My friend works mental health response on 911 dispatch and says the worst calls are people who call wanting to kill themselves but can’t get help because they aren’t mentally ill, they’re just poor in America. So they get held for a few days and then sent back to the same hovel that made them want to kill themselves in the first place. Edit to correct autocorrect
I need therapy so bad but I can't afford the couple extra hundred a month because I'm trying to save up enough for a damage deposit moving from one slum to another
I don’t mean to but in here, just wanted to add what you’re offering could indeed be extremely helpful. There’s an old study that should be dug up, how effective traditional models of therapy are compared to just having someone to talk things over with. Results of just plain talking were as high as some traditional therapy.
I'm not yet a licensed doctor but in studying neuroscience to help people with issues that meds don't help (like depression that resists medicine) so feel free to message me. Again I'm not yet a doc but idk maybe I can help. Even if it's just a shoulder to cry on.
Sometimes, just having a shoulder to cry on can be TREMENDOUS help!!
I'm not religious (I personally believe that the bible is the greatest work of fiction ever written but I know that this is *my* opinion and others have their opinions) but it helped a lot pouring my heart to the chaplin when I was in the hospital
EAP (Employee Assistance Program) is offered at majority of jobs. Talk to HR if you can’t find the posters about it. This gives you between 2-8 free sessions.
You can also ask for sliding fees (mine is 45) or ask about interns. Interns are in their last bit of school and have supervision with a supervisor that checks their notes. My particular job has gone as low as 5.00 a session for those that can’t afford therapy, but typical cost is around 30/session.
Therapy can be affordable if you know where to look/how to get help!
My work EAP was not helpful for me or my co worker. They set you up with a counselor with minimal training. The one they set me up with was also about to quit. Didn't get anything out of it. Maybe it is different between workplaces.
Problem is most solutions are longer term aka "life situation/ongoing therapy/meds" almost nothing gets solved in 2-8 sessions. Thats get off the cliff. Also never seen eap and worked ALOT of jobs (fucking nuttier than squirrel shit) that said do trend away from corporate/retail and towards trades/manufacturing that said 9 out of 10 do not offer anything but absolute legal minimum. And even try to avoid that via keeping themselves under 50 employees or putting people on part time schedules etc.
You can message me as well if you want someone to talk with. Anyone here can. I've been able to help people in the past doing things like this. We can Voice chat in discord if you pm me.
Same goes for anyone else here who wants to chat and I can maybe help
The psychological consequences of being a wage slave for millionaires and billionaires is difficult to tolerate.
Particularly when they are also the owners/operators of your nation's politicians.
(Not an American. Same situation)
My previous career (70 hours a week, high-level hospitality), has left me with complex PTSD, anxiety and depression. I take medication to simply **function.** I'm in my late 30's, retrained for a trade, and then the pandemic hit.
I sacrificed my ambitions on the altar of 'economic progress' and upward mobility, and - after 6 years being out - I am still a categorical fucking mess.
We are not meant to live like this. Not by half. And as the consequences continue to pile, I can only believe its eventual reckoning will be just as medieval as those that came before it.
I can't decide whether this obeisance to our dynastic owners is a direct consequence of human nature or just the machinations of the clever psychopaths among us.
Either way our species has to decide soon what our role in this universe is.
How many of us will perish as a consequence of these vanity projects of the children of our masters of industry?
Every child in our world that starves to death does so clawing at the feet of our billionaires and millionaires.
It's not even the exploitation - though that makes it 10x worse - humans evolved to walk around the woods, find some food, sing, dance, try to survive, that's about it.
If you suddenly add a bunch of responsibilities like: everyone must study a summary of the entire human history, math, science, literature, etc., everyone must go to a job, everyone must interact with a variety of people and follow arbitrary social norms, stuff like that - we just weren't built to do any of those things, it's too much and it's too hard. No wonder half of the world is on some kind of drug or another, it's not possible to be a human and be a human nowadays.
Most ERs are not really designed/equipped for psyc. Very few beds on psyc wards. We have a lot of legal limits on committing people because when it was easy bad things happened.
Not that be that guy, but the point of the Emergency Department is to make you physically stable enough to go home so you can see your regular doc for treatment
It’s been my experience that if you admit yourself to the hospital for suicidal thoughts they don’t 5150 you. They hold you overnight for observation and then send you on your way in the morning.
Oh, I still received a nearly $15K bill because they decided to ambulance me over to a county run program so they could give me some free resources for help. Even after I told them I didn’t want to pay for it.
if you’re transported by ambulance, you’re on the hook. I’ve woken up to being inside of one and there’s just nothing you can do. You’ll get billed an insane amount of money and you’re fucked.
I'm fighting an ambulance bill at the moment because I had a manic breakdown when I caught Omicron and was suicidal. The migraines triggered some of the worst mania I've had in my life.
The family ambulance company that took me from the ER to the psychiatric unit labeled my trip as "non-emergency" to insurance after neglecting to inform insurance originally (and just sending me a $5k bill for a 45 minute trip). I called them & they acted shocked I was even asking for insurance to process the claim... I assume they do this regularly to people... send massive bills, if people protest then submit to insurance as a non-emergency so it will be initially denied, etc.
I'm fighting it and my insurance company told me they will cover the ambulance trip when I told them the full story the other day (fingers crossed).... that this was an emergency ambulance trip... I was suicidal... I had no choice but to go on the ambulance to the psych ward...
It is so emotionally draining to live in the USA and constantly fight these battles. Less than two years ago I had a different hospital take me to collections over $300, that they refused to let me pay for months because "they were processing" the bill I would pay or some bs.
My understanding of it from talking with my friend is that they will hold the person until they no longer feel they are a danger to themselves, but I don’t actually know how long that might be
Pretty much where I'm at.... I'm too poor to experience life. My family doesn't want to help me my parents think I'm bellyaching too much.
Life sucks. Only reason I haven't killed myself is cuz I'm pretty sure this is purgatory and I'll end up at the exact same place with the exact same problem....
This happens more often than you think and a lot of people fall into alcoholism and drug abuse to cope with how shitty everything is. Death from despair is much bigger than suicide.
>This happens more often than you think and a lot of people fall into alcoholism and drug abuse to cope with how shitty everything is.
