wolfbane
A frozen shard of memory
Joined: 27 Aug 2006
Posts: 8483
Location: South Wales |
Worldwide Helpful numbers if You're Suicidal/Need Help!
Self injury and suicide can in many cases be linked; it's no surprise that those who self harm are 15 times more likely to commit suicide than those who don't. This is a long post but there's a lot of information and things to consider if you're feeling suicidal.
Thanks have to go to Tribe for putting this together, and to http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/ which holds this information.
I’m sorry that you’re hurting so desperately right now. I know how painful the seconds, and minutes, and days can be, how long the nights are. I understand how very hard hanging on is, and how much courage it takes.
I ask though that you hold on to one day at a time. Just one day, and slowly this despair will pass. The feelings you fear you’re trapped in will serve their purpose, and then fade away.
Hard to imagine isn’t it? Almost impossible to believe when every cell in your body seems to cry out in agony, desperately in need of comfort. When it feels like the only thing in the whole world that can touch your pain and banish it is beyond your grasp.
And after all this time, the assurance that you will heal has become an empty broken promise. Just let one tiny cell in your body continue to believe in the promise of healing. Just one. You can surrender every other cell to your despair.
Just that one little cell of faith that you can heal and be whole again is enough to keep you going, is enough to lead you through the darkness. Although it can’t banish your suffering, it can sustain you until the time comes for you to let your pain go. And the letting go can only occur in its own time, as much as we would like to push the pain away forever.
Hold on. Hold on to appreciate the beauty of the earth, to feel the songs of the birds in your heart, to learn and to teach, to laugh a genuine laugh, to dance on the beach, to rest peacefully, to experience contentment, to want to be no other place but in the here and now, to trust in yourself, and to trust your life.
Hold on because it’s worth the terrible waiting. Hold on because you are worthy. Hold on because the wisdom that will follow you out of this darkness will be a tremendous gift.
Hold on because you have so much love and joy waiting to be experienced.
Hold on because life is precious, even though it can bring terrible losses.
Hold on because there is so much that you can not imagine waiting ahead on your journey – a destiny that only you can fulfill.
Hold on although you’re exhausted and your grasp is shaky, and you want more than anything to let go sometimes.
Please hold on.
So much in life can be difficult, even impossible to understand. I know, I know. So many of us have cried in despair, why? Why? And still the answers and the comfort failed to show.
Survival can be a long and lonely road, in spite of all those who’ve stumbled down the path before you. And it can be a treacherous, tortuous journey - so easy to get lost, and yet impossible to avoid even one painful step.
And the light, the light at the end of the dark tunnel for so long cannot be seen, although eventually you’ll begin to feel it’s warmth as you move forward. And forward you must move in order to get through the hell of remembering, of despair, of rage, of grief. Keep looking forward, please.
Rest if you must, doubt your ability to survive the journey if you have to, but never let go of the guide ropes, although when you close your fingers around them, your hands feel empty, they are there. Please trust me, they are there.
When you’re exhausted, when all you have to count on is weakened, weary faith, hold on.
When you think you want to die, hold on until you recognize that it’s not death you seek, but for the pain to go away.
Hold on, because this darkness will surely fade away.
Hold on for one more day.
If you are feeling suicidal now, please stop long enough to read this. It will only take about five minutes. I do not want to talk you out of your bad feelings. I am not a therapist or other mental health professional - only someone who knows what it is like to be in pain.
I don’t know who you are, or why you are reading this page. I only know that for the moment, you’re reading it, and that is good. I can assume that you are here because you are troubled and considering ending your life. If it were possible, I would prefer to be there with you at this moment, to sit with you and talk, face to face and heart to heart. But since that is not possible, we will have to make do with this.
I have known a lot of people who have wanted to kill themselves, so I have some small idea of what you might be feeling. I know that you might not be up to reading a long book, so I am going to keep this short. While we are together here for the next five minutes, I have five simple, practical things I would like to share with you. I won’t argue with you about whether you should kill yourself. But I assume that if you are thinking about it, you feel pretty bad.
