So although yesterday (10th) was World Suicide Prevention Day, I would like to think that we all treat every single day as #WorldSuicidePreventionDay and that we are all able to recognise the signs- those obvious ones and the least obvious ones- which are usually THE MOST important ones, of #depression and other #mentalillnesses that can affect a persons' mental ability so much that they feel the only thing that they can do is to take their own life.
More often than not, the thought or the act of taking one's own life, is not a choice and none of us can judge people in any negative way for taking their own lives because we are not in their head and have no idea just what they are going through.
But we can try, we can ask them and if they give you the usual, usually comedic, flippant response, then we can look at them, really look at them- into them, into their eyes and ask- are your sure that you're ok, as well as reiterate to them that you and others are always there to help.
If you are not looking at them but on the phone to them, listen to their voices, listen to the pauses and hesitation, listen to their tone and ask yourself, it that the way that they usually speak or do they sound, different somehow, maybe quieter, lower vocal range, shyer and not as responsive- or do they sound so happy that they sound like they might explode...
Don't get me wrong, I'm no expert so don't take this as medical advice, I think that this is just plain and simple logic and commonsense.
After all, we know how we feel when we feel down and depressed. We don't want to talk to anyone. We don't feel like we want to burden anyone with our problems and I like everyone in the world, has at some time or another suffered mental health issues due to different reasons.
Last time it was after my beautiful mum died a couple of years ago and as I was her fulltime carer for the 9 months as she battled #bowelcancer, I literally spent 24 hours a day with her feeding her, showering her, dressing her wounds, changing her stoma bag (his name was Stewart to by the way...), giving her her insulin medications, talking to doctors nurses- the whole kit and caboodle and I went through several months of depression because I had so much built up anger, grief, regret, guilt, shame and other emotions boiling, toiling and churning away inside of me and I thought that I was fine, I told myself that I was ok, I was so happy and excited- on the outside, TRYING desperately to be happy on the inside... But I wasn't, my work was suffering, then I lost that job and couldn't get another one.
Oh and then I had a heart attack- 3 actually in a 2 week period...DUH- everything was really going down hill and no matter how hard I tried to get my life back on track- it didn't matter how many self help/personal growth seminars, events, training courses and online education I did, nothing worked and I needed help.
Help came through a series of serendipitous events and now I am back to my normal self, but if it hadn't of been for the random stranger that I met (at a book writing and publishing training seminar, who introduced me to the person that I needed #LorettaHoneychurch @ https://www.lorettahoneychurch.com/...), I would not have gotten that help that I needed.
This is something that we should all be doing for our family and friends every day.- especially now when life is so tough and so lonely for so many people.
So be like an animal- sniff out the sadness, the depression, the mental health illnesses and be there for them, after all the time that it takes you to listen to them, could be the easiest thing that you've ever done- much easier than going to their funeral.
And don't ignore those phone calls from your loved ones, as there may never be another phone call from them again.
Please do you and your loved ones a favour and check out this link here to learn more. https://www.iasp.info/wspd2020/
And if you ever need help- don't be afraid to ask.
And if you are worried what your friends will think, then talk to a stranger- even if it is only over the phone cause sometimes that can be better too and here's just a handful of the many helpful websites and telephone numbers around the world to help so don't hesitate.
It literally could mean the difference between life and death.
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/- 1-800-273-8255
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention/index.shtml-
https://www.crisisservicescanada.ca/en/-
https://www.va.gov/health-care/health-needs-conditions/mental-health/suicide-prevention/
All of Canada
Kids Help Phone
Text Services: Text "CONNECT" to 686868 (also serving adults)
Youthspace.ca (NEED2 Suicide Prevention, Education & Support)
Youth Chat (6 pm - 12 am PT): www.youthspace.ca
Youth Text (6 pm - 12 am PT): (778) 783-0177
Cuando usted llama al número 1-888-628-9454, su llamada se dirige al centro de ayuda de nuestra red disponible más cercano. Tenemos actualmente 170 centros en la red y usted hablará probablemente con uno situado en su zona. Cada centro funciona en forma independiente y tiene su propio personal calificado.
So here I am, Alive as I #thriveOnHive on the #HiveBlockChain in the #IAmAliveChallenge community created by @ErikGussafson known far and wide as @Flaxz who created the #IamAliveChallenge community for all of us around the world to come together to celebrate our victories and commiserate with each other in our losses and share the love, the I wouldn't be here at all and neither would you!
So if you want to know more about this warm and compassionate community then read more here @flaxz/glmrrjya and you're welcome to join in and share your stories, fears, dreams, successes and failures with all of us.
And a HUGE, big fat welcome to all of the daring and adventurous people that have just joined us to #thriveOnHive! 😀 #Hive5 to you guys!😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊😀😊
I look forward to seeing you tomorrow to see #WhoIsYourHero!
So I look forward to meeting your hero and until then, please be safe and well, and look after your family and friends as good as you look after #MotherEarth and all of her furry, scaley, hairy, feathery, wiry, soggy, slimy, tiny, enormous, hooved, clawed, webbed and padded footed children too! 🐠🐃🐌🕷🐍🐓🦆🐸🐁🐿🦋🐢🐞🦍🐈🦆🐥🐜🦑🐛🐄🦇🐪🦏🐳🐊🦀🦌🐖🐢🐏🐋🐝🐒🐙🐠🐃🐌🕷🐍🐓🦆🐸🐁🐿🦋🐢🐞🦍🐈🦆🐥🐜🦑🐛🐄🦇🐪🦏🐳🐊🦀🦌🐖🐢🐏🐋🐝🐒🐙 So #WhoIsYourHero!
And unless otherwise stated- ALL photographs are my originals taken by me sometime in the past decade or so somewhere in my travels and as such, ofcourse they are subject to all international IP and copyright laws and I may have already used them for my own commercial purposes, So please ask first if you want to use any of them thank you 😀