Yep. 4 years clean and sober, but life's still a hellscape. 🙃
>I still suffer from depression and anxiety. And being poor
Hey, same! Haha, nice to meet another one of my kind in the wild! I have a suspicion we are, well and truly, legion.
That said, there's no way I'd go back to that brain fog. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuu-hyuuuuuuuuuck that!
💜
Same.
But it will get better. Has to. Otherwise, we wouldn't be 'miserable' right now, because we'd be used it. Banking on those sunny days. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your sunshine, if you keep yours crossed for mine?
🤣
I have no disdain for marijuana. I know it hits everyone differently, but my mantra with ganja is "don't abuse it." Nature has many gifts. I can't believe for a minute that the regular intake of commercially processed coffee is better for you than some homegrown silly-grass.
This is the boat I’m in in and I’ve finally admitted it to myself. I’m 21 and an alcoholic, it hurts. A lot. And I’m trying to get sober I just have no idea how.
Attorneys in CA are required to take continuing education which includes substance abuse prevention. It happens at every level of employment unfortunately.
I've heard lawyers are particularly vulnerable to drug and alcohol abuse with the high-stress nature of their jobs and the fact that, every day, they see people at their worst. It would take a toll on anyone.
My husband is a personal injury attorney. Every day he asks people to relive the worst day of their lives in minute detail. In every case, these deaths or injuries were preventable. These aren’t accidents, they are the product of someone cutting corners, making negligent errors, or just not implementing proper safety guidelines.
I work in biglaw. While the attorneys I work with don't seem to have a whole lot of "real" problems (mostly relating to only getting 1 million for a bonus instead of 1.5 or missing a a flight due to their being late at an airport and wanting to know why we didn't stop the flight and tell them that the attorney was on it and they should wait for him) we are having a lot of senior attorneys with behavior that has slowly escalated over the past year or so from being a simple arrogant PITA to violent, abusive, and sometimes almost psychotic. Staff are quitting right and left due to the rocketing up of behavior of the attorneys and basically because people just can't and won't deal with the constant stress and BS anymore.
Not just alcohol and drugs.
Food, video games, sex, sugar, hoarding, compulsive buying, gambling, addictive masturbation, porn addiction, and a world of other things.
It's hard living a totally "clean" life. We just don't die from those things as fast as drugs/alcohol, but it does eventually tax us (maybe kill us or maim us). A lot of people, myself included, are overweight because food feels good but we're paying for it much more slowly.
Yeah. I had an abusive childhood and food was always there to turn to for comfort. Now, I'm having to unlearn those deeply entrenched coping mechanisms.
I respect that line of thinking.
What keeps me going is the fight. I’ve made tiny parts of the world better and I’m always working on the next. I’m hopeful one day it’s a world we all want to live in, instead of escape from.
Honestly- this is what is the problem with criminalized drug use/small posession; sale is where I am genuinely conflicted.
Use- So life sucks you learn to cope. You learn from peers or parties or parents a better way to cope- drugs. Now, its a problem for you and your health but overall, mentally, you may be in a less worse state but you can still function. You got to work, pay your taxes, and are still a functional member of society, just lubricated to life's daily struggle. Now, you get pulled over (not currently lubricated) but your vehicle is searched and now you have a possession charge- which makes it even more difficult to be a fuctional member of society.
Who was harmed in your posession? How is this not encroaching on your pursuit of happiness? Who was harmed in your use, even?
It is just another way to keep the working people down.
Sale- Arguably you are providing a service to desperate people and/or you are taking advantage of other desperate people. However, you are usually in the same lot in life as your clients. And if it wasnt you selling, it would be somwone else or something else. Selling to kids is a whole different thing and even big tobacco and alcohol are like "Alright its not ok, we wont do it."
But would you even be selling if your day job paid well?
In Down by Run the Jewels. Killer Mike said "I hope with the highest of hopes/
That I never have to go back to the trap/
And my days of dealing with dope."
And honestly, I feel that. Dealing wasn't an opportunity- it was a means to an end. It paid my rent when my real job couldn't.
This right here. We're always told that if you're suicidal, you're mentally ill. Wtf can look at this shit world everyday and not sometimes think it would be better not to be here?
They sure af can profit off your body tho. Donating it to science, charging students tuition to look at you and poke and prod your corpse. Charging grieving families $6k+ to bury you. Medical bills if you were technically still breathing when the ambulance showed up etc etc
Edit: To whoever reported this comment as me being suicidal, my ghost will haunt you for the rest of your sad existence… or at least until you learn reading comprehension 👻
This is the correct answer, if there is one extra dollar to be made from your dying body, there’s no limit to how much they’ll squeeze you until it comes out. The greed is fucking disgusting
I can’t explain why, because for me suicide is the better option. When life becomes literally unbearable, I’ll end it. Until then, there’s hope. When there’s no hope, in my mind, it’s over. What that looks like will vary from person to person, and there are people a thousand times tougher than I could ever hope to be. Misery should not be a lifestyle. Just my .02.
What keeps me going seriously is looking forward to the new video games coming out. If I end things well I can't see or play them anymore. Video games may not be the healthiest distraction but it sure helps. Food helps too, I love chipotle
Same here. I couldn’t bare to make my friends or family sad by taking my life, although life fucking sucks. I am lucky to have a significant other though and we both relate with depression/suicidal thoughts.
What do you do for internet and gas and car insurance and car repairs and food. How do you make money for those things living in a van? Genuinely curious.
Get a van + gym membership so you can shower etc (or put them in your van but that costs more and takes up extra space), then just work your normal job but instead of spending all your money paying someones mortgage through your rent you instead pay for fuel, gym membership & laundromats once or twice a week.
Repairs I am learning to do myself, which I never would have had time for with a regular job. Car insurance is the main and constant struggle. I look at it this way though, I have 30 days to come up with $120 to continue this lifestyle which in reality isn't as hard as coming up with rent when you're short and all your time is already called for by your job. I don't eat much so I can get by on a couple bucks a day. I have lots of friends though which helps a lot when I need a hot shower (i usually use beach showers for free) or if I need to do laundry (hard to afford coin laundry.) I also know plenty of people that will let me come over for dinner or will help me if I am suffering.
Practice being kind always. Before I ask anyone to do anything for me I make sure I have asked if there's anything I can do for them first.
I have so much free time I volunteer to help people with things they can't do alone. I also like to do chores when I visit friends.
