Hope and a Plan

        This month I have focused on suicide. I realize that it is a heavy topic. However, as I said on Monday, we need to talk about suicide. We cannot close our eyes and expect people to be okay. We can’t just send good wishes and have the suicide rates decrease. As September nears a close, I am not finished writing about suicide. It will be a topic on my blog periodically because I know the importance of talking about suicide. 

                  There is a saying that is shared frequently on mental health social media posts: It’s okay not to be okay. I think this saying is something we all need to internalize. There are going to be times for all of us when we are not okay. It is not limited to people with mental illness. That is a key thing to remember. We all go through difficult times. We can all feel hopeless. In those moments we need to remember that it is okay to not be okay and know that there is help available.

                  Suicidal ideation is a sign that a person is suffering. The person needs help. We have come a long way in finding ways to provide support. World Suicide Prevention Month provides attention to that support. Being aware in September is great, but it is not enough. There are many groups out there providing support year-round. Organizations such as NAMI and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention  work diligently to provide support and raise awareness. Check out the links for more information on these organizations and how you can get involved.

                  Turning this personal, I know the pain of suicidal thoughts. I have been on the edge where I have needed support. I am grateful to the people who have been there for me. They showed me there is hope. Knowing there is hope is not enough on its own. It is important that we know what resources are available. If you have a mental illness, it is a good idea to have a safety plan. You can read about safety plans in my article Creating a Safety Plan for Times of Suicidal Crisis. Safety plans can save a life. My safety plan has saved my life. 

                  Hope combined with the presence of a safety plan can save lives.  Add to those open discussions about suicide and we can make a real difference in people’s lives.  It is the willingness to break down the stigma surrounding suicide that will allow hope and safety plans to be their most effective. 

When you are on the precipice, when life seems to be too much, I hope you will hear the whisper of hope. It is there in our darkest moments. Unfortunately, it’s really hard to hear, but trust me it is there. I have heard the whisper of hope. It is different for each one of us, but hope is there. So, when life is at its bleakest call out to hope. Whisper, scream. Whatever you can do. Know that hope is there. It may not be easy as you climb down from that precipice, but I believe you can. I know it is difficult. Hanging onto hope is worth it. You have an unfinished story within you. Allow that story to be written.

 

If you are having suicidal thoughts or contemplating suicide, please reach out to a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. If you do not have one, you can reach out to 

988

911

Or go to the nearest emergency room.

 

 

Keep Writing Your Story

You have so many beautiful chapters left to write. Keep going. – Unknown

 

                  I have read the above quote many times. It pops up on mental health social media posts frequently. As someone who has lived with suicidal thoughts and ideation and as a writer it is a very powerful sentiment to me. 

                  Our lives are stories that we are constantly writing. Every thought, every action is a part of the story that is our life. The beauty of viewing our lives as a piece of writing is that we are the author, and we can write and rewrite as we choose. Of course, this is not always easy. Sometimes when things get difficult or seem dark, we may lose the inner drive to continue writing our story. It is in those moments that we need to be reminded, even if that reminder comes from within ourselves, that we can take our story in any direction we want.

                  Writing our story is not always easy. In fact, it can be downright difficult at times. I try to remind myself that my story is worth living. To be honest there are times when that is difficult to believe. It is in those moments that we need to keep the reminders repeating in our minds. When an author writes a story, they keep their pen (or keyboard) moving. They understand that chapters will need to be revised or rewritten. To the author that is part of the beauty of writing. It is also the beauty of our lives. We can always get back up when a chapter of our life does not go as we want. We can rewrite those chapters by moving forward. 

Our stories do not end when we struggle. Within each of us resides the seeds of resilience. We may not always be aware of that resilience, but it is there holding the pen that will allow us to write the stories that make up our lives. Each chapter is different. Some chapters carry pain and darkness. Other chapters reveal contentment or even joy. It is in the writing of these chapters that we find beauty. We also find hope. That is why we need to keep writing, to keep living. I am not going to sugarcoat life. I know life is not always easy. At times it is a struggle to keep going. But if we keep going, we will find that it is worth it. We will find this even if our minds tell us it is not. In my last post I reflected on hope. I believe there is hope in the writings of our stories. Even if we need to fight to do it, we can choose our narrative if we believe we have hope. That is why we need to support mental health programs. These programs along with mental health professionals bring hope into our lives. Maybe part of our story is needing therapy, medication, or an alternative treatment. That’s okay. Our stories are not over when darkness sets in. There is hope. I urge each one of us to pick up the pen and forge ahead in the writing of our stories, in living our lives. As we continue on, resiliency and hope lift us.

                  Our life is a series of chapters. Each chapter is different. The important thing is we can always move on to the next chapter. Even the darkest chapter can be followed by a beautiful chapter. Often, the semi-colon (;) is used as a symbol to mental health. The semi-colon represents a sentence the author could have ended but chose not to. This can be applied to our lives. When it seems like we cannot keep going in life, when suicidal thoughts are consuming us, we need to remember to keep going. Our story is not over. There are beautiful chapters yet to be written.

                  Just a reminder: It is Suicide Prevention Month. If you are struggling, please reach out for help. 

 

If you are having suicidal thoughts or contemplating suicide, please reach out to a therapist, psychologist, or psychiatrist. If you do not have one, you can reach out to 

988

911

Or go to the nearest emergency room.