Did you know you were loved, but didn’t feel it? Were you ever in a room full of people, but felt completely alone? Did you ever wonder if anyone would miss you if you were not around? Have you ever thought that you couldn’t be a bother anymore?
Suicide Prevention Month
September is known as the National Suicide Prevention month. On average there are 130 suicides per day. Every day there is someone that is thinking of ending their life story. A life story that should not yet end. Trauma, depression, anxiety, or any other mental health illness, the overwhelming emotions experienced can crush any mind.
I have talked about PTSD in my post Is PTSD Affecting Your Life. Our military are people faced with life experiences and visions of pain and suffering that they live with even after battle. The thoughts of having to take lives, watching the loss of life from the innocent and friends. These are images that can easily break any man. But the military are not the only ones that suffer.
Depression
I mentioned about my depression I suffered with for 6 years. During this time, there was many days that I wondered if I would be missed if I was no longer around. I had very few friends, did not belong to any groups, and just started working in retail. Even then, I knew my family would miss me, but in my mind, that was all I could come up with. Four people, my parents and my two brothers. That was it. That thought would sit on my mind, dwelling on the loneliness I was feeling. Thoughts running in my head of, “I am nothing special.”
What kept me within an okay mindset (not quite better), was a friend I had at the time. He noticed I was very sad and for some reason, I was comfortable to tell him my true feelings. He took the time to sit with me and ask me, why? Why did I feel that no one would care if I was not around? Then he calmly talked with me to think about the reaction of my family. He kept with words of support and offered me a chance to reach out if I needed it.
Why
I had no trauma or PTSD, only depressed. I never attempted anything because my friend at that time was able to keep my mind focused on not just my own life story, but how my life impacts everyone around me. Since then, I have come across loved ones and friends that have commented during a deeper depressive mental state, comments of “I can’t do anything right.” Or “why do you even care about me?”
To ask for help
Suicide thoughts, jokes, or comments are not to be taken lightly. I have been told; all jokes contain an element of truth. The person may not fully intend to self-harm, but the slightest thought is there. These are times that people need help. Support, guidance, or medical attention. In all the statistics I read, one stood out…according to the AFSP, 93% of the adults surveyed in the US, believe that suicide can be prevented.
What is hiding behind the smile
One of the quotes I have come across as I was writing this was, “You can fake a smile, but not your feelings.” Take a look at your friends, your coworkers, your family and ask yourself, are they faking that smile?
If you or someone you know needs to talk or wants some help, hotlines are available to speak to anyone even if you want to be anonymous. Reach out to friends, family, mentors, the church, or anyone that you are comfortable with and talk. Lives are taken from us too early by violence, accidents, injury, and medical illness. Help to prevent lives taken too early from mental illness and depression. Take a minute to help prevent another life ending to short by suicide.
Suicide Prevention Hotline – 800-273-8255
With great warmth,