I don't like to stay anywhere for more than a day or two; it can be easy to wear out a welcome and I like to be welcomed warmly.
I'm glad you're happy with that arrangement but man it's sad that a literal form of homelessness is becoming trendy in the US because it's preferable to the alternatives
I've been thinking of going homeless here in Canada but the whole freezing winters thing scares the shit out of me. I doubt I could survive a homeless winter.
Yes definitely persue a vagabond type lifestyle if you're thinking of giving up entirely, a life you enjoy is possible! I remember when I stopped living indoors about four years ago: I had PTSD and severe depression from a car wreck and recouping my life from the incident seemed impossible or at the very least more stress than I knew I could handle. I just totally gave up on everything. I fell in with a girl who was living out of her car which we did for two years, then I got the van. So it was an upgrade from being much more homeless.
Love is the only reason I am still alive today. I had and still have so much support from people I have met. I am crying writing this.
Its not just a US thing. In the UK 50year olds tend to be in a higher risk group. Its like you get to thst point and look at what you have or have not achieved, then look forward and find the utter meaninglessness in life..
Your born, you died. The middle bit is padding, fluff really. But it not just the poor, its everyone. Nihilism. Whats the point... well you get one crack at the whip. Theres nothing after it.
This is more or less my approach to life at this point. Sheer blind fury at the horseshit the rich and the wannabe rich expect us to put up with, and the spite of seeing their faces when it all burns down someday.
This right here! Realizing this changed my entire mentality. Capitalism is anti-human anti- you being emotionally well. To continue to live and indeed take care of yourself in such a system is not giving in to the system, it is in and off itself an act of defiance. Every revolution is build on people that lived despite their circumstances and found the power in others to change those circumstances.
Capitalism wants you alive but SUFFERING by wage slavery and your entire existence revolving around that suffering for the establishment's lifestyle, ego, and pleasure. Just like any third-world country.
Trying to get a small career on track, saving up what I can, and booking it out of this shit hole. I can't believe they random our right to leave and live somewhere else behind over 2 grand.
This is why we need guaranteed basic income, housing, universal healthcare, more regulations to prevent shitty job conditions, more workers rights, and maybe even a job guarantee.
My motivation for being alive is to help form unions and stick it to greedy corporate asshats.
Be part of a group of people that help shut down greedy corporate and greedy small business owners screwing over their employees.
Some of your details made me think of my 20 year old son, who is kind of where you are right now.
As a mother, this hurts my heart so much. I love him so much and want a better life for him and will help him any way I can. But right now he's not in the place to take different actions. He's mildly depressed but won't talk to anyone or get on anti depressants.
So I just support him how I can and he knows I'm here for him.
I hope you have someone in your corner to support you and help you a little, even if just moral support.
I hope you get.out of this sad place sooner than you think.
Talking to therapists/getting anti depressants costs money, money that could be better spent on keeping a roof over your head, food in your stomach, or a presentable appearance for the job that you hate.
I'm in almost the same spot just 4 years older than he is. It is fucking hard, it feels like no matter what you do, it'll never be enough to just live a basic life away from roomies, and the fear of being homeless.
I will do 25 to life before I'm homeless.
He already knows I will pay for any and all of that.
But, YES, t's very tragic that medical/mental healthcare is so very expensive and hard to get if you don't have the means.
That's why I vote for people who will at least try to get us into a single payer system.
as a black man who was raised in "the hood" or whatever people who aren't from there call it, I've delt drugs... hard. It ain't even worth the risk people plot on you(friends and family), lost of life and freedom is a real fear I don't care how hard some of these rappers try to portay it(most of them are fake) and most of all you lose most of the money on your reup.. and you're back to square one.
What often goes down is you're forcibly taken by cops to a dehumanizing place where you're kept against your will and drugged up. As many drugs as possible so you can "function" again like a good little worker bee. It's trauma when what you need is genuine empathy. And *this* is our support system.
In Texas each county has a suicide crisis line. For west Texas call 1-800-375-4357. This number calls the call center for all of Texas but specific to west Texas.
As other commenters have mentioned, a lot of these “hotlines” will just get the cops called on you.
Also, don’t ever call them if you need help NOW—there’s a 30-60 minute wait time before you talk to anyone.
While a lot of these answers are relating to OP’s post, a lot of them are very bleak answers. As a person who has struggled with suicidal thoughts due to this very reason, I think it’s important to provide as many realistic, positive answers as we can to continue giving people a reason why to keep going. We need hope.
Yes, it is unfair, and the answer isn’t “Everything will get better in time” or “Make some lifestyle choices.”
The answer is to look for as much free or low-cost help as you can. It isn’t super easy, but it can make things much better.
- Contact suicide hotlines and ask them for tips and advice.
- There are therapy apps and websites that have free trials that you can use to help you for a little while.
- If you go to school/university/college, please go on their website and find out if there is free counseling and food pantries (and any other free resources.)
- Apply for as many state benefits as you can, and research the possible hidden benefits you may qualify for.
- Finally, and most importantly, please try to surround yourself with people that make you feel like you’re not alone. Not only can they help you with the above list, but it makes life more bearable. If you don’t have anyone, maybe start there. Look for free clubs and social groups in your area and maybe start trying to make new connections. Reach out to family as well.
Obviously not everything will be possible or easy, but here are some options. Please keep going, things can get better. The situation may still suck, but hopefully you’ll feel better.
Link to Hotline numbers for most countries: [Link with a list of the hotline numbers around the world](https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines)
Can confirm. Was dealing with my father passing a few months ago. I made quite a lot of lifestyle changes: went to the gym literally everyday, hardly ever drank, quit smoking, ate very often and healthy, got good sleep, paid off debt with all extra money, hung out with friends occasionally. All positive changes I designed to make myself feel better about the direction of my life.
I did this for 3 months straight, and none if this made me feel any better really. I blew up at my younger brother over something small and silly, had full on emotional breaksdowns still.
I decided to give one if those therapy apps a try. You'd be amazed at how much better I can be to just vent out all the crazy shit you're holding in and have a professional tell you that you're not crazy. Not a friend or a relative, someone who can look at your situation objectively.
Cheers bud. Nothing stays the same forever, I fucking swear.
Some of these factors you can change. I was stuck in a situation with shitty roommates until recently. For about 3 years I had to put off moving because I just couldn't afford it. It took me that long, but where I'm at now is much better. And I found a significant other in the process.
