Let's face it — sometimes life just really, really sucks.
You know what I'm talking about. You just broke up with your boyfriend, your wife just told you she wants a divorce, your son or your daughter or your best friend is on drugs, your mom died or your best friend has cancer — and you don't know what to do, you don't have anybody to talk to, not really, because your family is going through what you're going through and your friends are all hella busy with their own sh*t and you just feel so … alone.
You go on social media where Facebook friends are all posting about their vacations or their super duper happy lives, their perfect relationships, something they ate, they just wrote a book, got a new job, a promotion, OMG they're having a baby!
If only there was someone you could call, to just listen, to let you cry maybe, someone who could give you some resources for help, maybe you could use a counselor or maybe you really need to go somewhere right now before things go from bad to worse.
Well, good news. There is someone. 24/7. Just call 988. Or you can text or chat online if you want or if it's easier for you.
How do I know? On almost every Saturday, I am one of those "someones" at the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Prevention hotline. We are a group of caring, dedicated, highly-trained professional responders who can help you — or help get you to the help you need — to be safe for now.
Since 2012, responders at the Idaho hotline have answered nearly 140,000 calls, texts or chats for help, from people of all ages — 6 to 101 — and from every county in the state. People who are sad, depressed, desperate for a reason to go on. They're angry, bereft, grieving and feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. We're there at the other end of the line to help lighten the load.
So if you, or someone you know and/or love, is in crisis, feeling hopeless, doesn't have anyone to talk to, is suicidal or not — call 988. Help is just a phone call away.
