Suicide Prevention
If you’ve come to this site, you must be looking for something you could not find somewhere else. I have called it Soul Food because when you are in crisis and suicidal, your soul is craving something it is not being fed. I am not a counselor or therapist. My goal with this fledgling site is to provide some coping mechanisms and resources.
What ever you are experiencing right now it is real. Don’t let well intended comments from friends and family make you feel like your concerns, issues and fears don’t matter. They do matter to you.
One of the worst parts of having suicidal thoughts is the inability to express those feelings to another human being. Your issues maybe such that you can’t discuss them with your family or close friends: sexuality, abuse, neglect, money, school, etc. Plus, there might be multiple issues that are driving your stress and feelings of “no hope”.
While this book doesn’t pertain to everybody “Thought of Suicide? Welcome to the Club” ByDylan Stevens is a free ebook available from iTunes, other ebook outlets and www.smashwords.com
A few tools that have helped me and others:
1. Start writing. This could be pencil and paper or anonymous blog. It is okay to write similar entries as you look at the issues from different perspectives. Put down all your fears, feelings, disappointments and what a ‘happy’ life might look like.
2. Start an anonymous twitter account. While it is only 140 characters, you can blast a tweet and it feels like screaming to the world. No one will know who you are, but you can engage other tweeters in conversation. I met some great people from the UK with similar issues.
3. Change your location, walk or exercise. Actually, when I am depressed, I don’t want to exercise, I would rather eat ice cream, but getting out of the house helps. Get in the sunshine if possible.
4. Find someone who will LISTEN to you. Suicide prevention lines can be very helpful, but there is no substitute for another human being sitting across from you. While counseling is great, not everyone has the time, money or opportunity. If you need someone to meet with over coffee, just to talk, let me know and I can try to find someone to meet with you. Obviously if you are a young adult struggle with your sexuality it would be best for you to meet another person in the same age range with similar experiences.
I would like to develop a network of people who can meet folks under stress and just listen to them. If you know of anyone, please pass this page along to them.
The Gender Health Center in Sacramento provides affordable counseling in Sacramento. They charge on a sliding scale and provide individual and group therapy. They are not a suicide prevention hot line, but a counseling resource.
Gender Health Center
2020 29th Street, Suite 201
Sacramento, CA 95817
| Our Phone Number |
(916) 455-2391
| Our Email Address |
General
info(at)ghcmail.org
If you would like to contribute to this page (coping mechanisms, resources, etc.) please send me an email with your comments so I can post them.