Noa G
on
CW: Mentions of suicidal ideation. As a crisis counselor for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, I supported a diverse range of individuals facing challenging and distressing situations. Help-seekers with suicidal ideation (the desire to die by suicide) that reached out to the hotline expressed something called ‘suicidal ambivalence’. Though many of these individuals had […]
Ilana
on
CW: Mentions of suicidal ideation and self-harm. “I’m sorry for wasting your time–” “I don’t mean to be a burden–” “I’m not sure if this counts as a crisis–” As a Crisis Text Counselor, I receive messages like this almost every shift. Often, they seem to come from the people who need these services the […]
Jennifer Bell
on
CW: Suicide When I was twelve years old, I walked onto my middle school campus for what seemed like an ordinary morning. The air was cold, and the skies were unusually gray for spring––a Friday the thirteenth on a chilly May day. As I went through the motions of my usual routine, walking to my […]
Brynne
on
CW: Mentions of suicide and self-harm. What does it mean to be a mental health first responder? We hear this term a lot today, so let’s explore the concept and get a better understanding of who mental health first responders are and why they matter. Today, suicide remains a global leader in causes of death. […]
Kylie
on
Every fall, we have a couple of back-to-back awareness months surrounding mental health. While September is dedicated to suicide prevention awareness, October focuses on mental health more broadly. With World Mental Health Day coming up on October 10th, we’re trying to spread some awareness! Spreading awareness is important because it offers connection to community, education, […]
Sammantha
on
Content Warning: Suicide Words fall short in many situations, and for those impacted by suicide in any way, this rings exceptionally true. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time to spread information and awareness about how to help ourselves and those around us who may be struggling with suicidal ideation. Importantly, this month brings […]
Greta
on
CW: Suicidal ideation, Suicide It can be challenging to reach out for help, especially in times of distress. Some people find it easier to deal with issues alone, even when the situation becomes dangerous for their own safety. That’s why having a suicide safety plan on hand can help people in times of crisis. September […]
Greta
on
CW: Binge eating, self-harm, addiction. Most people deal with stress throughout their lives. Learning to cope with stress in healthy ways can make people more resilient and help combat chronic illness and mental health issues according to the CDC. However, not all coping mechanisms are healthy. Negative coping mechanisms such as substance abuse, compulsive spending, […]
Andrew S
on
CW: Suicide My Grandma and Grandpa have been two of the most important people in my life since the moment I was born. For just over 19 years, I never had to imagine life without either of them, until last November, when my Grandpa passed away. This was a gut-wrenching few months for my family […]
Fe
on
CW: Suicidal thoughts. Happy Pride Month, everybody! I don’t know about you, but I’m proud to still be alive. My name is Fe, and I’m nonbinary. I use this term because it’s the most well-known, but really my gender is pretty complicated. Genderqueer or bigender are probably most accurate to my identity; although, honestly, sometimes […]
CJ