#suicide awareness month

[hollisartsblog]

September is suicide awarness month, and I think it's important for me to speak about it. I spent weeks trying to decide if I wanted to draw this or not, it's been a long time since I've written a comic but here we are. this might be the hardest thing I've ever drawn for me, but I needed to get it out.

I thought I hated you, still, i miss you a lot. You would never imagine me missing you. Even if you think you are alone, you are not. please seek for help, please call someone. I hope you can read it even tho the quality isn't so great.

[lovealexhunt]

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. I shared some suicide prevention resources here, but I wanted to add one more.

How are you?

It's a simple question. We're probably asked it numerous times a day. But how often do we answer it? Truly answer it. Not with a passing statement like I'm good, but with an honest answer, I'm struggling, but I'm trying.

Today alone, I can think of at least 5 occasions where I answered "I'm fine", "all good", "just tired". But none of that is true. I'm not fine. The truth is the past week has been extremely challenging and overwhelming. I'm not fine. I'm not okay. I am tired, but it's not a physical tired. It's deeper. I'm exhausted. And, I imagine I'm not alone and that there are many people who can relate to this.

Why do we as a society ask the question "How are you?" when the acceptable answer is not necessarily true. Why are we trained early in life that we should say "I'm fine" if we're not. Why do we feel like a burden if we answer honestly? Or that we'll be judged or treated differently?

So many people who struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts hide their truth with a fake smile and "I'm fine". But they shouldn't have to. You are not a burden. There is nothing wrong with you. Being vulnerable does not make you weak. Being honest, telling your truth takes so much courage.

How can we help prevent suicide? We can start really simply. We can ask one question. Not just how are you, but, How are you really? and then wait and listen. Creating that safe space to allow someone a moment to share can make all the difference.

So, how are you really? I'd love to know! Feel free to reply in the comments, reblogs, or send an ask, or dm if you'd like!

[meandhisjohn]

September is #SuicideAwarenessMonth and as someone who tried it twice, I ask you, please never be ashamed of asking for help!

Never stop doing the things YOU love.

You are a wonderful fighter who deals with battles others have no idea of.

Being tired of the struggle is nothing to feel bad about, but PLEASE reach out.

Life is worth a second or third try...there is a way back to the colours in life.

In my case, I'm proud to say that a circle of friends, a fandom full of kindness, and two idiots in love keep me going, and I'm grateful for it every single day 💗

You can do it too, because you are not alone.

[lightofraye]

September is Suicide Awareness Month.

Please keep in mind—suicidal people are often NOT depressed prior to the date of their choice. They’re often calm, happy, and at peace. Because they had made a decision.

[glow-autumz]

It’s okay…..

"I don't know how to feel...But I wanna try"

-This certainly took longer than I thought It would but I'm so so happy I was able to finish it! (Sorry if it's very messy) I've been feeling a very similar emotion like this for the past couple of days and well, I thought this would be a nice way to express that feeling. (I also wanted to draw more angsty stuff)

Anywho, I hope y'all love and enjoy this just as much as I loved drawin' it.

Taglist♡: (I dearly love every one of you) @aliasrocket @pretty-chips @cleos-chaos-corner @honeypleasesugar @thirteens-lucky-tardis @funkydancingdinosaur @evolvingchaoswitch @rockiday4life @raccoonfallsharder

[alasse-earfalas]

Once I was suicidal.

I have been many times. But this instance was many years ago, when being suicidal was still a new struggle. I had recently fled my dream university due to plummeting mental health. I was now caught in a horrible place, living with my abuser and sequestered to a basement room. I was also not properly medicated.

I was stuck. I saw no way forward. I didn't know how to handle the despair, the crushing desire to just stop existing so I couldn't feel the weight of the emptiness anymore.

And then, one day, as I laid in bed, feeling all the awfulness of everything weighing down on me at once, a still, small voice spoke to my mind: "This is not the worst thing you will ever go through."

(Note that I would not advise using this line on anyone who's struggling with thoughts of suicide. It's a miracle that it helped me the way that it did.)

Rather than sinking me further into the pits of despair, or making me feel like there was no hope—because how could I possibly survive anything worse than what I was feeling right then?—for whatever reason, that one little thought brought me hope. It gave me perspective. It felt like a promise.

