Negativity is always behind Jeff Mason, partly because the word is tattooed on his back. For 10 plus years he has suffered from depression and last year, he attempted suicide.
Father’s Day, June 15, 2014 Mason tried to kill himself by mixing medication and alcohol. “I don’t remember a lot of the day to be honest,” he said. His wife was gone for a couple of hours getting her kids and returned to find him overdosed. “If it wasn’t for her, I probably wouldn’t be here,” Mason said.
Besides his wife, though, Mason also credits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, an organization putting on a fundraiser – the “Beat the Odds” Casino Night at Regions Field March 14. Besides raising money – the goal is $25,000 – the organization also wants to raise awareness of issues surrounding suicide and how to help people who are inclined to take their own life.
Mason, who will attend the fundraiser, has a therapist and has recently become involved in online support groups.
“I just got in on that last week and it has actually helped,” he said. “They know how you feel. I made a post yesterday about how I can go from being in the best mood ever to being totally depressed. It’s like someone has a light switch and just flipped it. There is no rhyme or reason why it happens,” he said.
“I still feel like I am here for a reason, so I try to get it out there that you are not alone in all of it. Every day is a new day. You have to let tomorrow go. I see my scars as more of a new chance, a new start, just battle wounds that I won.”
In the past, Mason worked on the committee for the AFSP “Out of Darkness” walks in October and November 2014. There were walks in Madison City, Daphne, and Birmingham.
The AFSP Junior Board is sponsoring the casino night. “This is the first year we have had a junior board, so it is an inaugural board, inaugural event, all brand new for us,” said member Amanda Dunn.
The event, from 7 to 10 p.m. will include various casino games including blackjack, poker, and slot machines. A DJ, food, drinks, and a cash bar will also on location. “Diamonds Direct is also coming to do a ‘diamond drop,’ Dunn said. “This is where Diamonds Direct brings a piece of jewelry worth about $1,000 and sets up 200 champagne glasses that you can buy a chance at winning the piece of jewelry by purchasing one of the champagne glasses,” she said. For $20 you can buy one glass of champagne and two for $30, Dunn said.
Individual tickets cost $35 and tickets for couples cost $60. Sponsor tickets range from $500 to $2,000. Each ticket includes $500 dollars in chips to play with, hors d’oeuvres, and musical entertainment. “If you run out, or want more to play with, then you are able to buy more chips,” Dunn said. “At the end of the night you can cash your chips in for raffle tickets that go for drawings for various raffle prizes.” Dunn said. Attendees must be 21 to attend.
“It is not a black tie event, but more of casual cocktail attire,” said Lisa Holman, the area director for Alabama and Mississippi for AFSP. Casual cocktail attire consists of “A knee length dress for women, and a coat and tie for men,” according to Dunn.
The big winner in the casino night could be the effort to help prevent suicide, Hollman said. “What research tells us is that most people who die by suicide have some sort of a diagnosable mental illness at the time of their death, and most often that is clinical depression. Sadly, because of stigma that surrounds mental illness only about 30 percent of people that have clinical depression actually seek treatment,” she said.
“What we do know is that treatment works and we can prevent suicide through treatment. So what we try to do is raise awareness. We want to erase the stigma that goes along with mental illness because we want more people to seek treatment,” Holman said. “Here in Alabama suicide claimed the lives of 724 in 2012. There were a little over 400 homicides the same year.”
Mason, who made it past his own attempt at suicide believes AFSP has much to offer.
“AFSP is a great organization for families that have lost loved ones to suicide and also people that have attempted. Everyone is welcomed with open arms and caring heart,” Mason said.
For more information, visit www.afsp.org. The number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.