REPOST @mentalhealthfemme :
Posted @withrepost • TW: sui mention/discussion
This is a re-post of a Twitter thread I did 2020. I’m re-posting because 1) I’m low on spoons, 2) I still feel the same way. 3) abolish ANY law enforcement response; most hotlines connect w/ them so be mindful if calling & in active crisis.
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Today is #worldsuicidepreventionday Many approach this conversation by telling su*c*dal people what *they* “should” be doing/feeling; however, it’s a disservice to most folks seeking help to solely look at them as an individual ‘failing’ at wellness and not take a holistic approach to see their circumstances contextually. What other forces may be at hand leading to this person feeling hopeless?
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As an example, U.S. suicide rates have risen significantly (30.4% from 1999-2015) and one of the largest contributing factors has been economic strain. For marginalized folks, this is not a new reality, but additional stressors are exacerbating the pressure to cope. Many folks dealing with food insecurity, experiencing homelessness, separation from their families, ableism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, police brutality, etc., are depressed and suicidal due to things outside their immediate control!
They are responding to their environment, which is dehumanizing, oppressive, soul crushing, and seemingly inescapable. Its not dramatic or fatalistic, it’s most QTBIPoC’s reality! We throw “self-care” to people who need community support; who cannot out-regulate their environment because it’s a toxic and oppressive one. If we’re going to tell people to reach out, we have to be there to pull them out of the darkness. We need abolition, reparations, and restoration.
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This is why accessibility and affordability are crucial to me in mental health services. A person’s world is made up of so much more than their presenting concern. Look at the whole person if your goal is to offer any support. It’s negligence otherwise, and as a therapist with actively suicidal clients consistently, I can never say I’m doing my due diligence if I don’t take all of a person and their wellness into consideration, including what systems and institutions may be causing and contributing to their dis-ease.
