If you or someone you know needs mental health help or is considering suicide, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.
You are not alone. Period.
Except that maybe it’s hard to approach someone you’re concerned about.
Maybe it’s hard to see you deserve to feel better.
Recovery from depression is possible and people will miss you— They miss you already.
You’ve been spending less and less time with loved ones or doing things that you used to enjoy— slowly pushing them away and now they feel out of reach, right?
Maybe you’ve started using alcohol, drugs, food, or risky behavior to feel right and today you needed it a little more than yesterday.
People think depression is a hole you decided to dig; straight down— it’s not. It’s more like you’ve found yourself tunneling through a mountain without even realizing it.
You may feel isolated, but – no matter how hard it can be to see— your loved ones are right beside you.
Don’t go.
Call 988 if you’re noticing any of these behaviors in yourself or others:
- Increased substance use or abuse
- Aggressive behavior or dramatic mood swings
- Withdrawal from loved ones or activities
- Impulsive or reckless behavior
- Collecting pills, buying a weapon, or looking for ways to hurt or kill themselves
- Suddenly getting affairs in order like paying off debt, giving away possessions, or organizing personal papers
- Saying goodbye
Priority Health shared some advice on how to approach a loved one struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts.
- Be patient, but open
- Calmly ask simple, direct questions – don’t be afraid to ask if they’ve thought about or plan to kill themselves
- Tell them how much they mean to you
- Show them support and ask if you can call their doctor or another healthcare provider
- Call 988 if you need help with this conversation
- Call 911 if you feel they are in immediate danger
If you’re concerned a loved one may be struggling with mental health or in crisis, don’t wait to reach out. Yours could be the voice that guides them to the help they need.