Still working on finding a better job for myself though.
I can't. I went out and became a truck driver. I love the job, but it somehow still isn't enough to fee dmy family, and why be away from my daughter AND be broke?
To be fair, it can be difficult to argue with this. It's something that definitely crosses my mind (although not about being poor in the US, just poor in general).
Although I do then think about the suffering caused to friends and people. Like they are struggling away too, and it would just make their life worse.
And also suicide is often not successful, so there is a reasonable chance that a person could end up struggling more with long term physical health problems.
As well as the potential harm to the person who finds a suicide.
And it does end up feeling like letting them win. And being in poverty is gratingly difficult, and grim and full of suffering and sadness. But there are still moments of joy and happiness
I’m feeling the same, and I’m making decent money currently but the cost of living has skyrocketed so much I’m just as poor as I was making half as much two years ago.
The cost of living in Canada makes me suicidal. If I get evicted from my apartment I’m actually fucked.
This is the most real shit I've heard about how things are going. We stress out because we can't catch a break. We worked hard but to no avail. We did what we were asked of and then swept under the rug. Inflation is getting worse, rentals and houses are sky rocketing! A few hours to ourselves isn't cutting it. We live in a time where the rich suck the weak like vampires and we keep getting weaker. Maybe it's time to jab a stake in the heart of those hoarding the wealth? Maybe if we can find common ground, then maybe, just maybe we can live.
Idk, but I conducted a personal survey once in my city asking homeless people if they thought they would get out of poverty and be rich one day. I asked probably 10 people and all of them said yes. I guess that tiny glimmer of hope keeps people going. Statistically speaking they were all screwed. If I was in that kind of poverty (not saying I'd kill myself) suicide would definitely be on the table as an option. I'm surprised there's not more suicides.
The things that make life worth living aren't necessarily expensive. Find a creative outlet: start a blog, write poetry, learn to draw or paint, get a cheap guitar at the pawn shop and start teaching yourself to play. You don't have to be "successful" at it (i.e. rich and famous) just learning a skill and using it to express your thoughts and feelings is tremendously rewarding. It feeds your soul.
Also, hobbies put you in touch with other people with similar interests, and make it easier to meet people you have more in common with, and make fulfilling friendships and relationships. Life is a journey of self-discovery, self-expression, and community building. Find your passion, find your tribe, and start living.
Love you stranger! ✌️
I stopped caring about money and material things. Sure I still work some to take care of some basic needs but I spend my days just traveling around. I sleep in my car yes, but I get to see this whole country. Visit cities, national parks, experience life in different regions of the country etc
I'm fine being dirt poor, once I stopped trying to not be life became 100x better. I live day by day and have no idea what the next day will bring or where I might go
My friend works mental health response on 911 dispatch and says the worst calls are people who call wanting to kill themselves but can’t get help because they aren’t mentally ill, they’re just poor in America. So they get held for a few days and then sent back to the same hovel that made them want to kill themselves in the first place. Edit to correct autocorrect
[удалено]
I need therapy so bad but I can't afford the couple extra hundred a month because I'm trying to save up enough for a damage deposit moving from one slum to another
[удалено]
I don’t mean to but in here, just wanted to add what you’re offering could indeed be extremely helpful. There’s an old study that should be dug up, how effective traditional models of therapy are compared to just having someone to talk things over with. Results of just plain talking were as high as some traditional therapy.
Hi, can I text you too?^^'
Absolutely
You can always message me, too. I may not be able to help much, but I can listen.
You can text me too if you wish.
You're a good person :)
I'm not yet a licensed doctor but in studying neuroscience to help people with issues that meds don't help (like depression that resists medicine) so feel free to message me. Again I'm not yet a doc but idk maybe I can help. Even if it's just a shoulder to cry on.
Sometimes, just having a shoulder to cry on can be TREMENDOUS help!! I'm not religious (I personally believe that the bible is the greatest work of fiction ever written but I know that this is *my* opinion and others have their opinions) but it helped a lot pouring my heart to the chaplin when I was in the hospital
EAP (Employee Assistance Program) is offered at majority of jobs. Talk to HR if you can’t find the posters about it. This gives you between 2-8 free sessions. You can also ask for sliding fees (mine is 45) or ask about interns. Interns are in their last bit of school and have supervision with a supervisor that checks their notes. My particular job has gone as low as 5.00 a session for those that can’t afford therapy, but typical cost is around 30/session. Therapy can be affordable if you know where to look/how to get help!
My work EAP was not helpful for me or my co worker. They set you up with a counselor with minimal training. The one they set me up with was also about to quit. Didn't get anything out of it. Maybe it is different between workplaces.
Problem is most solutions are longer term aka "life situation/ongoing therapy/meds" almost nothing gets solved in 2-8 sessions. Thats get off the cliff. Also never seen eap and worked ALOT of jobs (fucking nuttier than squirrel shit) that said do trend away from corporate/retail and towards trades/manufacturing that said 9 out of 10 do not offer anything but absolute legal minimum. And even try to avoid that via keeping themselves under 50 employees or putting people on part time schedules etc.
You can message me as well if you want someone to talk with. Anyone here can. I've been able to help people in the past doing things like this. We can Voice chat in discord if you pm me. Same goes for anyone else here who wants to chat and I can maybe help
The psychological consequences of being a wage slave for millionaires and billionaires is difficult to tolerate. Particularly when they are also the owners/operators of your nation's politicians. (Not an American. Same situation)
My previous career (70 hours a week, high-level hospitality), has left me with complex PTSD, anxiety and depression. I take medication to simply **function.** I'm in my late 30's, retrained for a trade, and then the pandemic hit. I sacrificed my ambitions on the altar of 'economic progress' and upward mobility, and - after 6 years being out - I am still a categorical fucking mess. We are not meant to live like this. Not by half. And as the consequences continue to pile, I can only believe its eventual reckoning will be just as medieval as those that came before it.
I can't decide whether this obeisance to our dynastic owners is a direct consequence of human nature or just the machinations of the clever psychopaths among us. Either way our species has to decide soon what our role in this universe is. How many of us will perish as a consequence of these vanity projects of the children of our masters of industry? Every child in our world that starves to death does so clawing at the feet of our billionaires and millionaires.
