Lost in the World of Suicide.....

[geminiwench]

I'm going to put this behind a cut,
because I will, indeed... be talking about suicide...

Please... if this triggers you,
feel no reason to pursue further.

Comments

[abnormal_apathy]

I am going through this exact thing...where folks are reaching out to me and vomiting their traumas and I'm ... overwhelmed...and probably reacting poorly.

[geminiwench]

I was **wondering** where you were!

I think we talked about that we both have that... "look" that apparently invites people to tell you VERY PERSONAL STORIES...
You're blunt, you're honest, you're experienced in life... I think that helps people feel safe telling those awful stories, but... then, what the fuck do you do with THAT? I'm sorta resorting to a, "It's gonna be okay... you're already doing better... be brave"... and like, that's it. It's kinda pablum... pat stuff, but... they don't want advice,.. which is nice, because then you don't have to give any to make them feel 'heard' whether or not you had the energy to listen closely.

It's traumatic to deal with other people's trauma... and right now, I don't know anyone who isn't being traumatized just... by the news, let alone whatever else is happening in their life, or HAS happened in their life.

I think most of us have already reached some sort of Critical Mass and Emergency Shutdown.

[abnormal_apathy]

We HAVE talked about that. And I'm only just leaning in to the notion that maybe these things are "gifts".

[geminiwench]

I have to admit, I think it's hard to say what it *IS*, too.

There are definitely people who are just walking trauma victims and are just looking for HELP and will tell their "story" to just about anyone who doesn't walk away...

... but most of the time it feels like people are disarmed and it just... *happens*... and they are just as surprised as I am by their own story.

I have people who look at me afterward and go, "I've never told ANYBODY that... wow... um... so where were we?... Do you want oil, vinegar, salt or pepper on your sandwich.... uh.....?"

So its confusing when a stranger drops something like that on you... but it makes me believe that I can help my friends when that happens. Like that the people I care about... can share with me, maybe even without thinking about it too much. That... people, in general, may not feel like they *have* to hide their shadows and scars from me.
I appreciate that side of it.
It keeps *me* honest, too.

[lantairvlea]

Some stories come out when they're ready to come out. Oftentimes we are too close to tell them right away.

[geminiwench]

That's a thoughtful way of looking at it.