In keeping with my promise to dedicate four articles to the topic of depression and suicide, I wanted to pick up where I left off, seeing how I could help at least one person to overcome the overwhelming feelings leading up to such a decision. I researched, looked up data and statistics. Deciding to share every grim reality. Took a quiet minute to reflect. A moment turned into an hour, then a day. Couldn't do it. Would not share one more number of those we have lost.
Instead I decided to talk about how great it would be to see the positive beginning of things. When a person decides to live. Choosing to take it one hour, one day at a time. Learning to love themselves and see something good. Getting the point that the measure of a person is not based on a figure, shape or number but on what you truly are-a wonderful human being. The flaws are the usual suspects because we are imperfect and try as we might to perfect things, they will always have inherent flaws. If this is what you see on a good day you are home free my friend.
Too often we see our value through the eyes of others and that is just plain wrong. For one thing this is not value, its devaluing. It is allowing someone or something to place a notion on what our immeasurable qualities are. As thinking humans we constantly are growing in strength, knowledge and wisdom. Our bodies grow and not by osmosis. We eat and exercise, taking meticulous care in getting rest and relaxation, and what, to let it all go away?-I think not.
I want you to not think of one more day as being too much to go on. Take the first step by breathing in and out. Life. Take another breath. Live. Take another one. Small strides. Nothing too intense. Get something to eat. If music is a favorite, play it. Positive, upbeat melodies. No said it would be easy and I am certainly not painting a picture of fantasy. In life we all face things extremely hard to deal with at times. We can get pretty beat up too. But we can also get back up and stand tall. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are not uncommon. So much is going on in and around our own lives and major tragedies like what has happened in Paris touch us all.
Don't try to play it cool. Don't play it down either. Your feeling matter. Having a raw day can happen to any of us and it does. But you know one of the best ways you can show how much YOU mean to you-make the first move. Your first up moment may not be to leave the house or meet with friends. The bravest thing you do today may be to make the right call to the right person, hearing the reassurance of proof of life-your life.
Your first up moment may be to call for help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. If you aren't ready to make the call, check out their website, www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. They never close.
You are too important to leave us.
There has been an outpouring of stories shared with me over the last few weeks. One which truly hit my core was about a young women under the age of thirty. Every day she would go to work, smile and whenever asked about how she was doing, she cheerfully said "fine". The whole time planning her funeral and choosing the day she would end her life. And she did. Her funeral was a few months ago. For the living we are left with a hole in the heart. We grieve and look for ways to aid anyone in danger. This young person showed zero signs of feeling lost but she was.
Since we cannot police every person we come in contact with let's try this. Human kindness takes but a second. Instead of breezing pass someone with the occasional "how ya doin?" Why not ask if there is anything you can do. How is your family, your day going? Not turning yourself into a social worker, but showing genuine concern. Share lunch time with someone other than your usual crew. Trust me, it will make a real difference in the life of someone else, even if you never, ever know it.
For now depression and its counterparts may not come to a screeching halt, but the hope is to have the new norm be the sweet sounds of life enjoyed by all.
Until next time~
Instead I decided to talk about how great it would be to see the positive beginning of things. When a person decides to live. Choosing to take it one hour, one day at a time. Learning to love themselves and see something good. Getting the point that the measure of a person is not based on a figure, shape or number but on what you truly are-a wonderful human being. The flaws are the usual suspects because we are imperfect and try as we might to perfect things, they will always have inherent flaws. If this is what you see on a good day you are home free my friend.
Too often we see our value through the eyes of others and that is just plain wrong. For one thing this is not value, its devaluing. It is allowing someone or something to place a notion on what our immeasurable qualities are. As thinking humans we constantly are growing in strength, knowledge and wisdom. Our bodies grow and not by osmosis. We eat and exercise, taking meticulous care in getting rest and relaxation, and what, to let it all go away?-I think not.
I want you to not think of one more day as being too much to go on. Take the first step by breathing in and out. Life. Take another breath. Live. Take another one. Small strides. Nothing too intense. Get something to eat. If music is a favorite, play it. Positive, upbeat melodies. No said it would be easy and I am certainly not painting a picture of fantasy. In life we all face things extremely hard to deal with at times. We can get pretty beat up too. But we can also get back up and stand tall. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness are not uncommon. So much is going on in and around our own lives and major tragedies like what has happened in Paris touch us all.
Don't try to play it cool. Don't play it down either. Your feeling matter. Having a raw day can happen to any of us and it does. But you know one of the best ways you can show how much YOU mean to you-make the first move. Your first up moment may not be to leave the house or meet with friends. The bravest thing you do today may be to make the right call to the right person, hearing the reassurance of proof of life-your life.
Your first up moment may be to call for help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. If you aren't ready to make the call, check out their website, www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. They never close.
You are too important to leave us.
There has been an outpouring of stories shared with me over the last few weeks. One which truly hit my core was about a young women under the age of thirty. Every day she would go to work, smile and whenever asked about how she was doing, she cheerfully said "fine". The whole time planning her funeral and choosing the day she would end her life. And she did. Her funeral was a few months ago. For the living we are left with a hole in the heart. We grieve and look for ways to aid anyone in danger. This young person showed zero signs of feeling lost but she was.
Since we cannot police every person we come in contact with let's try this. Human kindness takes but a second. Instead of breezing pass someone with the occasional "how ya doin?" Why not ask if there is anything you can do. How is your family, your day going? Not turning yourself into a social worker, but showing genuine concern. Share lunch time with someone other than your usual crew. Trust me, it will make a real difference in the life of someone else, even if you never, ever know it.
For now depression and its counterparts may not come to a screeching halt, but the hope is to have the new norm be the sweet sounds of life enjoyed by all.
Until next time~
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