National Domestic Violence Awareness Project

mentalillnessmouse:

TW Self-harm, Suicide

Hey anon,

I am glad that you are willing to get help and sent in an ask to us despite your difficulties with being open. Before I continue on, here are some resources from our Helpful Resources Page:

Urgent

• Mental Support Community a forum where you can post when you are in crisis RIGHT NOW, and need peer support as quickly as possible.
• Samaritans UK (email, postal mail, in-person, and over the phone).
• Crisis Text Line, text with a trained crisis responder.
• BoysTown National Hotline (email, chat, phone).
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline (phone, chat).
• RAINN online hotline [Rape, abuse, and incest national network]
• IAMAlive is an online chat where you can talk to trained operators in times of crisis.
• 2-1-1 phone number to call in US for resources including emergency housing and food (United Way).
• You Feel Like Shit – An Interactive Self Care Guide is a great place to start if you’re having a bad episode and need help calming down (this is good for troubleshooting your mental health, but it does not contain interpersonal support).
• Niteline: an emergency chat service for nighttime from UK, run by students for students.
• Project LETS has peer support chats.

Suicide Prevention

• Feeling Suicidal? Please take a moment to read this post on how to cope with suicidal thoughts.
• Want to help someone who is feeling suicidal? This post on suicide prevention might help.
• The international association for suicide prevention is dedicated to preventing suicidal behavior and alleviating its effects. It also has links to forums.
• A list of Reasons NOT to Commit Suicide
• Mental Help, site that has basic information, resources, articles, and a list of books that might be helpful.
• Suicide: an Honest Discussion, on how to cope with suicidal thoughts/ideations made by a MHP

While I hope that these resources can help you, I would very much recommend going to therapy if you are able. A therapist is more likely to provide personalized help for you and help guide you better than a resource meant as a general guide. Keep in mind that you don’t need to explain all of your feelings right away in therapy, you can take your time opening up.

Opening up to people in general is something that takes time. Start with something small, like telling close friends you aren’t feeling great but you don’t want to talk too much about it yet if they ask how you are doing lately. Same goes for asking for help.

I am sorry that you are handling all of this on your own right now. Despite your fear that you will only get help after you have attempted to kill yourself, I feel it is a very good sign that you know you need help and are trying to reach out right now. Keep trying, even if you are only able to be very vague for a while, and gather whatever resources you may need to help yourself through what you are going through until you are able or more comfortable asking for help.

Here are a few more resources that may help you. We have more on our  Helpful Resources Page if you need them:

Self Injury

• Feeling the need to self injure? Please take a look at these posts: 24 ways to avoid self injury & Alternatives to self harm. More alternatives to self harm.
• Check out this support community for individuals who self harm recover your life.
• Help Guide, a site containing articles to help understand, help numbers, “tool kits”, and self help.
• Understanding self injury is a text post that explains that self injury is an addiction and the different forms of self injury.
• Mental Support Community is a forum to talk about self harm and how it affects your life.
• StudentsAgainstDepression has great coping skills and support
• WikiHow on coping with self-injury
• Self-harm coping tips and distractions

Getting & talking to a therapist

• This post on picking a therapist has some great tips.
• This is a step by step on getting a therapist.
• Psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist or counsellor?.
• 6 Ways to open up to your therapist.
• 5 Tips on how to talk about yourself in therapy.

Masterposts

• Mental Health Apps
• Self-care
• Self-harm: alternatives, distractions, how to care for injuries and more
• Suicide Hotlines by Country

I hope this helps you at least somewhat anon. Best of luck and feel free to message us again anytime.

- Xan