Things that we could do to try to save a life.

[RainbowAngel]

I don't want to create misunderstanding but we need to be open and aware that their are members who could be thinking about taking thier own life.

I Like to share an experince I'd encountered before in another forum. A member of another huge worldwide forum of a famous celeb posted a note that seems suicidal and send the entire forum to panic. So what the other members did was to hunt down his details, facebook,email, University, workplace and they contacted the police and the police found the person's house in the end! How amazing! Alas, the person is save but he wasn't actually suicidal, just a little depressed but the way the members in the forum reacted impressed me very much!

I was wondering if we could do something like that to save a life, then we should.

 

[Tom]

I don't want to create misunderstanding but we need to be open and aware that their are members who could be thinking about taking thier own life.

I Like to share an experince I'd encounter before in another forum. A member of another huge worldwide forum of a famous celeb posted a note that seems suicidal and send the entire forum to panic. So what the other members did was to hunt down his details, facebook,email, University, workplace and they contacted the police and the police discovered the person in the end! How amazing! Alas, the person is save but he wasn't actually suicidal, just a little depressed but the way the members in the forum reacted impressed me very much!

I was wondering if we could do something like that to save a life, then we should.

It does sound like a great idea, very caring

However I can see some problems. Maybe some members who are feeling suicidal wouldn't want us searching the internet for their information and then getting help for them. I honestly think someone feeling suicidal should be left alone unless they come to you. You dont want to find all the help for them if all they want is to sleep and cry etc to get over their problems.

Is there anything else we could do?

 

[Autumn II]

It does sound like a great idea, very caring

However I can see some problems. Maybe some members who are feeling suicidal wouldn't want us searching the internet for their information and then getting help for them. I honestly think someone feeling suicidal should be left alone unless they come to you. You dont want to find all the help for them if all they want is to sleep and cry etc to get over their problems.

Is there anything else we could do?

It's hard to judge the seriousness of a suicide threat on the internet. Some people just need others to listen, and some are quite serious. As to what else we could do? Point them to the hotlines here. Tell them to seek counseling where they live. Be a shoulder to cry on. Offer love and support. Send a PM. Offer to IM the person and help them feel they are not alone.

For us, it's difficult to FIND a person from just the information given. We don't have home phone numbers or addresses.

 

[Mechi]

I hope this thread will not keep ppl away from posting their problems now?

Many suicidal ppl prefer someone anonymous to talk to as they fear nothing more than to be found and judged by the ppl around them in their every day life.
Many of them do not even mention they're thinking about it ever btw.

That's why phonelines are offered.
Also I do think the privacy of someone in problems needs still to be protected.

We can only offer to help everybody. When someone doesn't let us or doesn't want us and doesn't take advice to go to a doctor or to call a help line, if someone doesn't want to give private information then that is their decision and needs to be accepted, I think.

However Rainbow Angel I apreciate so much cuz I know you're caring and you want to help.

Vic I think we should simply ask for more ppl on staff of the support forum? That would be really good and needed it seems.

 

[D.Electric]

Although I know you are so full of love and good intention, I dont think this is a good idea. In many cases (but not all) when someone proclaims 'I want to die!' it is often a cry for help, but that person may just be trying to reach out to someone and find someone who understands. Searching for their details on the internet and sending police to someones home may be a good idea in 1 out of say, 20 cases...but in 19 of those cases, it may cause embarrasment and a lot of inconvinience for someone who is just looking for emotional support.

Ofcourse, every threat of suicide SHOULD be taken seriously, but a simple 'I want to die' may not always be a bid to end their own life (many do not believe in suicide but would welcome death if it came naturally etc)... the best way to deal with this situation in my humble opinion is to talk to them, find out what is going through their mind, offer them your support, provide them with details for their local support facilities and just let them know that you are there for them.

We are not miracle workers, and we are not saints. We are caring loving people sat behind a computer screen, and although a simple 'I'm here for you' can be enough to save a life... we cannot be expected,nor should we, interfere with someones life in such a way that we break the boundries of a)data protection b)someones right to physical privacy.

so much love to you Rainbow, You are so full of good. xxxx


Victoria and Mechi, if you need more support staff... I would be honored to take a position if you felt it would be appropriate for me to do so. x

 

[tigerfeet]

Victoria and Mechi, if you need more support staff... I would be honored to take a position if you felt it would be appropriate for me to do so. x

Danniilee, I think you would be wonderful at this. Victoria and Mechi do a wonderful job and I think you would be a great asset to them and to this community.
You have my vote hunny! x

 

[RainbowAngel]

Normally if someone posted a suicidal note others will reply and try to console him or her and if the person reply most of the time it will be okey but if they do not hear from the person for a certain amount of time, they panicked and would try their best to try to contact the person just in case. But I guess, this forum is now a lot different. The forum I was in is normally a very happy forum and people don't post anything like that.
It's good if the person seek help to ease the pain ,but not everyone does. I had been there before and I never seek help and my friends and family don't even know about it.