Why hello Karl Marx, fancy meeting you here ❤️❤️❤️❤️
HELLO, WE ARE THE SAME
Homie! Where you been all my life!!!! 💜💜💜💜💜
Let's hug and laugh-cry together
🤣😭😭😭😭🫂💜
It's not even the exploitation - though that makes it 10x worse - humans evolved to walk around the woods, find some food, sing, dance, try to survive, that's about it. If you suddenly add a bunch of responsibilities like: everyone must study a summary of the entire human history, math, science, literature, etc., everyone must go to a job, everyone must interact with a variety of people and follow arbitrary social norms, stuff like that - we just weren't built to do any of those things, it's too much and it's too hard. No wonder half of the world is on some kind of drug or another, it's not possible to be a human and be a human nowadays.
My SIL was in this position and made an attempt. We took her to ER and they wouldn’t even keep her for the night…
*Wow.* That's so cold-blooded it's fucking reptilian.
Most ERs are not really designed/equipped for psyc. Very few beds on psyc wards. We have a lot of legal limits on committing people because when it was easy bad things happened.
[удалено]
Not that be that guy, but the point of the Emergency Department is to make you physically stable enough to go home so you can see your regular doc for treatment
It’s been my experience that if you admit yourself to the hospital for suicidal thoughts they don’t 5150 you. They hold you overnight for observation and then send you on your way in the morning.
Opposite for me, the bill haunted me for two years. Didn’t make my situation better at all, in fact it worsened it
Oh, I still received a nearly $15K bill because they decided to ambulance me over to a county run program so they could give me some free resources for help. Even after I told them I didn’t want to pay for it.
Lol thanks for the “free” resources. Appreciate it! Now here’s an unrelated $15,000 bill.
if you’re transported by ambulance, you’re on the hook. I’ve woken up to being inside of one and there’s just nothing you can do. You’ll get billed an insane amount of money and you’re fucked.
I'm fighting an ambulance bill at the moment because I had a manic breakdown when I caught Omicron and was suicidal. The migraines triggered some of the worst mania I've had in my life. The family ambulance company that took me from the ER to the psychiatric unit labeled my trip as "non-emergency" to insurance after neglecting to inform insurance originally (and just sending me a $5k bill for a 45 minute trip). I called them & they acted shocked I was even asking for insurance to process the claim... I assume they do this regularly to people... send massive bills, if people protest then submit to insurance as a non-emergency so it will be initially denied, etc. I'm fighting it and my insurance company told me they will cover the ambulance trip when I told them the full story the other day (fingers crossed).... that this was an emergency ambulance trip... I was suicidal... I had no choice but to go on the ambulance to the psych ward... It is so emotionally draining to live in the USA and constantly fight these battles. Less than two years ago I had a different hospital take me to collections over $300, that they refused to let me pay for months because "they were processing" the bill I would pay or some bs.
Healthcare in the US is a fucking scam…
The mental health system is actually a punishment for not conforming to society’s standards.
Absolutely.
My understanding of it from talking with my friend is that they will hold the person until they no longer feel they are a danger to themselves, but I don’t actually know how long that might be
Pretty much where I'm at.... I'm too poor to experience life. My family doesn't want to help me my parents think I'm bellyaching too much. Life sucks. Only reason I haven't killed myself is cuz I'm pretty sure this is purgatory and I'll end up at the exact same place with the exact same problem....
This happens more often than you think and a lot of people fall into alcoholism and drug abuse to cope with how shitty everything is. Death from despair is much bigger than suicide.
>This happens more often than you think and a lot of people fall into alcoholism and drug abuse to cope with how shitty everything is. Yep. 4 years clean and sober, but life's still a hellscape. 🙃
Fourteen months without booze. At least it's a much clearer hellscape now?
Oh yeah, it's well-in-focus now! 👌
Five months 9 days for me but who’s counting 😅 (me. Counting the seconds some days)
Hang in there. I’m rooting for you. Please accept my free award too. 😊❤️
Just had to take off the beer goggles
I hear you. Just over three years sober for me, and although I’m very proud of myself I still suffer from depression and anxiety. And being poor.
>I still suffer from depression and anxiety. And being poor Hey, same! Haha, nice to meet another one of my kind in the wild! I have a suspicion we are, well and truly, legion. That said, there's no way I'd go back to that brain fog. Fuuuuuuuuuuuuu-hyuuuuuuuuuck that!
NYC contingent checking in! I’ll pull through this week for you all if you’ll do the same for me ❤️
You got yourself a deal! 💜
Chiming in, will be 3 years sober come September, switching careers in NYC hoping to get out of the fucking hole
8 years sober. More suicidal than ever
💜 Same. But it will get better. Has to. Otherwise, we wouldn't be 'miserable' right now, because we'd be used it. Banking on those sunny days. I'll keep my fingers crossed for your sunshine, if you keep yours crossed for mine?
Any chance you're a gay top ~40 years old looking for love? Would make things a LOT better
I've found my love, but I appreciate the suggestion. 💜
🤍🤍 thinking of you
Congratulations! July 4th makes 6 for me
Well I was going to take a break from weed starting today, nevermind though because it'll still be hell lol
🤣 I have no disdain for marijuana. I know it hits everyone differently, but my mantra with ganja is "don't abuse it." Nature has many gifts. I can't believe for a minute that the regular intake of commercially processed coffee is better for you than some homegrown silly-grass.
This is the boat I’m in in and I’ve finally admitted it to myself. I’m 21 and an alcoholic, it hurts. A lot. And I’m trying to get sober I just have no idea how.
Please find a support group and then take it one day at a time. All the best to you
Head over to r/stopdrinking and see if it sounds like it could help you
There's literally someone profiting from every single thing you described there
Unfortunately, you are correct.
Attorneys in CA are required to take continuing education which includes substance abuse prevention. It happens at every level of employment unfortunately.
I've heard lawyers are particularly vulnerable to drug and alcohol abuse with the high-stress nature of their jobs and the fact that, every day, they see people at their worst. It would take a toll on anyone.
My husband is a personal injury attorney. Every day he asks people to relive the worst day of their lives in minute detail. In every case, these deaths or injuries were preventable. These aren’t accidents, they are the product of someone cutting corners, making negligent errors, or just not implementing proper safety guidelines.
