Great things, here Ruggy. I've lost someone to suicide before, and it isn't easy, for them or me. It's hard to deal with the fact that someone felt the need to take their life because things were too much for them. Full support.
Nice thread ruggy. I'll admit I'm someone who doesn't often ask people how they are or how they feel. I'm not really the best person to talk to about it anyway. But this thread highlights the fact that just for them to talk to someone, would be better than for them to keep it bottled up. I will try this on Thursday. Thank you for bring up this topic and a helpful thread for those who may be struggling.
Thank you everyone for the support! I'm very sorry to everyone who has lost a friend or family member to suicide. Very true, Unaccountable. It can be really hard to speak up and say something is wrong. Sometimes it's a matter of telling the right person. You don't want to tell someone just to be told to 'get over it' as that would do more harm than good. It's important to remember that even if you don't understand what someone is going through, you can still be there to listen. Don't be quick to judge. Listen to what they're actually saying. I feel like that at times, Charlie. You get better at it though. You're not expected to have all the answers, just to listen to what they have to say.
This is a really, really important topic, and something that should be focused way more on in today's society. And yes, I agree, just listening to what the person has to say helps a lot, just letting them know that you are there and want to listen to them. They need someone to share their feelings and thoughts with, they shouldn't deal with it alone. Thank you for bringing up this topic, Ruggy!
Yes it does need to be more openly talked about. I feel like that may help to prompt people suffering to want to talk because they would see that there are groups of people who can and want to help. It just might hell them to open up a little, and that could lead to great things.
Thank you everyone for the support and for keeping the thread to a civil discussion! I just posted this on another thread but I feel it is relevant here also. What is lacking in today's society is education and awareness, particularly about this very topic: mental illness. Too many people rely on the news and social media as their sources of information. This is a dangerous move to make. Firstly, the news rarely covers such topics. And if it does, it's often about a celebrity (please note I am not trying to take a way from a person's suffering but often the news does not get to the heart of the matter). Social media like Facebook and Tumblr tend to romanticise having a mental illness. They make it sound like everyone should be suffering from one or have had one. They make it sound like the newest trend. Let me tell you from personal experience that that is far from the truth. So the message I have is: educate yourselves. If you don't understand a term (e.g. major depressive disorder or schizophrenia), research it. Go to the library and borrow a book. Read the DSM 5 (but do not self diagnose. The DSM is more than just a check list). Get online and Google it. There are plenty of charities, organisations and campaigns that have very good information and chat services. Ask a mental health professional. Go to an information session. Or better yet, connect with someone you know who is dealing or has dealt with a mental illness and talk to them (only if they are comfortable discussing it). Listen to them. Understand their perspective. We need to raise awareness about these issues. However, that's not all there is to it. It needs to be an educated awareness. We need to remove the stigma attached to mental illness and remove the mentality that mental illness is the current trend in society. Be aware of the people around you and educate yourselves. I urge you to participate in R U Ok? Day even if you are not from Australia. You never who's day you might make by talking to them! And you never know what you might learn that you didn't know before.
Today is R U Ok? Day! Don't forget to ask at least one person how they're doing. A conversation can change a life. And when someone asks you, it's okay to say you're not okay!
On topic, this is one of the better threads in forums currently. Hope it does help someone who comes across it and is having suicidal thoughts. There's always a better way of fixing your problems. The road to happiness may be rough but the end result is worth it.
Great idea I totally support this. I've gotten close to wanting to end everything but with some talks and kaw buddies they talked me out of it.
Bumping the thread because R U Ok? Day is coming up again this year on Thursday the 14th of September! Try and take the time to ask someone how they're doing! KaW, IRL or anywhere you can start a conversation! You never know how much it can mean to someone to check in with them