Hillary Hardin first attempted suicide in 2013 when she made a noose from a scarf and a belt and thought about jumping from her kitchen counter.
“I wanted to end my life. I got to a place I lacked support in my job,” she said. “But before I jumped, I began praying and asking God why I wanted to do this.”
Hardin said she felt as if her life had no purpose. But then she came to understand her purpose was reaching out to other people at risk of ending their lives.
Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center featured Hardin, CEO and founder of the Whose Heart Mourns Me Foundation of McComb, for its September Lunch-n-Learn program this past Friday.
Hardin said she uses her experiences with depression to educate and uplift others.
“In the United States, every 12.8 seconds someone dies by suicide,” Hardin said.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Americans ages 15-24, behind unintentional injuries and homicides. It’s the second leading cause of death for 25- to 34-year-olds.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, noticing warning signs could save someone’s life.
If a person threatens to hurt or kill oneself, looks for means to harm him- or-herself, talks about death or dying or speaks of plans to end his or her life, they should get help immediately.
Hardin told audience members to be aware of anxiety, people saying they feel trapped or hopeless, or if a person doesn’t have a purpose or exhibit excessive anger.
Other warning signs include increased use of drugs or alcohol, withdrawing socially, isolating oneself, calling to say goodbye and giving away prized possessions.
Hardin said anger is a common emotion felt by those depressed.
“They always have someone to blame,” she said.
A warning sign that Hardin said she personally understood is the feeling of having no purpose in life.
Hardin said her experiences with childhood abuse and neglect and spousal abuse led her to be able to understand and relate to troubled youth.
“God showed me to work with kids in foster care because I understood the abandonment,” she said. “I understood the hurt.”
The mother of three credits her children for helping her out of her depression.
“The will to live pushed me harder to go out and help others,” she said. “That’s how I overcame my battle. It helped me to be a better person to myself and a better mother.”
At just 13 years old, Hardin’s daughter Meghan told her mother that she too felt hopeless and as if she had no purpose in life after not making the soccer team.
“She played soccer for nine years and then she didn’t make the team because someone told her she wasn’t good enough,” Hardin said.
When Hardin began working with troubled youth, she said her daughter offered her some of Hardin’s own advice.
“She told me, ‘Mama, just tell them what you tell us. Just tell them to love themselves and even if nobody else loves them, God loves them,’ ” Hardin said.
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For more information on suicide prevention, warning signs or help, visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website afsp.org or call (212) 363-3500.