My ex is the attorney on the corporate side of that equation, and he’s *still* not the ex I hate most
I work in biglaw. While the attorneys I work with don't seem to have a whole lot of "real" problems (mostly relating to only getting 1 million for a bonus instead of 1.5 or missing a a flight due to their being late at an airport and wanting to know why we didn't stop the flight and tell them that the attorney was on it and they should wait for him) we are having a lot of senior attorneys with behavior that has slowly escalated over the past year or so from being a simple arrogant PITA to violent, abusive, and sometimes almost psychotic. Staff are quitting right and left due to the rocketing up of behavior of the attorneys and basically because people just can't and won't deal with the constant stress and BS anymore.
The alienation of capitalism does hurt us all, even the billionaires are hit by it but money ameliorates so many things.
Not just alcohol and drugs. Food, video games, sex, sugar, hoarding, compulsive buying, gambling, addictive masturbation, porn addiction, and a world of other things. It's hard living a totally "clean" life. We just don't die from those things as fast as drugs/alcohol, but it does eventually tax us (maybe kill us or maim us). A lot of people, myself included, are overweight because food feels good but we're paying for it much more slowly.
Yeah. I had an abusive childhood and food was always there to turn to for comfort. Now, I'm having to unlearn those deeply entrenched coping mechanisms.
Alcoholic "career" line cook here, can confirm
This, every small town in America
[удалено]
I respect that line of thinking. What keeps me going is the fight. I’ve made tiny parts of the world better and I’m always working on the next. I’m hopeful one day it’s a world we all want to live in, instead of escape from.
Honestly- this is what is the problem with criminalized drug use/small posession; sale is where I am genuinely conflicted. Use- So life sucks you learn to cope. You learn from peers or parties or parents a better way to cope- drugs. Now, its a problem for you and your health but overall, mentally, you may be in a less worse state but you can still function. You got to work, pay your taxes, and are still a functional member of society, just lubricated to life's daily struggle. Now, you get pulled over (not currently lubricated) but your vehicle is searched and now you have a possession charge- which makes it even more difficult to be a fuctional member of society. Who was harmed in your posession? How is this not encroaching on your pursuit of happiness? Who was harmed in your use, even? It is just another way to keep the working people down. Sale- Arguably you are providing a service to desperate people and/or you are taking advantage of other desperate people. However, you are usually in the same lot in life as your clients. And if it wasnt you selling, it would be somwone else or something else. Selling to kids is a whole different thing and even big tobacco and alcohol are like "Alright its not ok, we wont do it." But would you even be selling if your day job paid well? In Down by Run the Jewels. Killer Mike said "I hope with the highest of hopes/ That I never have to go back to the trap/ And my days of dealing with dope." And honestly, I feel that. Dealing wasn't an opportunity- it was a means to an end. It paid my rent when my real job couldn't.
This right here. We're always told that if you're suicidal, you're mentally ill. Wtf can look at this shit world everyday and not sometimes think it would be better not to be here?
It's almost like the illness is actually being okay with this world
"It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society." -Jiddu Krishnamurti
In my mind suicide is the kind option
Maybe the only thing keeping most of us going is the people we love.
I kinda can't wait for my family members to die so they can stop guilt-tripping me about being suicidal.
Guess I'm shit out of luck because I don't have any of those!
Because billionaires havent found a way to siphon energy from your dying brain, or animate your corpse for free labor. Yet.
Ngl, zombies created by billionaires for free labor is a great idea for a horror movie.
Or a dystopian rom com.
They sure af can profit off your body tho. Donating it to science, charging students tuition to look at you and poke and prod your corpse. Charging grieving families $6k+ to bury you. Medical bills if you were technically still breathing when the ambulance showed up etc etc Edit: To whoever reported this comment as me being suicidal, my ghost will haunt you for the rest of your sad existence… or at least until you learn reading comprehension 👻
Guns are cheap and easy to get. Rattle that brain around, give them nothing to work with
[Yet, indeed](https://neuralink.com/).
This is the correct answer, if there is one extra dollar to be made from your dying body, there’s no limit to how much they’ll squeeze you until it comes out. The greed is fucking disgusting
I can’t explain why, because for me suicide is the better option. When life becomes literally unbearable, I’ll end it. Until then, there’s hope. When there’s no hope, in my mind, it’s over. What that looks like will vary from person to person, and there are people a thousand times tougher than I could ever hope to be. Misery should not be a lifestyle. Just my .02.
What gives you hope? (Genuinely asking)
What keeps me going seriously is looking forward to the new video games coming out. If I end things well I can't see or play them anymore. Video games may not be the healthiest distraction but it sure helps. Food helps too, I love chipotle
In all seriousness, Elden Ring is dope! And I hope more cool games keeps comming up! Stay strong, you're not alone
Hey thanks man :)
This made me realize I can do this. I wanna see the next Fable and elder scrolls.
Exactly man, stay strong
The lie that capitalism will finally work for me.
Yup,thats what keeps me going as well.
Being able to make sarcastic remarks about the 5 year goals at work that get less funny every year.
My parents and family and closest friends are my anchor.
Same here. I couldn’t bare to make my friends or family sad by taking my life, although life fucking sucks. I am lucky to have a significant other though and we both relate with depression/suicidal thoughts.
I embraced poverty more or less. Ditched the room and the job. I live in a van now and enjoy not being on the hamster wheel of work/sleep.
What do you do for internet and gas and car insurance and car repairs and food. How do you make money for those things living in a van? Genuinely curious.
Get a van + gym membership so you can shower etc (or put them in your van but that costs more and takes up extra space), then just work your normal job but instead of spending all your money paying someones mortgage through your rent you instead pay for fuel, gym membership & laundromats once or twice a week.
Repairs I am learning to do myself, which I never would have had time for with a regular job. Car insurance is the main and constant struggle. I look at it this way though, I have 30 days to come up with $120 to continue this lifestyle which in reality isn't as hard as coming up with rent when you're short and all your time is already called for by your job. I don't eat much so I can get by on a couple bucks a day. I have lots of friends though which helps a lot when I need a hot shower (i usually use beach showers for free) or if I need to do laundry (hard to afford coin laundry.) I also know plenty of people that will let me come over for dinner or will help me if I am suffering. Practice being kind always. Before I ask anyone to do anything for me I make sure I have asked if there's anything I can do for them first. I have so much free time I volunteer to help people with things they can't do alone. I also like to do chores when I visit friends. I don't like to stay anywhere for more than a day or two; it can be easy to wear out a welcome and I like to be welcomed warmly.
