Walking in the middle of the night feels weird. It’s quiet. Usually, it's just you and your thoughts, which, if you're struggling with depression, isn't always a great place to be. But when you’re surrounded by a sea of people wearing glowing beads, that silence starts to feel a lot less heavy.
Out of the darkness walks aren't just your standard "charity 5K." They're the flagship events for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and honestly, they've become a massive cultural touchstone for anyone touched by suicide loss or mental health struggles.
They happen. People show up. They cry, they hug, and they walk until the sun comes up or the moon is high. It sounds simple, but the mechanics of why these walks work—and why they’ve grown into such a powerhouse movement—is actually pretty fascinating.
The Honor Bead System is the Secret Sauce
If you’ve never been to one, the first thing you’ll notice isn't the banners or the speeches. It’s the beads.
Most charity events give you a t-shirt and call it a day. AFSP does something different. They use a color-coded bead system that acts as a silent language. You don't have to explain your trauma to a stranger. You just wear the color that represents your story.
- White: For the loss of a child.
- Red: For the loss of a spouse or partner.
- Gold: For the loss of a parent.
- Orange: For the loss of a sibling.
- Purple: For the loss of a relative or friend.
- Silver: For the loss of a first responder or military member.
- Green: For a personal struggle or attempt.
- Teal: For supporting someone who struggles.
- Blue: For supporting the cause in general.
It’s genius, really.
Think about it. You’re standing in a park in Dallas or a pier in New York, and you see someone else wearing gold beads. You don't need to say a word. You both know. You’ve both lost a parent. That immediate, non-verbal recognition is something you just don't get in a therapist's office or a Facebook group. It’s tactile. It’s visible.
Why the Timing Matters (And No, It’s Not Just for Drama)
There are two main types of these events: the "Community Walks" and the "Overnight Walks."
The Community Walks are the ones you see in local parks during the day, usually in the fall. They’re accessible, family-friendly, and great for building local awareness. But the Overnight Walks? Those are the heavy hitters.
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The Overnight is exactly what it sounds like. You start at dusk and you walk through the night, finishing at dawn.
Is it grueling? Yeah. Is it supposed to be? Sorta.
The symbolism is a bit on the nose—walking "out of the darkness" and into the light of a new day—but for people who spend every night battling insomnia or dark thoughts, that physical journey mirrors their internal one. It’s about endurance. It’s about showing yourself that you can make it to the morning. Dr. Jill Harkavy-Friedman, the Senior Vice President of Research at AFSP, has often highlighted how these events provide a sense of agency to people who feel like they've lost control.
The Money Question: Where Does it Actually Go?
People get skeptical about charity walks. I get it. You see these huge events and wonder if the money is just paying for more banners and administrative salaries.
AFSP is actually pretty transparent about this. Because suicide is such a complex, multi-faceted issue, the funding gets split up into several "buckets."
A huge chunk goes toward research. We still don't fully understand the biological markers of suicide risk. We’re getting closer, but we aren't there yet. AFSP is one of the largest private funders of suicide prevention research in the world. They fund studies on everything from how social media affects teen ideation to the neurological differences in the brains of people who have died by suicide.
Then there’s advocacy. You know the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline? That didn't just happen by accident. It took years of lobbying and policy work to get a three-digit number established. Out of the darkness walks help fund the staff and the grassroots efforts required to push legislators to actually care about mental health parity laws.
Lastly, there’s education. Programs like "Talk Saves Lives" are basically the CPR training of mental health. It’s about teaching regular people how to spot the signs that someone is in trouble and, more importantly, what the heck to say when they see them.
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The Stigma is Still a Beast
We like to think we’re "past" the stigma of mental health because we talk about it on TikTok.
We aren't. Not really.
There is still a massive difference between saying "I'm stressed" and saying "I'm having thoughts of ending my life." The latter still makes people back away. It makes HR departments nervous. It makes families whisper.
Out of the darkness walks provide a space where that "scary" topic is the default. You aren't the "depressed person" in the room; you're just a person in a room full of people who get it.
That shift in environment is huge for recovery. According to the Interpersonal Theory of Suicide, developed by Dr. Thomas Joiner, two of the biggest drivers for suicide are "thwarted belongingness" and "perceived burdensomeness."
In plain English: feeling like you don't fit in and feeling like everyone would be better off without you.
When you’re walking with 5,000 other people, "thwarted belongingness" takes a serious hit. You belong there. You are literally part of a physical mass moving toward a goal. It’s a powerful psychological counter-narrative.
Addressing the Critics
Not everyone loves these walks. Some mental health advocates argue that the festive atmosphere of some walks can feel "toxic-positive." They worry that by focusing so much on the "hope" and the "sunshine," we gloss over the raw, ugly reality of mental illness.
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That’s a fair point.
If you’re in the middle of a deep, clinical depressive episode, seeing a bunch of people in matching t-shirts cheering might feel alienating. It’s important to acknowledge that a walk isn't a cure. It's a ritual.
Rituals are for the survivors and the people in maintenance. They aren't necessarily for the person in active crisis who can't get out of bed. If that's where you are, the walk isn't the tool you need—professional intervention is. But for the community at large, the ritual matters.
The 2026 Landscape of Prevention
Looking at where we are now, the technology behind these walks has shifted. We're seeing more integration with wearable tech—tracking steps not just for fitness, but as a collective "distance walked for hope." There’s more focus on the "off-season" too.
It used to be that the walk happened once a year and then everyone went home. Now, there are year-round "Connection Circles" and digital platforms that keep the "out of the darkness" community active.
The goal is to move suicide prevention from a "once-a-year awareness" model to a "constant support" model.
Actionable Steps If You Want to Get Involved
If you're thinking about joining a walk, or if you're struggling yourself, don't just sign up and hope for the best.
- Check the Calendar Early: The major "Overnight" walks usually happen in big cities (think Boston, San Francisco, DC) and require a fundraising minimum. Start early if you want to hit those goals.
- Pick Your Beads: Even if you aren't walking, look at the bead list. It’s a helpful way to categorize your own experience. Sometimes just admitting, "Yeah, I’m a Green Bead person," is the first step toward getting help.
- Use the Resources: If you are in crisis, don't wait for a walk. Call or text 988. It's free, confidential, and available 24/7.
- Volunteer Local: If you can't walk, help with the logistics. These events need hundreds of people to hand out water, manage registration, and set up the "Luminaria" (the candle-lit bags that line the path).
- Talk Beyond the Walk: The biggest value of these events is the permission they give you to talk about suicide. Use that momentum to check in on your friends. Ask the hard questions. "Are you thinking about hurting yourself?" isn't a question that gives someone the idea; it’s a question that gives them an out.
The journey out of the darkness isn't a single night. It’s a slow, often frustrating process of putting one foot in front of the other. Whether you’re wearing beads for a loss or for your own struggle, the point is that you’re still moving. That’s enough.
What to do next
If you're looking for a local event, the best place to start is the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's official website. You can search by zip code to find a community walk near you. If you're a student, look for "Campus Walks," which are specifically tailored for high school and college environments. For those who want to contribute without walking, you can look into their Advocacy Ambassador program, which trains you to talk to local officials about mental health legislation in your specific state. These are the small, daily actions that keep the momentum going long after the sun comes up and the walk is over.