Well, you’re still reading, and that’s very good. I’d like to ask you to stay with me for the rest of this page. I hope it means that you’re at least a tiny bit unsure, somewhere deep inside, about whether or not you really will end your life. Often people feel that, even in the deepest darkness of despair. Being unsure about dying is okay and normal. The fact that you are still alive at this minute means you are still a little bit unsure. It means that even while you want to die, at the same time some part of you still wants to live. So let’s hang on to that, and keep going for a few more minutes.
Start by considering this statement:
“Suicide is not chosen; it happens
when pain exceeds
resources for coping with pain.”
That’s all it’s about. You are not a bad person, or crazy, or weak, or flawed, because you feel suicidal. It doesn’t even mean that you really want to die - it only means that you have more pain than you can cope with right now. If I start piling weights on your shoulders, you will eventually collapse if I add enough weights... no matter how much you want to remain standing. Willpower has nothing to do with it. Of course you would cheer yourself up, if you could.
Don’t accept it if someone tells you, “that’s not enough to be suicidal about.” There are many kinds of pain that may lead to suicide. Whether or not the pain is bearable may differ from person to person. What might be bearable to someone else, may not be bearable to you. The point at which the pain becomes unbearable depends on what kinds of coping resources you have. Individuals vary greatly in their capacity to withstand pain.
When pain exceeds pain-coping resources, suicidal feelings are the result. Suicide is neither wrong nor right; it is not a defect of character; it is morally neutral. It is simply an imbalance of pain versus coping resources.
You can survive suicidal feelings if you do either of two things: (1) find a way to reduce your pain, or (2) find a way to increase your coping resources. Both are possible.
Now I want to tell you five things to think about.
1 You need to hear that people do get through this -- even people who feel as badly as you are feeling now. Statistically, there is a very good chance that you are going to live. I hope that this information gives you some sense of hope.
2 Give yourself some distance. Say to yourself, “I will wait 24 hours before I do anything.” Or a week. Remember that feelings and actions are two different things - just because you feel like killing yourself, doesn’t mean that you have to actually do it right this minute. Put some distance between your suicidal feelings and suicidal action. Even if it’s just 24 hours. You have already done it for 5 minutes, just by reading this page. You can do it for another 5 minutes by continuing to read this page. Keep going, and realize that while you still feel suicidal, you are not, at this moment, acting on it. That is very encouraging to me, and I hope it is to you.
3 People often turn to suicide because they are seeking relief from pain. Remember that relief is a feeling. And you have to be alive to feel it. You will not feel the relief you so desperately seek, if you are dead.
4 Some people will react badly to your suicidal feelings, either because they are frightened, or angry; they may actually increase your pain instead of helping you, despite their intentions, by saying or doing thoughtless things. You have to understand that their bad reactions are about their fears, not about you.
But there are people out there who can be with you in this horrible time, and will not judge you, or argue with you, or send you to a hospital, or try to talk you out of how badly you feel. They will simply care for you. Find one of them. Now. Use your 24 hours, or your week, and tell someone what’s going on with you. It is okay to ask for help. Try:
Send an anonymous e-mail to The Samaritans
Call 1-800-SUICIDE in the U.S.
Teenagers, call Covenant House NineLine, 1-800-999-9999
Look in the front of your phone book for a crisis line
Call a psychotherapist
Carefully choose a friend or a minister or rabbi, someone who is likely to listen
But don’t give yourself the additional burden of trying to deal with this alone. Just talking about how you got to where you are, releases an awful lot of the pressure, and it might be just the additional coping resource you need to regain your balance.
5 Suicidal feelings are, in and of themselves, traumatic. After they subside, you need to continue caring for yourself. Therapy is a really good idea. So are the various self-help groups available both in your community and on the Internet.
Well, it’s been a few minutes and you’re still with me. I’m really glad.
