Telling People Who’re Suicidal To ‘Reach Out’ Is NEVER Enough!

Telling People Who’re Suicidal To ‘Reach Out’ Is NEVER Enough!
Anxiety

Telling People Who’re Suicidal To ‘Reach Out’ Is NEVER Enough!

Whenever we hear about someone who has committed suicide or is going through a hard phase in life, we casually say they should have reached out to us. Or you question, “Why didn’t they reach out?”. The first thought in your mind always is that they looked fine, even happy and they could have told you what they were going through. Then why didn’t they?

It isn’t your fault. Let me just get that out of the way. No one is blaming you. But saying that those who are suicidal should reach out to close friends and family is never enough. And I am here to tell you why, today. 

Not Everyone Knows How To Reach Out!

Telling People Who’re Suicidal To ‘Reach Out’ Is NEVER Enough!

If you know me, you know I am a huge advocate of mental health. I am a strong supporter of being unapologetic about what you are going through. But it isn’t as easy as sharing your feelings with others. Being expressive about your state doesn’t come naturally to everyone. I want to burst into flames every time I hear someone saying, “Why didn’t they reach out to their friends or family?” or “His/ her family is supportive, why did he/she feel the need to commit suicide?”

Not every person who is suicidal knows how to reach out or feel like they can reach out. The energy of suicidal thoughts and mental illnesses is all-consuming. When you live in a dark web of thoughts, you do not know how to explain what you are going through. Sometimes the biggest achievement is waking up in the morning. 

Why Is It Wrong To Ask Them To Reach Out

Reaching out when suicidal

When a task as trivial as getting out of the bad, doing basic things, or talking to people, etc. is too much too many of the times then how can you expect someone to tell you they want to kill themselves? In a society where mental health is stigmatized and feelings of depression are considered shameful, it isn’t a piece of cake to tell even the people closest to you that you have lost the will to love.

In my experience, most of the time, people who are suicidal do not disclose this to close family members because they are afraid of putting them under stress. They do not want to see their loved ones hurting, hence they do not reach out, and asking them to reach out won’t be fair either.

You Need To Reach Out!

Helping those who are suicidal

If you want to help someone genuinely, then you need to be the one who reaches out. It isn’t hard to pick the changing behaviors of those who are closest to us. When they stop talking to you, when they are physically present but mentally available, when they do not reply to your calls or texts, when they cancel out plans, or even as simple as them not talking the way they talk – REACH OUT TO THEM. Talk to them, ask them. Do whatever you can, but try to be there for them. 

They are already going through a lot. Do not overburden them with the task to reach out for help when they are internally screaming but are unable to do the same externally. Do not ask them or question them as to why they didn’t reach out themselves, because that’s nothing less than victim-blaming. 

Chances are that friend or family member who tried to commit suicide or feel suicidal ALREADY tried to reach out, sometimes directly and sometimes through subtle hints. Chances are they didn’t feel heard. Do NOT ask them to reach out. If you feel people around you aren’t the same they used to be, REACH OUT TO THEM. A single message, call, or visit is all it takes to make someone believe that there is a world out there for them to live for. 

To put it:

Telling People Who’re Suicidal To ‘Reach Out’ Is NEVER Enough!

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