Okay, so I have been very unsuccessful with finding any real response from any of the teachers that I feel is quick enough to make any difference so after practice I was riding the bus home alone and I mentioned it to the bus driver and he was telling me about how in high school he had been bullied to the brink of killing himself but he had been saved by a small group of kids who had noticed his distress and one day invited him to a party which he declined but the kids wouldnt take no for an answer and basically dragged him to there party which was just 5 or 6 kids watching stupid movies making crank calls and eating junk and they made him feel like part of there little group and safe, he said it took him some time to really trust these kids were up to no good but eventually said they saved his life. So I think we are going to try something like this, I would like to know if this sounds like something that could work obviously it is different times but maybe having a bunch of friend could make the difference.
WHAT TO DO NOW:
- Your persistence is honorable and courageous! Thank you for continuing to fight to help this individual. Having you in their corner is so valuable and wonderful for them.
- There are resources out there to help. They are available 24/7 and can support individuals in suicidal crisis. Share these numbers and websites with your friend. They can text the Crisis Textline by texting HELP to 741741 or calling the National Suicide Hotline – 1-800-273-8255 – https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org – http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html
- You are certainly on the right path with finding connections for this person. Who will respond to this call? Which adults can help you reach your friend? What other friends may step up to be a connection for this individual? Keep helping build connections for them. Maybe you can be a “sidekick” in situations where they are trying to connect to others as well.
WHAT TO DO LATER:
- Have you ever heard of Kevin Hines? He survived a suicide attempt after jumping off of the Golden Gate Bridge in 2000. Since surviving he has been an activist towards suicide prevention. On the day of his suicide attempt, he reasoned with himself saying he would not go through with it if ONE person showed they cared and talked to him. He didn’t have that opportunity until after his attempt, but know that YOU could be that ONE person for this individual! So don’t quit! Getting others to become friends as well is a bonus. Kevin’s story is out there, check it out and maybe even share it with your friend.
- We have many other resources on TeenCentral that may be useful. Check out a resource titled How To Talk About Suicide – Click Here. OR Check out this resource titled Helping A Friend Who May Be Suicidal – Click Here.
- While it is great that you are taking care of and trying to help your friend, don’t forget to take care of YOU! Worrying about someone can become taxing. Who can you talk to? What activities can you do to release stress and feel better? Would journaling about all of this and your feelings about it help?