"You are stronger than this," it was saying. "You will face worse things and overcome them, too. What you are feeling right now will not destroy you."

And you know what? It didn't. And many years later, it still hasn't. I have gone through worse things since then and survived them, and I expect there will be even greater challenges ahead. But I know I'll be okay.

I trust in the Lord to protect and preserve me, so long as it is in accordance with His will.

I've survived the suicide of a family member. I've survived discovering new and complicated mental health issues. I've survived surfacing trauma. I've survived terrifying downward spirals and very close calls.

I'm still here. The Lord has carried me through everything, and I'm still going.

I want to share this as a message of hope. I do not know your situation, but I know that God loves you infinitely and perfectly. You are precious to Him. No matter what you're facing in life, know that you never have to face it alone. The Lord is always aware of you. Jesus Christ is always there for you. Even when the world seems black and empty and utterly alone, He is there. I've come to trust in that. It's saved my life.

God is watching out for you. Everything will be okay.

[professionalyapper]

In this coming-of age- dramedy, a 17-year-old media geek draws attention when he announce his plans to kill himself on camera for a class project.

Archie’s final project/My suicide is a 2009 American comedy-drama film.

[invisiblebard]

High functioning does not mean non-existent. Just because we go to work and act like “normal” people, doesn’t mean that we aren’t affected by our mental illness. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t real. Mental illness is very real and very serious. Please listen to people when they tell you they’re struggling. Treat people with kindness. ❤️

[monigote001]

September is always a hard month

[glacierruler]

September is Suicide Awareness Month.

As someone who has a friend who committed suicide, and has attempted to end things too, my heart goes out to anyone who is struggling with that pain.

Remember you are loved and wanted, and the world is a better place with you in it <3

-glacier

[thecorvidforest]

september is suicide prevention month. this is my message to parents.

believe your children when they tell you they’re feeling suicidal. believe them every single time. even if they tell you every single day. even if they seem happy. even if you think they have no reason to be depressed. even if they’ve never shown signs of depression before. even if they have a history of lying for attention. believe them every time.

when it comes to children (or adults for that matter) self-reporting suicidal ideation it does not matter if they are lying. repeat after me - it does not matter.

if you disbelieve them and they’re telling the truth you could end up with a dead child. if you disbelieve them and they’re lying, all you’ve done is shown yourself to be a parent who is not safe to go to in the event your child actually experiences ideation, because they will not be believed. you’ve shown yourself to be a parent who trusts their child so little that they’ll even question something as heavy as suicidal ideation.

most of the time if a person feels the need to lie about something as serious as suicidal ideation, it points to something very wrong under the surface. feeling un-cared for, being bullied, undiagnosed mental disorders etc. are all potential reasons why someone would lie about feeling suicidal. sometimes it’s easier to say “i want to die” than it is to say “i feel like you don’t care about me”. that doesn’t mean you should ever, ever express disbelief.

knowing your parent doesn’t believe you when you say you’re suicidal is agonizing, especially to a young person. there is nothing about disbelieving your child that speaks to you caring about their mental health and wellbeing. it is extremely destructive and neglectful at best.

to be vulnerable for a moment - in my own experience, my ideation being disbelieved shattered every ounce of trust i had in my parents. it destroyed my self-esteem. i came to the conclusion that i was never loved in the first place, and therefore i must be inherently unlovable. it convinced me that i didn’t deserve to live, because my own parents didn’t seem to value my life.

believe your kids.

[mental-mona]

[lovealexhunt]

If you've followed me for any length of time, you would know that mental health awareness and suicide prevention are two topics that I hold very close to my heart.

I've struggled with depression and anxiety since I was a child. My parents didn't believe in mental health challenges and so my struggles were ignored and I was made to feel as though my struggles weren't real and something was wrong with me. I buried my mental health issues, hiding behind a mask of perfectionism and over-achieving. Those I saw in school or work, never know how greatly I struggled. However, hiding how I felt only made things worse and I struggled with suicide thoughts and attempts for a few years before finally seeing a doctor to get help.

I take medication for both depression and anxiety. These medications help take the edge off but they're not a cure. They aren't a magic pill that makes everything okay again. But they help and for that I am grateful.

