Burdens of help
A number of years ago I lost a friend to suicide. I had no idea she was struggling that much, and I’ll never forgive myself that I wasn’t there for her like she had been for me. Her death is one of the things that has spurred me on to be a mental health campaigner and someone who will always try and be there for everyone who needs it. However, it is also worth noting that I too have had suicidal thoughts, and given my illness, will quite often resort to those thoughts, albeit fleetingly, when I have perceived myself as doing wrong. I’m not proud of that, especially as I have such a good support network. Whether people don’t realise that or not, I’m unsure, but when I have offered crisis help to others, only to be accused of supporting hate, and putting other peoples mental health at risk, it really affects me. Not in a way where I get angry, vent and move on, despite appearances. I carry that burden with me. To find out that I have let somebody down who needed me, despite h...