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After losing more than a handful of people to suicide this past year, it’s safe to say that simply hashtagging “end the stigma” isn’t enough. While the movement is, inarguably, beneficial as it encourages people to reach out for help (because it’s okay to do so), one must ask themselves, what have I done to actually end the stigma?
8 Ways You Can Actually End The Stigma and Save Lives
This is something we’ve been asking ourselves a lot lately and more importantly, what more can be done to end the stigma? We’ve been beating our brains trying to find physical things each one of us can do in an effort to “end the stigma” and saves lives from suicide. And after several sleepless nights trying to figure it out, here’s what we’ve come up with:
1. Reach Out To People You’re Thinking About
This has been one of our biggest goals – and accomplishments in 2018. Since we are extremely nostalgic, we often find ourselves thinking about people we haven’t spoken to in 10, even 20 years or thinking about a moment that still remains prominent in our minds today.
Instead of simply reminiscing these moments and the people they involve, we’ve made a conscious effort to let those people know that we’re thinking of them. Even a “Hey! Remember when….” or “I was just thinking about that hilarious time when you…” can make a difference in someone’s mood. And honestly, it makes us feel pretty good too!
2. Give Out Compliments Like Candy
It may sound silly but compliments can completely change the course of someone’s day. Just think about it, have you ever been sad after receiving a compliment? Of course not. Have you ever been miserable and then had someone say something nice about you, and it changes your entire mood? Certainly, we all have.
However, many of us fail to realize that if these compliments make us feel so good, they can do the same for others.
Now, you don’t have to go out of your comfort zone to compliment strangers; that can be a huge challenge, especially if you struggle with social anxiety. You just have to speak up when you appreciate something about someone.
“Love your hair!” or “I like your shirt. Where’d you get it?” is enough to make someone feel good. And again, you’ll feel amazing handing out compliments as well. So, aim to compliment at least three people a day.
3. Send a Message When You Notice Someone’s “Off”
It’s safe to say that we can all relate to seeing someone post something on social media that hints to sadness, depression, suicide or maybe even just a bad day. However, instead of taking a moment to let them know that you’ve noticed, we scroll past. We are guilty of this as well because “some things are not meant for social media,” or the posts seems toxic or dramatic and you don’t want to get involved.
However, social media can also be a window into how someone is truly feeling. By reaching out to someone you notice isn’t doing well doesn’t mean that you’re getting involved or – sigh – subjecting yourself to a social media battle. Simply shoot them a private message and let them know that their words have not gone unnoticed.
“Hey. I saw your post. Just wanted to see if you’re okay?” or “If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here for you,” is all you need to do to let them know that they’re heard.
We actually had to do this this week, as a sibling’s friend was posting comments that were mentioning suicide or saying that they had thought about suicide. The sad thing was, almost all of the comments from other people on these posts completely ignored the “suicide” sentence and instead, talked about something completely irrelevant.
So, we took it upon ourselves (as well as a few others) to simply say, “Hey! Hang in there. Stay strong. Things always get better.” Without getting involved, we let that person know that they’re heard and sometimes, that’s all someone needs.
4. Encourage Social Media to Make Changes
This tip on how to end the stigma truly rattles our bones. In fact, it infuriates us. You can report almost anything on social media for going against “their guidelines” – women breastfeeding, women’s nipples, innocent baby bums, fights, fake accounts, etc. However, there is absolutely no option to report an account for being potentially dangerous to themselves or someone else.
Let us tell you a story…
We came across this Instagram post of a guy cocking a gun, saying he wanted to die and putting the gun to his head. We looked at the rest of his Instagram feed, and they all hinted to this young man being severely depressed. So, naturally, we went to report it in hopes that someone could look into it.
There was no option to report anything other than for abuse, spam or fake account.
We took it upon ourselves to report it anyway and within 5 minutes, we received a reply saying that the account did not go against their guidelines. Not only is it safe to say that no one actually reviewed this young man’s account, but if his content didn’t go against their guidelines, it’s time to change those darn guidelines.
Another thing is, almost all of these school shooters and mass murderers have hinted to what they plan on doing to harm others, on their social media accounts. However, since it doesn’t go against the guidelines, no one actually does anything to prevent it.
Long story short, we all need to start encouraging social media channels to change their guidelines and to provide a “report” option for content that may suggest harm to oneself or others. We created a petition which you can sign here.
5. Be a Physical Presence
Being alone can be deadly, and that’s coming from a member of the Anxiety Gone team who suffers from manic depression. When we asked ways that could actually help break the stigma and potentially save lives, he said, “Be there.”
We probed for more information.
He went on to explain that having someone physically there in those darkest of moments can make a huge difference… It’s reaching out during those moments that’s tough because you simply don’t want to be around anyone. But again, it can be a life-saver.
So, maybe we all need to make it a goal to commit to plans, to make more time for real-life-interactions and to physically be there when a close friend or loved one is going through a tough time.
We’ve had plenty of friends call for days and days, trying to get us out of the house before they finally gave up, and just came over. As soon as we saw them, it was a breath of fresh air – exactly what we needed but it’s getting to the point of getting up and out that’s tough.
On the other hand, if you suffer from mental illness as well, consider giving your loved ones the “go ahead” to just show up at your house when they notice that you’re having a rough day.
6. Stand Up For Others
This tip might sound cliché, but standing up for others can make a huge impact. When you see someone being bullied, stick up for them or tell an adult, and reach out to the victim afterwards to let them know that you’re there for them.
And this should go without saying… If you see a fight, don’t film it in hopes of it becoming a viral video.
You don’t have to put yourself out there like you’re a matador holding a small red cape in a stadium with a bull. As long as you don’t participate in the bullying and instead, try to make a difference so it doesn’t happen again (such as alerting an adult), you’re on the right path.
7. Practice Empathy
As the saying goes, in a world where you can be anything, be kind.
Cliché? Perhaps, but undeniably, great advice for life, and to end the stigma.
Empathy is often described as the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. It’s easy to assume that this is something you either have or don’t have.
However, recent studies have revealed that meditation can enhance your ability to be more empathetic towards others, as it increases activity in key parts of the rain. And since you can never be too empathetic or rather, understanding and kind of other people’s feelings, we can all benefit for practicing meditation for empathy
8. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask
Never be discouraged by the fear of asking, whether you’re asking a friend or even a stranger if they’re okay or if you are asking for help for yourself. We all have a voice, and it’s important that we use it to help both ourselves and others.
Just think, if we all did one of these things for every time we type out #EndTheStigma on our social media feeds, maybe we’d be able to make a bigger difference. The only way to find out is to try. Will you take the challenge?
