World Suicide Prevention Day – Mental Health Awareness Week
An open letter to someone who’s struggling in life.
The 10th of September was World Suicide Prevention Day. It always makes me sad when I hear or read in the news that someone has taken their life, especially if it’s a person I know. I believe this is a normal reaction and people ask: Why? Couldn’t they see it coming? So many questions and yet at the end, we never really know why this person decided to end their life abruptly. For this evening, I decided to take my time for people who are struggling in their life and don’t see another solution to continue. I would really appreciate it if you can stay for a while with me and read this letter.
Dear stranger,
I might not know you and maybe I cannot understand your situation. But this is what I know:
I believe that there is always a reason for something and this goes the same for You. There is a reason why You are on Earth. You were not only born to exist, but to live and many forget that. The problems and the difficulties you face are part of your life. What you experience may make you feel sad and drain your energy. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to suffer in silence. Probably, you even asked for help and nobody seems to see your suffering. Try again and reach out for people. Often, when we’re lonely and have the feeling that life has given up on us, we become numb and cannot even see the things that are always there and will always be: the sun, the rain, flowers, light, water, nature, but most importantly the people you see and meet every day.
Give life another chance and open your eyes. Get out of the dark tunnel and leave your room or the place where you have spent too much time alone. There will always be a person on the Earth who will understand you and can help you. Make use of the resources you have: the internet, the library, and connect with people again who don’t harm you, but lift you up. There are so many ways to heal and recover from your sad condition. Do you still remember what you loved doing as a child? It was something that you could do for so many hours and never grew tired of. It just made you happy and smile. Maybe that’s the secret. You have to find your ‘inner child’ again and find joy in life. I call it the zest for life and for me it’s music. At the moment, everything might seem pointless and dull. It’s not and I can promise you one thing, the feelings you experience, the void and all the pain – it will pass. It’s not going to last forever. But it is up to you, if you want to change the situation.
If there is one final thing I ask you to do it is this: speak to someone or at least write down your thoughts in order to get a perspective of what you’re going through. Express yourself, go a little crazy, reclaim your position in the world, jump in the cold water and shout it out loud to the universe and back: This is me and nothing is going to hold me back. I’m sure you have dreams, what happened to them? Could you realise them? The smallest steps are better than none, no matter how hard they may seem. What are you waiting for?
Now these are my final words: Whenever you feel low and down, take a deep breath and think about the good things in your life: your family, friends, beautiful experiences and memories, your passions, interests – choose life, choose love.
Never lose faith in yourself.
Take care,
Natascha
Images: Google images