Since you have made it this far, you deserve a reward. I think you should reward yourself by giving yourself a gift. The gift you will give yourself is a coping resource. Remember, back up near the top of the page, I said that the idea is to make sure you have more coping resources than you have pain. So let’s give you another coping resource, or two, or ten...! until they outnumber your sources of pain.
Now, while this page may have given you some small relief, the best coping resource we can give you is another human being to talk with. If you find someone who wants to listen, and tell them how you are feeling and how you got to this point, you will have increased your coping resources by one. Hopefully the first person you choose won’t be the last. There are a lot of people out there who really want to hear from you. It’s time to start looking around for one of them.
Now: I’d like you to call someone.
International Websites / Support for UK & Ireland
Useful International Websites
http://www.suicide-helplines.org/
http://www.suicide.org - Support, prevention, depression information
http://www.befrienders.org - International Samaritans organisations
http://www.samaritans.org - Samaritans main website
http://www.samaritans.org/talk/email.shtm - Samaritans e-mail support, that aim to reply within 24 hrs
Email Address - jo@samaritans.org
www.youthone.com
- for those who don't like speaking on the telephone
Information websites
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/suicide1.shtml
IRELAND
Samaritans
Tel: 1850 60 90 90 (National number charged at local call rates)
To find a local Samaritans center in Ireland, click here
Minicom/textphone: 1850 60 90 91
Email: [email=jo@samaritans.org[/email]
Childline - freefone 1800 666 666
Depression - Aware (01) 676 6166
Bodywhys (help for Anorexia and bulimia) - (01) 283 5126
NSPCC, Child Protection Helpline:freephone, 24 hrs - 0800 800500
NICAS-n.i.community addiction service, alcohol,drugs addiction – 028 90664434/90330499/90731602
Zest for the prevention of suicide -Londonderry -028)71266999
Eating Disorders Assessment (NI) - 90618299 /90621627
Contact Youth (counselling for young People) - 028)90457848
Youthline - 0808 808 8000
Young Persons Advice line - 0808 808 5678
Childline - 24 hr helpline for children and young people in trouble - 0800 1111 / Website: http://www.childline.org.uk/
Nexus Rape and Incest Counselling
Belfast centre - (028)90326803
Londonderry centre-(028)71260566
Enniskillen - (028)66320046
Portadown - (028)38350588
Rape crisis and sexual abuse centre - (028)90249696
Freephone - 0800 0526813
Victim Support Belfast - (028)90244039
Other useful numbers in Northern Ireland:-
Belfast city Hospital – 028 90329241
Royal Victoria Hospital –028 90240503
Mater Hospital – 028 90741211
Dunlewey Substance advice - 028)90743999
Alcoholics Anon – 028 90434848
Aids Help Line - 0800 12743/02890 326117
Relate Marriage Guidance counselling -028)90323454
Brook advisory centre (Family Planning for under 25)
- (028)90328866
Family Planning association -(028)90325448
Other useful numbers in ROI:-
Dublin
Rape Crisis centre - 6614911/6615464
Sexual assault unit, Rotunda Hospital - 8732111
Women and aids - 8745302
Women's aid helpline - 1800 341 900 or 01 8745302/3
Women's aid refuge - 961002
Galway
Rape Crisis Centre - 563676
Women's aid refuge - 63581
Limerick
Rape Crisis Centre - 311511
UNITED KINGDOM
Samaritans
Tel: 08457 90 90 90 (National number charged at local call rates)
To find a local center in the UK, you can click here
Minicom/textphone: 08457 90 91 92
Email: [email=jo@samaritans.org[/email]
Violence and Crime
0845 30 30 900 (local rate)
Womens aid domestic violence helpline
08457 023468 (local rate)
Health NHS direct (mental health/suicide)
0845 46 47 (local rate)
Website: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk/ > NHS Direct Mental Health FAQ
CHILDLINE (young person or child helpline)
