J
Just A NPC
Member
- Oct 6, 2018
- 28
Clearly we all know people are watching this forum, and it is bringing more light to the issues of mental health and suicide. People are finding this place because of this article as well, and so I figured we could help them. Let's make a thread of the good this place brings. So I pose this question to everyone here. What do you get out of this forum? will go first since I pose the question.
The very obvious, to me anyway, is this forum has prevented me from making a spur of the moment choice to end my life when my bipolar downs hit. Growing up, before I even found this place, I tried to kill myself in ways I learned we're just harmful to myself and my family. I have tried over dosing on aspirin and Tylenol. I have tried slitting my wrists. I have tried to drink bleach, and I have also tried to starve myself. I have tried to hang myself unsuccessfully. I have tried to drown myself, and I have also tried to suffocate myself. I am sure there are many ways I have tried that I am forgetting. Many of these actions have caused me to go to the hospital, wasting resources that could have been used in a better way, and also left a huge amount of pain with my family and friends I once had. If I had information before this website much of this would have actually been avoided since many of the ways I tried to kill myself actually don't work. They just make me feel stupid for trying, and after 20 years did nothing to help me with my real problem: being bipolar.
SO besides bringing me an informed choice, which inadvertently has kept me alive longer, this place gives me comfort knowing I am not alone. I do not post often, more because of myself than what is presented in the forums, but I know if I am in the middle of a mental health crisis I can come here for help. I can speak what is on my mind, and get unfiltered feed back. I can browse the forums when my mind is racing and remember that I am not the only one dealing with these feelings and emotions. It helps me keep my feelings in check, and I've never once been told I need to kill myself. In fact I've had plenty of private messages offering love and support.
So I have found information that has inadvertantly kept me alive. I realize the pain my spur of the moment attempts have created, because of this website, and see the resources I've wasted that could have gone to actual emergencies. Hell, honestly, Ive found more mental clarity here than I have on medication and being in hospitals.
If this forum were to go away I can promise you people would still try to kill themselves. I can also promise you if this forum goes away there will be less lives saved because of the community and resources offered here.
Life is messy. Life is not perfect. There is loss, but that loss would still be there even if sanctioned suicide was not. Maybe even more, because I'm sure I'd have eventually bumbled my way into killing myself after so many failed attempts. Thankfully this forum has helped not only me, but my extension my family and remaining friends, because they know I'm in a better mental place finding a community that understands what I go through.
The very obvious, to me anyway, is this forum has prevented me from making a spur of the moment choice to end my life when my bipolar downs hit. Growing up, before I even found this place, I tried to kill myself in ways I learned we're just harmful to myself and my family. I have tried over dosing on aspirin and Tylenol. I have tried slitting my wrists. I have tried to drink bleach, and I have also tried to starve myself. I have tried to hang myself unsuccessfully. I have tried to drown myself, and I have also tried to suffocate myself. I am sure there are many ways I have tried that I am forgetting. Many of these actions have caused me to go to the hospital, wasting resources that could have been used in a better way, and also left a huge amount of pain with my family and friends I once had. If I had information before this website much of this would have actually been avoided since many of the ways I tried to kill myself actually don't work. They just make me feel stupid for trying, and after 20 years did nothing to help me with my real problem: being bipolar.
SO besides bringing me an informed choice, which inadvertently has kept me alive longer, this place gives me comfort knowing I am not alone. I do not post often, more because of myself than what is presented in the forums, but I know if I am in the middle of a mental health crisis I can come here for help. I can speak what is on my mind, and get unfiltered feed back. I can browse the forums when my mind is racing and remember that I am not the only one dealing with these feelings and emotions. It helps me keep my feelings in check, and I've never once been told I need to kill myself. In fact I've had plenty of private messages offering love and support.
So I have found information that has inadvertantly kept me alive. I realize the pain my spur of the moment attempts have created, because of this website, and see the resources I've wasted that could have gone to actual emergencies. Hell, honestly, Ive found more mental clarity here than I have on medication and being in hospitals.
If this forum were to go away I can promise you people would still try to kill themselves. I can also promise you if this forum goes away there will be less lives saved because of the community and resources offered here.
Life is messy. Life is not perfect. There is loss, but that loss would still be there even if sanctioned suicide was not. Maybe even more, because I'm sure I'd have eventually bumbled my way into killing myself after so many failed attempts. Thankfully this forum has helped not only me, but my extension my family and remaining friends, because they know I'm in a better mental place finding a community that understands what I go through.