TUNKHANNOCK, WYOMING COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — The holiday season and the winter months are difficult for many, especially those struggling with mental health issues.
This prompted leaders in one county in our area to offer help and resources, especially for young people during the colder months and beyond.
School, home life, and even applying to college can cause lots of stress and mental health struggles for young adults.
That's why the Wyoming County District Attorney's Office has launched a county-wide education and awareness effort to prevent suicide.
"The more we can get everyone to talk about this and work together, the more lives we'll save, and we won't even know who we're saving, but we will," said Wyoming County District Attorney Joe Peters.
A large part of the effort involves working with local community organizations and the Tunkhannock Area School District to let teens and adults know about the resources available to them.
Tunkhannock High School Senior Sarah Demarco says her peers face unique struggles.
"Our generation, growing up in a digital age that we haven't really seen before, we are experiencing problems that haven't really been dealt with before," Demarco explained.
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Stephanie Giancini is a trauma counselor with the Tunkhannock Area School District.
She says social media can cause additional stress on students on top of things like trauma.
"The pandemic only exacerbated those things and social media does as well," Giancini explained.
Another part of the District Attorney's suicide prevention initiative involves a poster-making contest where students can create art focusing on mental health to help spread awareness.
That artwork will be turned into donated billboards, sending a message that no one is alone.
Students say being open and having conversations about mental health is crucial.
"It's most important when we talk about it, doing things like this because it de-stigmatizes it for our other peers that might be a little more hesitant to reach out for help," said Tunkhannock High School Senior Zoe Powers.
On the law enforcement front, the District Attorney's office actively works to determine if criminal charges can be filed against people who supply drugs resulting in suicides.
Anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide can call or text 988.
