September is National Suicide Prevention Month. A Dallas venue hosted an event to help end the stigma.
DALLAS, Texas — If music heals the soul, Saturday night in Bishop Arts may have been the perfect medicine.
At The Kessler, the alternative hip-hop band Cure for Paranoia took the stage — not just to perform but to shine a light on mental health and suicide prevention.
“It’s me giving other people words that they can sing, whenever they’re feeling not seen, or not heard,” said Cameron McCloud, the group’s lead singer.
The concert marked the first-ever “Louder Than Stigma” awareness event, hosted by the mental health advocacy group Amplified Minds.
September is National Suicide Prevention Month. According to the CDC, nearly 49,316 people died by suicide in 2023. Here in Texas, more than 4,000 lives were lost in 2022 alone.
“A month isn’t enough to recognize all the people that we’ve lost,” McCloud said.
Jennifer Sopp, who attended Saturday’s event, knows that struggle firsthand. She has lived through her own battles with mental health and thoughts of suicide.
“I feel much more empowered,” she shared. “I’m out and about now, and I have my friends who are playing here tonight.”
Amplified Minds President Lauren O’Connor stated that the organization has assisted nearly 4,000 people over the past decade. She hopes events like this remind people they aren’t alone. O’Connor said Depression, addiction, and mental illness can affect anyone.
“We want to be able to help as many people to know that you’re not alone,” she said.
The organization offers free therapy with licensed professionals, support groups, substance support groups, and art and music therapy.
If you or someone you know is struggling, you can dial or text 988 in the U.S. to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You don’t have to go through it alone.