Patrick Hruby Seizes The Awkward For Suicide Awareness

It can be awkward to address someone else’s mental well-being, let alone know when such a check-in might be of critical importance, or what it should look like. But the stakes of suicide prevention are high: life and death. That’s why Seize the Awkward has made it their business to encourage people to spot warning signs and reach out to those who may be struggling. Thoughtful art direction and artworks, like the poster Patrick Hruby designed, play a meaningful role in bridging the gap between concerned friend and a difficult conversation actually taking place. Suffering his own significant loss to suicide made the work even more crucial to him. “I lost my sister to suicide,” he said. “It is very important to break the social taboo and talk about suicide, raise awareness, offer help, and remove the stigma.” Opening up, whether through illustration or other forms of storytelling, is at the heart of what Seize the Awkward does. Any awkwardness in so doing is worth the awareness it creates.