FOR ANYONE WHO CANâT READ THIS
[Iâm a therapist and keep this poster in my waiting room, apparently itâs saved a few livesÂ
I DONâT LIKE THE PHRASE âA CRY FOR HELP.â I JUST DONâT LIKE HOW IT SOUNDS. WHEN SOMEBODY SAYS TO ME, âIâM THINKING ABOUT SUICIDE, I HAVE A PLAN; I JUST NEED A REASON NOT TO DO IT,â THE LAST THING I SEE IS HELPLESSNESSÂ
I THINK: YOUR DEPRESSION HAS BEEN BEATING YOU UP FOR YEARS. ITâS CALLED YOU UGLY, AND STUPID, AND PATHETIC, AND A FAILURE, FOR SO LONG THAT YOUâVE FORGOTTEN THAT ITâS WRONG. YOU DONâT SEE ANY GOOD IN YOURSELF, AND YOU DONâT HAVE ANY HOPE.Â
BUT STILL. HERE YOU ARE: YOUâVE COME OVER TO ME, BANGED ON MY DOOR, AND SAID, âHEY! STAYING ALIVE IS REALLY HARD RIGHT NOW! JUST GIVE ME SOMETHING TO FIGHT WITH! I DONâT CARE IF ITâS A STICK! GIVE ME A STICK AND I CAN STAY ALIVE!âÂ
HOW IS THAT HELPLESS? I THINK THATâS INCREDIBLE. YOUâRE LIKE A MARINE: TRAPPED FOR YEARS BEHIND ENEMY LINES, YOUR GUN HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY, YOUâRE OUT OF AMMO, YOUâRE MALNOURISHED, AND YOUâVE PROBABLY CAUGHT SOME KIND OF JUNGLE VIRUS THATâS MAKING YOU HALLUCINATE GIANT SPIDERS.Â
AND YOUâRE STILL JUST GOING, âGIVE ME A STICK.
IâM NOT DYING OUT HERE.âÂ
âA CRY FOR HELPâ MAKES IT SOUND LIKE IâM SUPPOSED TO TAKE PITY ON YOU, BUT YOU DONâT NEED MY PITY. THIS ISNâT PATHETIC. THIS IS THE WILL TO SURVIVE. THIS IS HOW HUMANS LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO BECOME THE DOMINANT SPECIES.Â
WITH NO HOPE, RUNNING ON NOTHING, YOUâRE READY TO CUT THROUGH A HUNDRED MILES OF HOSTILE JUNGLE WITH NOTHING BUT A STICK, IF THATâS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET TO SAFETYÂ
ALL IM DOING IS HANDING OUT STICKS.Â
YOUâRE THE ONE STAYING ALIVE. ]
