Next time, when you hear someone closed to you say that they love you all of a sudden, or secretly hug you with no context, that ‘might’ be the last time they do it before they commit suicide. They ‘might’ have decided that they won’t see you again, hence there is the-last-hug, the-last-kiss or the-last-affirmation of their love for you.
Pay more attention to the person after that moment!
Care about how they are feeling. Show them that they are loved. Let them feel that you are always by their side, and they are a crucial part of your life. But try to avoid giving any sense of others depending on them either financially or emotionally. They might be feeling an invisible heavy burden on their shoulders, don’t add more. Help them feel there’s at least someone or something that needs them in life, because they might be thinking that without them, no-one would really care. Sometimes, it helps just by showing empathy and being around.
Notice that I don’t use the word “tell them” or “let them know”, but rather “show them” and “let them feel”. There’s a difference. Don’t let them feel that you say things just because you think they are not ok or they need help. Why? Because most of the time, they think you don’t understand. They do not share, because they don’t think they need help. Ever met someone who has a headache or stomach-ache but refuses to go check as they think they are ok and this pain shall pass soon? Do they go to the hospital just because you tell them to? Or do they go only when they feel the pain comes back more often, and really think there’s something wrong with their body? Don’t push!
It’s hard to notice these signals, as they are often mixed up with other emotions and get you confused (as a depressed person is not always in depression). But now you know, try to observe more closely. Listen to their tone, their voice, their body language, to the way they talk and feel about life, to the hesitance in their answer.
See the unseen, hear the untold, feel the unshared, and save your beloved ones.
And if you are, by any chance, the one that I described at the beginning, pls understand that it’s super hard for someone who hasn’t been there to feel what you are feeling right now. So try to find a way. Either by yourself, or by seeking help (even from a stranger). And remember to ask yourself this question before deciding anything: “Do you actually want to die, or you just don’t want to feel like this anymore?”
Live young! ✨
– Nhi ❤️