Because you might need to know one day.

[genlisae]

I hope you never do because there are very few times you will ever feel as helpless as you will when faced with a friend attempting suicide. That feeling is worse when that friend is in another country and you have no direct way to contact them. You can't go to them, can't just drive/walk over and get them in contact with the people they need to be in contact with. How do you help them then?

"One day" was today for someone and they didn't have this information. I want to make sure as many other people do as possible.

From the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in the United States:

What if Someone Needs Help Online?

If you see someone online who is suicidal, there are several steps you can take to help this person:

• Give him or her a helpful resource – Send 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and our website www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. Tell him/her we are available 24/7 for anyone in suicidal crisis in the United States
  
• Take his/her words seriously and respond with compassion
  
• Encourage him/her to reach out for help to a friend, family member, counselor, clergy and other community members
  
• If the person online is saying he/she is going to kill him or herself at that moment or is in the process of attempting suicide, please try to find his/her location and call the local police or 911.

Pay extra attention to that last point. Even if you feel like you have no information to give the police except for the URL of a post or an IM Name and conversation history. IT IS ENOUGH! You don't need to know where they live, you don't even need to know their real name. The information you have is enough. Make the call, even if it is your local police you are calling. Don't hesitate. Your friend can be found, even if you have to be extremely insistent  in MAKING them do it. (Remember, a bright 6 year old with a keyboard can find credit card information from a blog comment. You are talking to the people who at the very least have the authority to go get the help of that bright 6 year old! If this were say a murder investigation they wouldn't be saying "we can't ..." They can. They do. If they are not immediately willing to do their job, MAKE THEM)

For Crisis Centres in other countries: Go here

If you find yourself about to be that friend, don't. Talk to someone. Please?

Comments

[remisims.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this Kate. I have been in a situation where I have had to talk a friend out of committing suicide, without any other way to contact him but through an IM, and being unable to get to him because of distance and no transport even close to where he was. It is a terrible and heartbreaking situation.

My friend is still here, he was able to contact others who could help more than I was able to, thank god.

[debbycus.livejournal.com]

I.. I'm shaking. Where were you with this in the past? Come to think of it, where were my friends? Why did I have to... Never mind.

Looking through the Centres list... *starts laughing hysterically* Romania doesn't have one! Fucking Romania, you fail so hard. Why are you even allowed to exist, you fucking disgrace to humanity?

By the way, I have a thing that needs proofing as well... as soon as I get my shit together, and actually finish it. Can I count on you? I will anyway. Looking for awkward wording and stuff. Though I might wait with sending it till you reply to this; I'm dragging it out as much as I can, hehe.

[genlisae.livejournal.com]

:( You okay?



And of course you can. :D (Maybe it will even kick my brain into gear for those last 400 ish words that STILL aren't written).

[genlisae.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Thank you for helping him as much as you could. It doesn't really matter how far away the someone is, sometimes just that someone, somewhere tries is enough.

[debbycus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm fine. Suicide talk is one of my triggers, but with the right tools, I can easily overcome it. Om nom nom, ice cream!

Darn it, Kate, now I can't procrastinate! XD It's going to be delivered by Google Docs because I'm lazy like that. Just tell me if you cannot view it or it's glitchy or something.

And yes, you should definitely include that bit in the post as well.

[genlisae.livejournal.com]

Ice cream fixes many, many things.

Oh! Google docs (I totally typed giggle the first time just now ...) I have never even fiddled with google docs. This should be an adventure.

[tashkyn87.livejournal.com]

Hi. I don't comment much, but I wanted to say thank you for posting this. It's such an important thing to know, even if you don't think you'll ever need it. This kind of hotline has helped me and so many other people through a difficult time. So thanks.

[genlisae.livejournal.com]

It is the absolute least I can do. I know how much just a little bit of information helps. *hugs*

[(Anonymous)]

That last line hit me harder than it probably should have O.o

..and one day I'll stop posting as anon but I'm too lazy to clean the old highschool wank from my journal >.>.

[genlisae.livejournal.com]

In that case, just in case, should you find you need to talk, I know how to listen.

[kizzy-sims.livejournal.com]

Thank you for putting this up for everyone to see. You never know when you do need this kind of information. I hope this helps put people at ease, or helps them know where to go if they ever do end up in either of those positions <3