Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr. hosted a successful virtual event via Zoom to help educate the community about suicide prevention in commemoration of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month (September). Zoom was chosen so attendees didn’t have to speak or show their faces if they preferred, allowing people to maintain privacy while still receiving important information and support resources.

“Suicide Prevention Awareness Month is important because it encourages honest conversation, reduces stigma, and reminds people that help and hope are available,” said Senator Addabbo. “That’s why I held this Zoom event—to reach more residents and make these lifesaving resources accessible.”

The event featured two speakers—Professor Clancy Martin, PhD, a suicide attempt survivor, author, and philosophy professor, and NyJah Sterling, Programs Manager at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The discussion centered on suicide prevention awareness, reducing stigma, and practical tools for those experiencing suicidal thoughts or ideation and for their support system—friends, relatives, colleagues, and others.

Professor Martin spoke candidly about his own multiple suicide attempts and lifelong suicidal ideation. He emphasized that open conversation is one of the most powerful tools against suicide stigma, referencing the “Papageno effect,” which shows that robust public discussion can actively reduce suicide rates. He also described the internal logic of the suicidal mind, including self-loathing and circular reasoning, and drew parallels between suicidal ideation and addiction.

He offered practical strategies including accepting intrusive thoughts rather than fighting them, using the “you can always do it tomorrow” approach to create a delay, reaching out to anyone during a crisis—even a stranger—and using the “walking, talking, and smiling” technique to help someone through an acute moment. He also stressed the importance of peer support networks and active listening without judgment.

Sterling provided a structured overview of suicide risk and protective factors, lethal means safety, and available crisis resources, including the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line (741741), and AFSP programs such as Talk Saves Lives.