If you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day. That number is 988.
Saving lives — That's the goal of a teen from Whitefish Bay during Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Sophie Grass wants us all to know that help is out there.
The 18-year-old released a viral video last year that got more than 1.7 million views. It highlights her love for a long-gone era — women wearing fashions from the Victorian period.
Grass is a history buff and talented artist who keeps daily journals. She even has a collection of books on George Washington. She wants parents to know, the outward appearance of teens can be deceiving.
"Sophomore year, especially in math, I was always the class clown, always happy and jolly, but deep down I was just dying," Sophie says. "You have to realize that even if someone is always smiling, they could definitely be the next one who wants to end their life."
Sophie says she became deeply depressed after being bullied on social media and misunderstood by some teachers.
"Your whole life is affected by it. You can't do anything you want to do, you can't get out of bed, it's impossible to live with," she says.
It got so bad, Sophie came close to ending it all.
"I wrote a suicide note and I made sure to include everyone in my family and my friends," she says. "I went and I walked into the building, and I walked straight out, and I walked towards the lake. I tried to jump in. That was probably my darkest moment."
Sophie documented her nervous breakdown on social media. But compassion for others saved her from herself and suicidal thoughts.
"My friends, my family — I realized they're probably going to feel worse than I do right now," Sophie says. "I don't want anyone, even my worst enemy, to feel as bad as I do."
Intense therapy and an extended hospital stay helped Sophie get better. Now she is on a mission to raise awareness about mental health, reaching out directly to people in crisis.
"If you are running a marathon and you have a broken limb, but you are still expected to run that marathon and expected to win — you can't do that with a broken limb," Sophie says. "You can't do that with a disability — and mental health it's like running with a broken limb."
Sophie says the first thing to do is talk to someone.
"If you are in school, tell the school counselor. That was the first person I told," she says. "I'd say the first step toward getting better is to realize you have a problem. You are being affected by a disease and to be able to cure that you need to talk to someone."
Today, Sophie is positive and hopeful. The blossoming teen hopes to become a politician, and embraces life.
"I feel amazing right now," she says. "I was able to fix some stuff in my life that I didn't really like. You will remember what it's like to be happy again," she laughs.
She notes that parents can spot warning signs their child is not doing well mentally. She warns a drastic drop in grades and isolation can signal a child is not in a good space.