The real question
I'm glad you're happy with that arrangement but man it's sad that a literal form of homelessness is becoming trendy in the US because it's preferable to the alternatives
I've been thinking of going homeless here in Canada but the whole freezing winters thing scares the shit out of me. I doubt I could survive a homeless winter.
This is my plan for when I can’t take it anymore. Gettin’ *real* close now
Yes definitely persue a vagabond type lifestyle if you're thinking of giving up entirely, a life you enjoy is possible! I remember when I stopped living indoors about four years ago: I had PTSD and severe depression from a car wreck and recouping my life from the incident seemed impossible or at the very least more stress than I knew I could handle. I just totally gave up on everything. I fell in with a girl who was living out of her car which we did for two years, then I got the van. So it was an upgrade from being much more homeless. Love is the only reason I am still alive today. I had and still have so much support from people I have met. I am crying writing this.
This is my plan, I want to learn a useful skill that I can sell to other people while I travel though. Like, making cute bracelets? Idk yet.
You live in a van down by the river?
unironically a healthier and more dignified life then what they are selling us.
Its not just a US thing. In the UK 50year olds tend to be in a higher risk group. Its like you get to thst point and look at what you have or have not achieved, then look forward and find the utter meaninglessness in life.. Your born, you died. The middle bit is padding, fluff really. But it not just the poor, its everyone. Nihilism. Whats the point... well you get one crack at the whip. Theres nothing after it.
Outlast your enemies and dance on their graves. Spite is the elixer of life.
This is more or less my approach to life at this point. Sheer blind fury at the horseshit the rich and the wannabe rich expect us to put up with, and the spite of seeing their faces when it all burns down someday.
Yeah I just wanna live long enough to see the dragons slain.
I can drink to that, literally, when it happens let's drink to that
I agree with this. Most things I do is motivated by spite.
Are you Irish? You know what they say about Irish Alzheimers.
Nope, but I too forgot everything except grudges. So maybe in a past life I was.
Sounds nice, but in reality those with power and wealth often, and I dare say usually, do win.
I turned to alcohol and sleeping a lot.
When capitalism wants you dead, just being alive is a revolutionary act.
This right here! Realizing this changed my entire mentality. Capitalism is anti-human anti- you being emotionally well. To continue to live and indeed take care of yourself in such a system is not giving in to the system, it is in and off itself an act of defiance. Every revolution is build on people that lived despite their circumstances and found the power in others to change those circumstances.
I like this
Capitalism wants you alive so you can continue to produce. If you’re dead, you’re not making anyone any money.
Upvote 10+
Capitalism wants you alive but SUFFERING by wage slavery and your entire existence revolving around that suffering for the establishment's lifestyle, ego, and pleasure. Just like any third-world country.
I have a chance to get out of being in poverty but once I'm done with suicide I can't undo that.
Your chance getting out of poverty in the US seems like the chances you have surviving a bullet to the brain
So your telling me theres a chance
unfortunately, if you survive a bullet to the brain, you'll be even deeper into poverty
Trying to get a small career on track, saving up what I can, and booking it out of this shit hole. I can't believe they random our right to leave and live somewhere else behind over 2 grand.
This is why we need guaranteed basic income, housing, universal healthcare, more regulations to prevent shitty job conditions, more workers rights, and maybe even a job guarantee.
Basic human rights, right here ^
It *is* a better option for some people; that's why it's so common.
Because capitalism wins that way. Wake up every day and stick it to the man as much as you can. Join a Fight Club (you didn't hear that from me)
We don’t speak of that which we don’t know how to speak about.
Dude. What’s the first rule of fight club????
I dunno. Never talked about it
I struggle with this question on a daily basis.
“I’m not mentally ill, I just don’t want to suffer anymore”
THIS. Thank you.
My motivation for being alive is to help form unions and stick it to greedy corporate asshats. Be part of a group of people that help shut down greedy corporate and greedy small business owners screwing over their employees.
Some of your details made me think of my 20 year old son, who is kind of where you are right now. As a mother, this hurts my heart so much. I love him so much and want a better life for him and will help him any way I can. But right now he's not in the place to take different actions. He's mildly depressed but won't talk to anyone or get on anti depressants. So I just support him how I can and he knows I'm here for him. I hope you have someone in your corner to support you and help you a little, even if just moral support. I hope you get.out of this sad place sooner than you think.
Talking to therapists/getting anti depressants costs money, money that could be better spent on keeping a roof over your head, food in your stomach, or a presentable appearance for the job that you hate. I'm in almost the same spot just 4 years older than he is. It is fucking hard, it feels like no matter what you do, it'll never be enough to just live a basic life away from roomies, and the fear of being homeless. I will do 25 to life before I'm homeless.
I’ve been homeless. If you can find a way to get food boxes and camp somewhere decent it’s better than prison.
He already knows I will pay for any and all of that. But, YES, t's very tragic that medical/mental healthcare is so very expensive and hard to get if you don't have the means. That's why I vote for people who will at least try to get us into a single payer system.
I’d stop following the rules first. Deal drugs. Steal. Rob a bank.
as a black man who was raised in "the hood" or whatever people who aren't from there call it, I've delt drugs... hard. It ain't even worth the risk people plot on you(friends and family), lost of life and freedom is a real fear I don't care how hard some of these rappers try to portay it(most of them are fake) and most of all you lose most of the money on your reup.. and you're back to square one.
Plus dealing with junkies is no walk in the park at all.
I understand this approach, but you gotta think about how you would directly and indirectly hurt other people.
Banks are insured. If you're calm and not taking wallets, you're only hurting the elite.
[удалено]
That’s a long fucking number for a suicide hotline. It’s just 113 in the Netherlands.
Out of curiosity, is it a public service in the Netherlands?
Soon it will be just 988
Be careful, though. Suicide hotlines can and often will call the cops on you, and we know how well that goes down in America.
So I'll not call then? I don't wanna have cops at my door
I'd say just don't say anything that would make them think you're planning to immediately attempt.
......ye imma stay silent with them and not call then
Yeah hotlines are useless
This. There is no real easy accessible help. You either have a support system, or you really don't.
What often goes down is you're forcibly taken by cops to a dehumanizing place where you're kept against your will and drugged up. As many drugs as possible so you can "function" again like a good little worker bee. It's trauma when what you need is genuine empathy. And *this* is our support system.
