Written by Aaron Cadayong
Content warning: topics of suicide are discussed
I didn’t anticipate my internship with Corporation for a Skilled Workforce would fuel my passion for reducing the rate of suicide in the United States, but my work with CSW proved to me that opportunities to do impactful work can be found in unexpected places. My commitment to reducing suicide grows out of personal experience. On March 22nd, 2021, I received a letter written by my friend who had committed suicide. In it, he told me not to let the way his life ended taint all our good memories together. He wrote that there is a problem with the way our society handles mental health. No specifics were given; no suggestions were made. I was left with lingering–and daunting—questions. What are the primary problems with how our society handles mental health? How can we do better?
As I debated what I could do to make an impact on suicide rates, I saw an opportunity to pursue policy and research through work in public health. In the summer of 2022, I participated in a public health program at Columbia University. Through this program, I was matched with a Corporation for a Skilled Workforce, assigned to support the Trauma and Resilience at Work team. A key part of suicide prevention is healing from past trauma and building resilience. The workplace is where adults will spend most of their waking hours, making it a valuable opportunity for personal and organizational resilience-building. Community-based organizations and workplaces can be catalysts for creating societal change to improve the way we handle mental health in this country—my dear friend’s very challenge.
Before my internship, I had only the broad vision of creating and supporting mental health reform. My internship with CSW has shown me practical ways to create systemic changes to better support mental health. My passion for neuroscience was expanded as I learned how the brain is affected by trauma and toxic stress. I had the opportunity to help research and develop the four-part Trauma & Resilience Quick Guides (download here). Working on this project and seeing hands-on how organizations are making positive shifts towards recognizing the impact of trauma and importance of resilience has encouraged my pursuit of suicide prevention.
The suicide epidemic should be preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This preventability makes the 47,500 caskets for American suicide victims in the year of 2019 even more devastating. Unfortunately, I have had multiple friends die as a result of this epidemic, leaving me to ponder what I could have done to help. Although I still have much to learn, as a result of this internship I now feel more prepared and capable of helping those with suicidal ideations. This December, I will graduate with my Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience, and I have goals to continue my education in the programming and policy side of suicide prevention. I thank the Columbia University Public Health Program and CSW for the ongoing opportunities to learn and contribute to this field.
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