Free call calls cant be traced
0800 1111
Website: http://www.childline.org.uk/
Alcoholics anonymous
0845 769 7555 (local rate)
Website: http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/
Curse bereavement care
0870 167 1677 (local rate)
Sexuality
(020) 7837 7324
Support for Europe
AUSTRIA
Telefonseelsorge Notruf
Tel: (00 43) 142
Services: Telephone and Email
Website: http://www.telefonseelsorge.at
BELGIUM
Telephone support
Tele-Onthaal
Tel: 106
Website: http://www.tele-onthaal.be
Tele-Accueil
Tel: 107
Website: http://www.tele-accueil.be
Suicide prevention
De Zelfmoordlijn Centrum ter Preventie van Zelfmoord vzw (the Flemisch Suicide Prevention Center),
Arteveldestraat 142
1000 BRUSSELS
Belgium
Tel: (0032) (0)2/649 95 55- Open 24 hours a day
Services by: Telephone
Website: www.zelfmoordpreventie.be
Child Abuse
Vertrouwenscentra Kindermishandeling (info, advies, hulp)
Tel: 078-15 00 20
DENMARK
Livslinien
Postbox 1157
DK - 1010
COPENHAGEN
Denmark
Tel: 70 201 201
Services by: Telephone
Website: http://www.livslinien.dk
FRANCE
Suicide
http://www.suicideinfo.org/french/
http://www.preventionsuicide.be/frame.htm
http://www.barbery.net/psy/suicide/index.htm
Suicide Ecoute
PARIS
Tel: 01 45 39 4000
Services by: Telephone
Website: http://suicide.ecoute.free.fr
SOS Help (English Speaking Service)
Boite Postale 43,
Boulogne, Cedex 92101
Tel: 01 46 21 46 46
Services by: Telephone (3-11pm)
Website: www.soshelpline.org
Fil Sante Jeunes
PARIS
Tel: 0800 235 236
Services by: Telephone
Website for young people:www.filsantejeunes.com
Rape & Sexual Abuse
http://www.sosfemmes.com/
http://schneider.sophie.free.fr/index.html
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/laragedevivre/
SOS VIOLS - Tel: 0.800.05.95.95
SOS FEMME VIOLENCE CONJUGALE - Tel: 01.40.33.80.60
AIDE AUX VICTIMES - Tel: 0.810.09.86.09
SOS VIOLENCES FAMILIALES - Tel: 01.44.73.01.27 [/font]
Other Useful Numbers
Info CONTRACEPTION et IVG - Tel: 0.820.331.334
Association Européenne contre les violences faites aux femmes au travail - Tel: 01.45.84.24.24
Drogues Alcool Tabac Info Service - 113
Enfance Maltraitée - 119
GERMANY
Telefonseelsorge Deutschland
Tel: 0800 1110 111 / 0800 1110 222
www.telefonseelsorge.org
Suicide
http://www.selbstmord.de/
http://www.kinderundjugendtelefon.de/
Regionale Hilfe
Berlin: http://www.berliner-krisendienst.de/
Kassel: http://www.beratung-in-krisen.de/
Münster: http://www.muenster.org/krisenhilfe/
Andere Information
http://www.selbsthilfe-missbrauch.de/Infos/Links.htm
LUXEMBOURG
Please note:
This list is in English but the three main languages are Luxembourgish, French and German, although people working on SOS lines do speak English as well
The international dialling code is +352
Organisations
For children:-
Bobby Action - Tel 12321
Child and youth aid - Tel 12345
Donation assistance for cancer-ill children - Tel: 31 31 70 / General cancer donation - Tel: 45 30 33-1
A heart for cancer-ill children Asbl - Tel: 51 46 29-1
Baby assistance Asbl - Tel: 54 66 77
For families:-
Help for families - Tel: 40 49 49
For women:-
Woman telephone - Tel: 12344
Women in trouble - Tel: 49 08 77
Physically abused women - Tel: 44 81 81
Rape - Tel: 49 58 54
For victims of crime / accidents:-
Assistance for crime victims - Tel: 40 20 40
Assistance for victims of traffic accidents - Tel: 26 43 21 21
Drugs & Alcohol:-
Drug assistance for youth and family - Tel: 49 10 40
Parents of drug-dependent children (E.D.K.) - Tel: 54 54 44
Drug and alcohol info - Tel: 47 57 47
For those with anxiety / phobias:-
Social info - Tel: 8002 98 98
Lëtzebuerger Angschtsteierungshëllef (anxiety and phobias) - Tel: 59 45 90
General support:-
Craze telephone - Tel: 49 60 99
S.O.S. Help - Tel: 45 45 45
Support for Australasia / Canada & USA
AUSTRALIA
Please note:
All 1800 numbers are free
Samaritan Organisations / Suicide prevention
Albany Samaritan Befrienders
P. O. Box 991
ALBANY WA 6330
Australia
Tel: 08 98 422776
Lifelink Samaritans Inc.
