Three nights ago.
Five people. One night. One shift.
On World Mental Health Day, I woke up with such a heavy heart.
I found myself crying and praying to God, asking Him to wrap His loving arms around the five people I had encountered during my overnight shift.
I prayed over their lives. I prayed that they would encounter God, experience His light, know the depth of His love, and discover His purpose for their lives.
I pray for every life I encounter, that even in the briefest moments, I might be a reflection of God’s love, compassion, and light.
I prayed to be a living epistle, to walk in the light as He is in the light, as we are reminded in 1 John 1:7.
And I prayed that my life would reflect the greatest commandments: to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself (Matthew 22:37–39).
Because life can be so heavy.
And sometimes, the people we encounter are carrying burdens far greater than we could ever imagine.
Five people.
Five people who had reached a point in their lives where the pain they were experiencing felt greater than their ability to continue living.
Five human beings. Five different stories. Five lives that mattered.
And my heart broke.
As a psychiatrist, I encounter people in some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. I have listened to stories of loss, trauma, disappointment, loneliness, and despair. I have sat with people who have lost hope and people who have spent years trying to find it again.
But there are shifts that stay with you.
This was one of them.
Over the course of a 12-hour overnight shift, I encountered five individuals, back-to-back, who had attempted to end their lives.
Not because their stories were identical. They weren’t. But because beneath their different circumstances was a painful common thread: life had become overwhelming.
For some, the challenges seemed endless. For others, the future felt like an extension of the suffering they were already experiencing. Some felt trapped in circumstances they could not change. Others had become so exhausted by the weight of living that they struggled to imagine a tomorrow that could be different.
And for some, there was another heartbreaking belief: I don’t want to burden anyone.
That statement has stayed with me.
WHEN PAIN CONVINCES US THAT WE ARE ALONE
One of the cruelest things about emotional suffering is the way it can distort our perception of ourselves, our circumstances, and our relationships. Pain can convince us that we are worthless. Depression can tell us that nothing will ever change. Shame can persuade us that our struggles are too much for the people who love us. And hopelessness can make temporary circumstances feel permanent.
But the inability to see hope in a particular moment does not mean that hope no longer exists. You do not have to have everything figured out before asking for help. You do not have to decide on someone else’s behalf that your pain is too much for them to carry. And if loved ones cannot provide the support you need, professional and crisis resources are available.
WHAT THE WORD OF GOD REMINDS ME
As a physician, I believe in evidence-based treatment and compassionate and empathetic clinical care. As a Christian, I also find strength in God’s promises. Psalm 34:18 tells us that the Lord is near to the brokenhearted. Isaiah 41:10 reminds us that God is with us and promises strength and help. Psalm 46:1 describes God as our refuge and strength.
These are not promises of a life without suffering. They are reminders that suffering does not mean abandonment.
Jesus describes His followers as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Salt preserves. Light illuminates. Your life is worthy of preservation, too, not merely because of what you contribute to others, but because your life itself is precious.
SPEAKING LIFE WHEN THE MIND SPEAKS DESPAIR
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps people recognize and evaluate painful automatic thoughts and develop more balanced perspectives. For people who draw strength from faith, Scripture can offer meaningful reminders alongside, not instead of, treatment.
When your mind says, ‘I am alone,’ remind yourself: ‘I am not abandoned.’ When it says, ‘Nothing will change,’ answer: ‘I cannot predict my whole future from this moment.’ When it says, ‘I am a burden,’ remember: ‘Needing help does not make me unworthy of love.’
These words do not erase suffering or replace urgent care. They may, however, create room for the next safe step.
TOMORROW DESERVES A CHANCE
You may know what yesterday felt like. You may know how painful today has been. But you do not yet know everything tomorrow holds. There may be healing you have not experienced, peace you have not found, and help you have not yet received.
Please reach out. Tell someone you trust, ‘I am not okay, and I need help.’ You do not have to wait until your suffering becomes an emergency.
A PRAYER I CONTINUE TO CARRY
Lord, cover them. May they encounter kindness in their pain. May they experience Your love in tangible ways. May they find people who listen without judgment, professionals who care compassionately and emphatically, and communities where they can be honest about their suffering. May they know their lives are precious and their stories are not finished.
Five people. Five lives. Five reminders that behind every suicide statistic is a human being whose life matters.
There is so much life beyond the pain of today. Please give tomorrow a chance.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 in the U.S. If you have already harmed yourself or face immediate danger, call 911 or seek emergency care. Outside the U.S. https://www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts/.