Megan Etrheim’s message to anyone thinking about suicide is simple: “The world is so much better with you in it, and people are so glad you exist. Even if you just keep choosing one day at a time, you just have to keep going. You just have to keep fighting, keep pushing through.”
How she came to that conclusion is more complicated, and it took time to get there. For five years, she didn’t share her story at all. She was ashamed and embarrassed, and she didn’t know how her friends, family and coworkers would take it. That changed in the past year, when she decided to embrace her story.
“I think sharing my story has given me so much power, my voice, my purpose. To talk about depression, to talk about trauma and PTSD, to talk about that I’ve been sexually assaulted, I’ve struggled with an eating disorder. It’s not easy to share those things,” Etrheim said. “I just know that sharing those things and having the courage to do so could help people who are struggling and remind them that we are not alone.”
437 Project Runner
Now she’s taking her story on the road, literally, as part of The 437 Project, running across the state to raise awareness for suicide prevention. She’s doing it with her dad, John. He was a big part of her support system growing up and throughout her mental health journey, and he wanted to continue that support during the run.
“I submitted my application, and my dad said, ‘Wait, I want to do that.’ And now to run our miles across the state together means more than I can put into words, and I think it’s something that I’m going to cherish forever.”
While running so many miles presents a tough physical challenge, just as talking about her past presents a tough mental challenge. “I think it’s the vulnerability with this whole process and with all of the emotions that I’m going to experience, because you can’t expect what you’re going to hear, what you’re going to share, and just trying to soak it all in and experience it all.”
Talking about depression, suicide and mental health in general is uncomfortable, but it’s something Etrheim knows we need to talk about. It’s something she does every day as a nurse at Avera Heart Hospital with her patients. She believes her own struggles helped her become a better nurse because she understands what they’re going through.
Your Struggles Don’t Define You
“I think the biggest thing for me as a nurse is the vulnerability part and just sitting with patients, letting them speak, reminding them that their struggles don’t define them and reminding them that they’re not alone, that there’s always help and resources available when they’re struggling.”
If you are thinking about suicide, help is available. Call 988 any time of day or night if you’re worried about yourself and the thoughts you’re having—even if you’re not thinking about suicide. If you’re worried about someone who might be thinking about suicide, it’s important to ask the question: Are you thinking about suicide?
Visit The437Project.org to learn more about the run and its mission.
