“After campus, reality hit me. I had student loans to pay off, and bills that needed my attention each month, and I had to figure out how to start my career and how to chart my path in life. It was all too much. So for me, I decided to get into drinking. And I drank… a looot. Most people don’t realize this but alcohol is actually a downer. So, by the end of the night, I was drunk, down, alone, and lost in my thoughts. And this is where suicidal ideation began for me. I felt so overwhelmed and alone even though I had just come from dancing and partying with my friends all night. I just wanted the pain to end. For me, it wasn’t about ending my life, it was about ending the pain.”

Anonymous Suicide Survivor

This is the story of a survivor of suicide. How many of us relate? Not to this exact story. But how many of us feel so overwhelmed, lost, and alone? And we just want to end the pain?  

How Do You Know When To Ask For Help?

At some point, you need to actually verbally tell yourself that you can’t actually do this on your own. And at this point, that’s when you actually need to ask for help. It is the hardest thing to ask for help because you feel like you don’t want to be such a burden. But asking for help looks like a lot of things. Sometimes it just means hanging out with friends with whom you feel safe. You don’t have to talk about how you feel,  but just hanging out with them can help you feel better and keep you safe. You’re not directly asking for help, but you know they are helping you.

There are other ways like just calling a friend and telling them, “I can’t do this, would you like to take a walk maybe?” Or asking them if they’d like to hang out.  Or go bowling. Or to the park. Or just be on the phone with you. You don’t even have to talk to them on the phone, you can just stay in silence, as long as you know there’s someone on the other end of the line and they are here for you, it goes a long way. I’m not saying these are the only ways to reach out and get help, but I’m merely implying that sometimes help can come in the most basic of forms.

What Should You Do If You’re Afraid of Asking For Help?

If you’re afraid to ask for help because you feel like it’s a selfish thing, I’m here to remind you that it is okay to be selfish especially when it comes to your wellbeing. I’m also here to remind you that there are definitely people who love you and care about you and are willing to help. And when you finally do ask for help, remember to also give them an opportunity to help you.

In the case of an emergency, we as The Millenial News have provided more than enough hotlines to reach out to. (See our previous posts on suicide).

This week I challenge you to ask for help, it does not have to be on a big issue but something that you find to be overwhelming at the moment, even as you read this post. Let me know how that goes in the comment section down below.

Sharonah ❤❤❤