Web3 Mental Health
National Suicide Prevention Day in Web3
A message of hope for those who experience darkness and the people who want to know how to support them.
Trigger Warning: Suicide.
September 3rd marked the 25th anniversary of a dear friend who died by suicide when I was 17 & he was 18. Over the years, I have wondered what his life could have/would have been. His vibrancy, humor, kindness, and depth led me to know that for certain, it would have been worth living. This article is in honor of him and National Suicide Prevention Day.
Web3 is a stressful place filled with strong and hard-to-manage negative feelings. These emotional experiences can lead to dark thoughts that feel very true at the time.
‘The world would be better off without me.’
‘My bag will never recover. I’m done.’
‘I’m so fucking stupid. I don’t deserve to live.’
These thoughts are incredibly common. They’re also not true.
Depression is an illness that makes our thinking feel strong and logical, even though it’s irrational.
All feelings and situations are temporary, and there is hope for you. This is the thing I would share with my friend if I could go back in time. And it’s what I want you to know now.
Having these thoughts is not a shameful experience. They don’t necessarily mean someone will harm themselves, but the risk of doing so becomes much higher when the thoughts are present. If you have similar thoughts, it’s best to reach out for help.
Here are some resources…
-Open a ticket in the Misfit Robots Discord. Trained professionals will respond in a warm and empathetic way and guide you to resources in your local area.
- 741–741 is a Crisis Text Line in the U.S. Just text ‘Help’ to this number, and you’ll be connected to a trained person.
-(in the U.S.) Call 988. It’s the new national suicide hotline number.
-If you are in imminent danger of harming yourself, you can call 911 or go to your nearest E.R.
My friend’s death and others who died by or attempted suicide in my small hometown impacted my decision to work in mental health. These experiences have taught me to reach out and ask people if they’re okay if they’re showing warning signs that they’re not. You will never regret reaching out to someone this way, even if it’s awkward.
If you care about mental health, safety, and suicide prevention, consider taking a Mental Health First Aid Training. This evidence-based program helps people know how and when to respond if someone is in a mental health crisis. In Web3, @Angelarose.eth provides this training. She’s part of the CryptoMories FaMorie. IMHO, every Discord mod and community manager needs to take this training.
Let me say that again…
Every Discord mod and community manager needs to know how and when to respond appropriately to people showing signs of a mental health crisis.
Lastly, let’s be kind to each other. We all carry burdens and pain. Some more than others and some more gracefully than others.
At the end of the day, the thing that heals the most is a positive and safe connection with others. This is why therapy is so impactful. (and by the way, CryptoMories, Ezu, Flomies, and PA all offer free therapy to their holders)
No matter what you’ve got going on today, please know that you are not alone. You are worth reaching out for help.