P.O. Box 228
LAUNCESTON
Tasmania 7250
Australia
Tel: 03 63 31 3355
Website: http://www.lifelinksamaritans.org
The Samaritans Perth
60 Bagot Road
Subiaco
PERTH
WA 6008
Australia
Tel: 08 93 81 5555
Youthline: 08 93 88 2500
Freecall Countryline: 1800 198 313
TTY: 08 93 82 8822
Website: http://www.thesamaritans.org.au
Lifeline (Australia Wide)
24 hrs
131114
http://www.lifeline.org.au
Helplines
For children / youth:-
Youth Helpline (For kids any age up to 18, abuse, suicide, drug probs etc)
24 hrs / Australia wide
Tel: 1800 55 1800
For parents / family:-
Parentline: 1300 30 1300
Child Protection and Family Crisis Service: 1800 656 463
CANADA
Please note:
Add +1 before the numbers to call from long distance or internationally
Suicide Prevention
Suicide Action Montreal
2345 est. rue Belanger
MONTREAL Quebec
H2G 1C9
Canada
Tel: (514) 723 4000
Useful numbers
Crisis Intervention Centre - Tel: 1-800-757-7766
Kids Help Phone - Tel: 1-800-668-6868
Parents Help Line - Tel: 1-888-603-9100
Sexual Assault Support & Crisis - Tel: 1-800-909-7007
S.O.S. Femmes - Tel: 1-800-387-8603
Greater Toronto Area numbers:-
The Distress Center: 416-408-4357
The Mobile Crisis Unit: 416-498-0043
The Mental Health Crisis Line: 416-929-5200
416-310-COPE (2673)
USA
Prevention numbers
National Hopeline Network
Tel: 1-800-SUICIDE / 1-800-784-2433 (Toll-Free in the USA)
Website: http://hopeline.com/4/map.asp
Self Injury - Tel: 1.800.DON'T.CUT (366-8288)
Suicide Hotline - Tel: 1.800.SUICIDE (784.2433)
Domestic Violence - Tel: 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)
The Gay & Lesbian National Hotline - Tel: 1-800-THE-GLNH
Rape Crisis - Tel: 1.800.656.HOPE (4673)
Child Abuse Tel: -1-800-4-A-CHILD
Information, resources & hotlines
National Suicide Prevention:
Tel: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) (Toll free)
Website: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’s mission is to provide immediate assistance to individuals in suicidal crisis by connecting them to the nearest available suicide prevention and mental health service provider through a toll-free telephone number: 1-800-273-TALK (8255). It is the only national suicide prevention and intervention telephone resource funded by the Federal Government.
List of US Mental Health hotlines, for various disorders:- http://www.mentalhealth.org/hotlines/:
Suicide Prevention
1-800 SUICIDE:- http://www.hopeline.com/
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:-http://www.afsp.org/index-1.htm
Teen and Children
Covenant House Nineline
Tel: 800-999-9999
Website: http://www.covenanthouse.org/nineline/index.html
Information Hotlines by state:- http://www.mentalhealth.org/hotlines/state.asp
Other
1-800-NEW-LIFE
_________________
~ When we walk to the edge of all light we have, and take a step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe one of two things will happen - there will be something solid for us to stand on, or we will be taught to fly. ~
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