I still struggle with depression and anxiety on a daily basis. There are days when the suicide thoughts creep back out, but through my experiences and working to raise awareness, I feel strong enough to remind myself they are just thoughts and I don't have to act on them. I hope that if it ever got that bad again, I would use some of the strategies from above: focusing on creative works, reaching out to others, trying to find reasons to be grateful.

Thinking positively or thinking "happy thoughts" is not easy. Sometimes I see and encouraging quote and they make me mad because I can't feel that way right now, but I still save them, because maybe tomorrow, that little reminder will be just what i need.

If you know me, I believe in the small little acts to make a difference. I've been making mental health awareness and suicide prevention posts for several years now, but I don't think I've ever had an image dedicated to small acts of kindness.

We don't know what anyone is facing (in person or virtually/online). With some, spotting signs of depression and suicidal tendencies is easier to spot. These individuals display more common signs and symptoms. But there are many more people who are high-functioning. On the surface, they seem put together, but underneath they are struggling. It is because of this that I so strongly believe in little acts of kindness: sending an encouraging word, checking in on others, giving little compliments here and there... these are small things, but you never know how big of an impact they can make.

Please continue to raise and spread awareness for depression and suicide prevention. It's only together that we can make a difference.

[loveminus-zero]

heyy guys! Just coming here to say please don't kill ourselves ok

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, you're not alone, you can always reach out to someone

[itspronouncedtessa]

CW: suicide mention, suicidal ideation

It's Suicide Awareness/Prevention Month.

Suicide rates among autistic people are very high and 60% of autistics have reportedly considered suicide. It is one of the main reasons we, on average, tend to die young.

I want to talk about this, bluntly and openly. This is not just a personal story, I do have tips at the end. Note that what follows is aimed at autistic people like myself.

Also:

If you are (actively or not) considering suicide, please seek help.

I am suicidal. Not actively at this time, but I am always, and have been since my teens, at some level of suicidal. I've made 3 actual attempts, came very close once.

My brain just goes there. When life gets too big, when my troubles seem insurmountable, that's where I go. And life gets so big, because of my autism. The stress of trying to fit into a society that is almost actively hostile to who I am, that gets me to that edge quite frequently.

I've talked to my therapist about this. Often I don't actually want to die, I just want out for a bit. I want to not exist. And suicide seems like the only option. I've joked to him quite often that just a little coma every 6 months would do me so much good.

While my autism is the underlying factor for my suicidal ideation, I also think it's my rescue. My analytical side looks on, telling me I don't want to be dead, I just want to take a break. I can distance myself from my emotions and go "this is why you want to die, maybe let's look into fixing that". I've practiced this over the years. I've turned my fantasies of dying into fantasies of running away. And I've practiced going "oh, you need rest, let's go into recuperation mode"

Don't get me wrong, it's not all as simple as *minor inconvenience* -> 'I should kill myself' -> 'oop, guess I'm tired, time for a nap'. The thoughts are still severe, insidious, vile and very real. They build up over time until they become almost unbearable and it takes work to recognize them for what they are.

It's the hiding away from and with suicidal thoughts that gives them power. Dealing with these feelings in secret makes them so much larger than they need to be. Accepting them, sharing them, analyzing them robs them of that power and provides an opportunity to neutralize them.

Some things my experience has taught me that might help you too:

suicidal thoughts are common (among autistic people) and nothing to be ashamed of

check with yourself if you actually want to die or if you just want to not exist for a bit. There is a difference.

be compassionate with yourself. This goes back to my first point: let go of the shame surrounding feeling suicidal

relax. Don't be fooled by NTs for whom suicidal thoughts are a BIG DEAL. If to you (like to me) feeling suicidal is like a regular Tuesday, treat it as such. Go "huh, I'm suicidal again, must be time to take some more rest" rather than the DEFCON2 NTs would expect. Going "OMG OMG I'm suicidal, this is terrible, see how useless I am, I'm a bad person for feeling this way" is the opposite of helpful.

knowing and accepting that suicidal thoughts are something that occasionally happens to you, takes the stigma away and helps you find what you actually need. I promise what you need is *not* the sweet relief of death.

Take care of yourself. You're far from the only one who has these thoughts. It is completely understandable that you have these thoughts. These thoughts are not a reason to panic. When they come, take a break. Just not a permanent one, okay?

[glow-autumz]

Wip<3