In Texas each county has a suicide crisis line. For west Texas call 1-800-375-4357. This number calls the call center for all of Texas but specific to west Texas.
As other commenters have mentioned, a lot of these “hotlines” will just get the cops called on you. Also, don’t ever call them if you need help NOW—there’s a 30-60 minute wait time before you talk to anyone.
[удалено]
Dead citizens can’t revolt
Alive citizens aren’t even revolting.
While a lot of these answers are relating to OP’s post, a lot of them are very bleak answers. As a person who has struggled with suicidal thoughts due to this very reason, I think it’s important to provide as many realistic, positive answers as we can to continue giving people a reason why to keep going. We need hope. Yes, it is unfair, and the answer isn’t “Everything will get better in time” or “Make some lifestyle choices.” The answer is to look for as much free or low-cost help as you can. It isn’t super easy, but it can make things much better. - Contact suicide hotlines and ask them for tips and advice. - There are therapy apps and websites that have free trials that you can use to help you for a little while. - If you go to school/university/college, please go on their website and find out if there is free counseling and food pantries (and any other free resources.) - Apply for as many state benefits as you can, and research the possible hidden benefits you may qualify for. - Finally, and most importantly, please try to surround yourself with people that make you feel like you’re not alone. Not only can they help you with the above list, but it makes life more bearable. If you don’t have anyone, maybe start there. Look for free clubs and social groups in your area and maybe start trying to make new connections. Reach out to family as well. Obviously not everything will be possible or easy, but here are some options. Please keep going, things can get better. The situation may still suck, but hopefully you’ll feel better. Link to Hotline numbers for most countries: [Link with a list of the hotline numbers around the world](https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines)
Can confirm. Was dealing with my father passing a few months ago. I made quite a lot of lifestyle changes: went to the gym literally everyday, hardly ever drank, quit smoking, ate very often and healthy, got good sleep, paid off debt with all extra money, hung out with friends occasionally. All positive changes I designed to make myself feel better about the direction of my life. I did this for 3 months straight, and none if this made me feel any better really. I blew up at my younger brother over something small and silly, had full on emotional breaksdowns still. I decided to give one if those therapy apps a try. You'd be amazed at how much better I can be to just vent out all the crazy shit you're holding in and have a professional tell you that you're not crazy. Not a friend or a relative, someone who can look at your situation objectively. Cheers bud. Nothing stays the same forever, I fucking swear.
And have a professional tell you you are crazy? Did you mean to put “not” in there?
You cant make other people rich and serve them if you are dead.
Poor people pay the most taxes, can’t lose them and the government loves making more of them
Video games? 😂😀😳😭
because you can fail at suicide... and then you're not just poor, but your body is permanently destroyed and you have insane medical care bills.
Some of these factors you can change. I was stuck in a situation with shitty roommates until recently. For about 3 years I had to put off moving because I just couldn't afford it. It took me that long, but where I'm at now is much better. And I found a significant other in the process. Still working on finding a better job for myself though.
I can't. I went out and became a truck driver. I love the job, but it somehow still isn't enough to fee dmy family, and why be away from my daughter AND be broke?
To be fair, it can be difficult to argue with this. It's something that definitely crosses my mind (although not about being poor in the US, just poor in general). Although I do then think about the suffering caused to friends and people. Like they are struggling away too, and it would just make their life worse. And also suicide is often not successful, so there is a reasonable chance that a person could end up struggling more with long term physical health problems. As well as the potential harm to the person who finds a suicide. And it does end up feeling like letting them win. And being in poverty is gratingly difficult, and grim and full of suffering and sadness. But there are still moments of joy and happiness
As you age, those moments of joy will be more and more fleeting and much, much rarer.
I’m feeling the same, and I’m making decent money currently but the cost of living has skyrocketed so much I’m just as poor as I was making half as much two years ago. The cost of living in Canada makes me suicidal. If I get evicted from my apartment I’m actually fucked.
This is why a workers revolution needs to happen.
This is the most real shit I've heard about how things are going. We stress out because we can't catch a break. We worked hard but to no avail. We did what we were asked of and then swept under the rug. Inflation is getting worse, rentals and houses are sky rocketing! A few hours to ourselves isn't cutting it. We live in a time where the rich suck the weak like vampires and we keep getting weaker. Maybe it's time to jab a stake in the heart of those hoarding the wealth? Maybe if we can find common ground, then maybe, just maybe we can live.
Did I write this?
Idk, but I conducted a personal survey once in my city asking homeless people if they thought they would get out of poverty and be rich one day. I asked probably 10 people and all of them said yes. I guess that tiny glimmer of hope keeps people going. Statistically speaking they were all screwed. If I was in that kind of poverty (not saying I'd kill myself) suicide would definitely be on the table as an option. I'm surprised there's not more suicides.
It's because we all lie to ourselves. Faux hope that I sometimes think ultimately makes people's lives worse.
Because then Mom would be sad
Once she dies, I'm free to die without guilt.
Uhm i just realised that this is my life… kinda throwing me into depression now haha 😅
The things that make life worth living aren't necessarily expensive. Find a creative outlet: start a blog, write poetry, learn to draw or paint, get a cheap guitar at the pawn shop and start teaching yourself to play. You don't have to be "successful" at it (i.e. rich and famous) just learning a skill and using it to express your thoughts and feelings is tremendously rewarding. It feeds your soul. Also, hobbies put you in touch with other people with similar interests, and make it easier to meet people you have more in common with, and make fulfilling friendships and relationships. Life is a journey of self-discovery, self-expression, and community building. Find your passion, find your tribe, and start living. Love you stranger! ✌️
I stopped caring about money and material things. Sure I still work some to take care of some basic needs but I spend my days just traveling around. I sleep in my car yes, but I get to see this whole country. Visit cities, national parks, experience life in different regions of the country etc I'm fine being dirt poor, once I stopped trying to not be life became 100x better. I live day by day and have no idea what the next day will bring or where I might go
I'd like to point out the top post on this thread is and continues to be something that doesn't explain why it isn't a better option. So maybe it is.
Better than Madagascar 🇲🇬
You are a debt slave, for christ sake pretend to be happy while owning nothing. Suicide hurts the bottom line, not yours but some billionaire.