It has been brought to my attention that September 2 - 8 is Suicide Prevention Week. In all the craziness of moving, I totally missed that. *slaps own wrist* I don't really have any great inspiration for deeply profound things to write on the topic so I"ll just kind of ramble and post links to some resources.
Several thoughts come to mind.
1. There but for the grace of God go I. I am SO thankful that I was able to get help and get past the crisis point. I'm sad for all the people who didn't. I'm thankful for my life and for the people who reached out to me when I was in a very dark place.
2. Why is suicide such a taboo subject in our society? Awareness and openness to talk about it has come a long way but just as with other mental/emotional health topics, there's still a stigma attached. How many people might be more willing to reach out for help if they didn't feel like they'd be labeled or something?
The bottom line for me is this: if someone you know says they are thinking of hurting or killing themselves, do something about it. I had a situation where a friend of mine and my husband's said she was having suicidal ideations. My husband took her to the hospital. She told the docs he misunderstood. I went and told the docs otherwise and a lot of backstory that had to do with it. She was mad at us, and we ended up with some trouble she caused for us over it, but I wouldn't change either of our actions. We did the right thing. Do the right thing, even if you know you'll catch backlash over it. It's called integrity.
If you are the person who is thinking of hurting or killing yourself, please don't. Know that you are not alone, that there is help, that there is hope. Go to the emergency room, call 911, call a helpline. I'll post some links to some resources.
http://psychcentral.com/helpme.htm
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
http://www.hopeline.com/
http://suicidehotlines.com/national.html
http://samaritanshope.org/
Something else to be aware of before I sign off: suicidal ideations can be caused by underlying medical issues, such as thyroid deficiencies or a pulmonary embolism. It's not always the result of "only" a mental/emotional health issue.
This week, make an effort to reach out to someone who is hurting. You could be the hand that saves them. If you're the one who is hurting, please don't be afraid to reach out to ask for help. The world is a better place with you in it. I mean that.
Several thoughts come to mind.
1. There but for the grace of God go I. I am SO thankful that I was able to get help and get past the crisis point. I'm sad for all the people who didn't. I'm thankful for my life and for the people who reached out to me when I was in a very dark place.
2. Why is suicide such a taboo subject in our society? Awareness and openness to talk about it has come a long way but just as with other mental/emotional health topics, there's still a stigma attached. How many people might be more willing to reach out for help if they didn't feel like they'd be labeled or something?
The bottom line for me is this: if someone you know says they are thinking of hurting or killing themselves, do something about it. I had a situation where a friend of mine and my husband's said she was having suicidal ideations. My husband took her to the hospital. She told the docs he misunderstood. I went and told the docs otherwise and a lot of backstory that had to do with it. She was mad at us, and we ended up with some trouble she caused for us over it, but I wouldn't change either of our actions. We did the right thing. Do the right thing, even if you know you'll catch backlash over it. It's called integrity.
If you are the person who is thinking of hurting or killing yourself, please don't. Know that you are not alone, that there is help, that there is hope. Go to the emergency room, call 911, call a helpline. I'll post some links to some resources.
http://psychcentral.com/helpme.htm
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
http://www.hopeline.com/
http://suicidehotlines.com/national.html
http://samaritanshope.org/
1-800-273-TALK (8255)
This week, make an effort to reach out to someone who is hurting. You could be the hand that saves them. If you're the one who is hurting, please don't be afraid to reach out to ask for help. The world is a better place with you in it. I mean that.
This brought tears to my eyes, as someone who has been suicidal, and someone who has helped someone who has been there- it is SO important to reach out!
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