Feels extremely on-brand that 3 AM Twitter has #suicide trending. You're my people, depressed night owls

Speaking as one who has struggled with the pull towards suicide all my life, you what I think helps? Just being able to talk about it without it being A Discussion. Not having people freak out knowing it. Accepting that it's there and part of who I am without trying to fix it

By all means, if you can work your way to the other side of it, that's great and please do so! But if wanting to die is just a dull hum in your everyday life, having to try to convince people not to worry or take well meaning suggestions is exhausting and more depressing.

So here's my friendly advice to people who know those who are struggling with suicide, or any other mental illness really: treating it like a four alarm fire from the outset makes people less likely to talk to you, not more. Make talking/not talking okay. Also -

Find out if the person has a plan, the means, and the intent to carry it out. If they do, that IS an emergency. But if it's something they're thinking or feeling without those things, they just may need to talk or know it's okay to feel like that sometimes. It sucks, but it is.

Sadness loses some of its power when it can be talked about openly and without judgment. And I do believe everybody has moments of wondering whether they'd be better off dead. You can help just by being a friend, being respectful, and letting someone speak about it if they want

I wasn't exactly planning on contributing to the "you should do this!" conversation that happens every time the subject comes up but I do feel this often gets lost in the desire to save a life and the fear over what to do or not do.

I worked in mental health for almost ten years. Being calm helps calm others. Accepting that what they feel is okay helps others accept it's okay. And treating suicide like a normal problem with solutions helps suicidal people feel like it's a normal problem with a solution.

If you're out there dealing with ideation on a regular basis, I know I'm just an internet rando but trust me, it's not weakness, cowardice, or you being broken. It's just a thing that is. Lots of people deal with it. You can make it through. Help is out there. Don't stop looking.