-written by one of your neighbours in Owen Sound
re-published from September 2016
Today is world suicide prevention day. I am forever campaigning for awareness of mental health. This day is important. Maybe you don't agree; maybe you have never been touched personally by the aftermath of suicide. Maybe you have never been down that dark road where suicidal thoughts bombard you at every turn, and if you have, hopefully you have never acted on those thoughts. Just maybe you've been luckyenough in this lifetime to have avoided all of this. I have not. I have lost friends to suicide. Brilliant, kind, compassionate and caring people who just could not fight the black dog one moment longer. Struggling with bipolar disorder, I have been in that dark place myself, time and time again. I have been hospitalized several times in those darkest hours. I have attempted to take my own life. And you know what? I'm not ashamed of any of that. It has taken me down the darkest, scariest road; it has chiseled away at me, like water eroding the strongest rocks. But it has helped make me into who I am today...strong, a fighter, full of compassion and love, and understanding. One day I hope to make more of a difference in the lives of others who wake each day to face their demons. For now, I advocate for the end of stigma surrounding mental health. I am not ashamed to tell my story.
To those in crisis, know that just one more breath is all you need to focus on. Know that you matter, your life matters, and your story is far from over. Know that the pain, though it seems relentless, doesn't go on forever, instead, it too shall pass. Let's talk about tomorrow. Or if that seems too impossible, lets talk about the next minute, the next hour, the next breath. Come talk to me; I'll tell you my story, and how the beauty outweighs everything else. You're not alone and you don't have to fight the impossible all alone.
Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Please, spread the awareness. And remember, be kind to everyone you meet , because you never know what kind of battles they may be fighting.
