everyone
to join us at the over Night on June twenty
first at the Intrepid in New York City. It is
a community full of healing and hope, and you're not alone,
(14:07):
and there is a role for you.
Speaker 3 (14:09):
There's a place for you there, and we welcome you
and you.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
Can volunteer because, as you pointed out, Aaron Kenny, this
saved your life by volunteering. You were at your lowest
and this basically turned everything around for you to be
first of all, to volunteer and also to be surrounded
by such a supportive community it did.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
It's absolutely saved my life.
Speaker 4 (14:30):
And if there's one thing I can say is that
I actually can't describe the feeling to you, but it's
like going into a giant hug of two thousand strangers
that you didn't know you needed to know that they
will welcome you with arms wide open.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
And for more information theovernight dot org coming up June twenty. First,
theovernight dot Org.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
You've been listening to sunseteen sessions on iHeartRadio, a production
of New York's classic rock Q one O four point three.
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