Local counseling service wants to raise awareness about mental health

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – September 10-16 is Suicide Prevention Week.

Mental health experts want to raise awareness about the signs and help prevent another tragedy.

Laoneda Ellis said her daughter, Mariah, would have been a freshman in college this year.

She was just 12 years old in 2017 when she took her own life.

Her mom said healing from the tragedy is a day-to-day process.

“I had pizza in my hand and I saw that Mariah’s little dog Smokie was outside and I honestly just started calling her name and she never answered me,” said Ellis.

That’s how Laoenda Ellis will always remember April 27, 2017.

Ellis said her daughter was being bullied, couldn’t take it anymore, and ultimately took her own life.

But things got worse not even a year later when Mariah’s father died.

“He couldn’t live anymore without her. Eight months after she passed, he passed,” said Ellis.

Since then, Ellis has worked to turn her pain into a passion to help other young people and their parents. She regularly speaks to youth groups and other organizations sharing her story.

Ellis has even enrolled in classes at Mississippi State University to help get a better understanding of mental health.

Some days are better than others, but the void and the pain are always there.

“I didn’t have a life and it has been the hardest seven years of my life. This year I can actually say I’ve gotten back in the swing of doing things,” said Ellis.

Ellis was able to find connections with people like Veronica Harrison at Community Counseling to help her cope.

“You just need to talk. You need to talk it out and there’s nothing wrong with going to a counselor and talking out your problems,” said Harrison. “We’re trying to get into the community events and social events to let people know who we are and that there’s help available and suicide awareness is something everybody needs to be concentrating on.”

Harrison said suicide rates are rising. She encouraged people to reach out or talk to someone before it’s too late.

“Stop the stigma because we still have this stigma, especially in rural communities and rural communities of color,” said Harrison.

If you are dealing with depression and are looking for help, call 988 to connect to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or visit Community Counseling’s website at www.ccsms.org for more information and other available resources in North Mississippi.

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