988 Is NOT A Joke

 

Gemma asked me to write this story ...

I love Gemma Cleanslate (an epic writer for SL Newser) ... She's been my credibility reference forever ... like many jobs in SL ... and stuff ... So, I will tell my story ...

So, I have lived a hard live, (tee hee) ... for a privileged white person in America ...

I was sixteen years old in Chicago Illinois. On my 16th birthday, my father kicked me out ... "GET A FREAKIN JOB!" It's legal at sixteen. So I got on my bike and cried a lot ... and got a job at Burger King (at) one US Dollar and sixty-five cents an hour ... the absolute minimum wage. ... That was fifty-one years ago. I know how to cook a great burger ... even veggie style.

I am not kidding, life was hard ... (laughing out out)

So I am retired, and now volunteer on the 988 National Suicide Hotline ... a call center operation ... I love this work ... I love helping people, and MAN O MAN, people are juicy. Oh Emm Gee ... I respect EVERYONE, bada-bing.

The most important thing I realize after all this 988 jazz ... there are EIGHT BILLION unique persons oon this world ... all very individual and passionate aboutu their life experiences. It's awesome.

So Hey! People are lonely ... people are economically stressed ... I have heard from multiple callers ... THE INSURANCE COMPANY DOUBLED OUR RATES ... what the f*** ... and seriously, I just retired from the insurance industry, so I am like WTF as much as anyone ...

People have anxiety… Oh My God … more intense than you can possibly imagine. I try and help. I am not always successful. That makes me cry. A LOT! I tell people I care; which I am trained to do… I am a volunteer… and very sincere. NINE EIGHT EIGHT 988 is available 24 x 7 days a week in USA. We never sleep… And I have like six trained professionals backing me up… paid professionals.

So I am just saying. My life was hard. Or dead easy. Depending on your perspective.  I don’t care if you just broke up with your boyfriend… GOOD FOR YOU… nor if your life is completely falling apart… I will take you call… I will try my best to help you.

And if I can’t help. Just call us back… I have 6 professionals backing me up. BADA BING!

WHO YOU GONNA CALL??? Ghostbusters…. Shhh their number is 988. Full Stop.

Any1 Gynoid

For the first article on 988: Click Here.

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 

Saturday, September 16

 

    ~*~

    

    At 10 AM PST   

    Maternity Hospital: A Metaphor For Human Fertilization

    By Phil Youngblood PHD

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/maternity-hospital/

 

    The Science Circle (72,129,30)

      

    ~*~

 

    At 9 PM PST   

    International Equal Pay Day

    By Jes Stannard

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/international-equal-pay-day/

    

    The Science Circle (72,129,30)

 

 

    ~*~

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

 

 

This Saturday at The Science Circle

 

 

Saturday, September 9

 

    ~*~

    

    At 10 AM PST   

    BB: Generative AI - Promise or Peril

    By Matt Burr

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/beragons-bistro-6/

 

    The Science Circle (225,230,28)

      

    ~*~

 

    At 9 PM PST   

    World Suicide Prevention Day

    By Jes Stannard

    https://www.sciencecircle.org/event/world-suicide-prevention-day/

    

    The Science Circle (72,129,30)

 

 

    ~*~

    

    NOTE: Non-members required to register once

    IM Jes Cobalt or Nymf Hathaway

╚══════════════════════════════ The Science Circle (72,129,30) ═╝

 

Reader Submitted: 988

 

Longtime readers may remember Any1 Gynoid. It's been over a decade since her last article as a member of the Newser staff. But she sends an occasional reader submission. She recently sent one about a less than comfortable topic: suicide. Or rather, one thing you can do about it: dial three numbers, 988, the suicide hotline.

Read Any1's; story in Extra.

Reaching Out and Remembrance

Depression, anxiety and tragedy are nothing new to people, in and out of Second Life. But in the past year, the Coronavirus Pandemic have made them worse. Even for those whom haven't lost anyone, there's still the anxiety from lockdowns and news events. In his article for today, Fritter Enzyme offers reminders of some suicide hotlines, and a few places in Second Life where one can mourn the departed.

Read Fritter's story in Extra.

Survivors of Suicide

We all feel down at times. But some of us have real problems falling into and staying in dark moods. Depression can be crippling, and can lead to a final end: suicide. Suicide is a major form of death, with tens of thousands in America and almost a million worldwide taking their own lives despite it being against practically every major religion and philosophy. Fortunately, there are numerous organizations and groups devoted to helping those at risk. In Second Life, one such group is the "Survivors of Suicide." It has moved on to help anyone or friends of someone with depression, but it was created for those who either attempted suicide, those at risk of it, or friends and family of them. The Newser recently sat down with the current head of the group, Sebastien Bouevier, and he talked about Survivors of Suicide and what it does.

Read the story in People.

Commentary: Suicide and Second Life

DrFran's latest article was brought on by another one. Earlier this month, Nydia Tunsten wrote an emotional commentary about dealing with Second Life friend threatening to do himself in. DrFran as it turns out has dealt with matters of mental health in real life. With her experience in mind, she wrote a response.

Read DrFran's article in People.

Commentary: Suicide

Late last week, Nydia Tungsten and a few others were shocked to get pictures from a mutual friend threatening to kill themself. Once the dust settled, Nydia put a few thoughts to pen, and didn't hold back very much. Here's what she had to say on the matter.

Read Nydia's words in People.

Ask DrFran: I Don’t Want to Live Any More.

DrFran's column today is a serious one, dealing with a serious subject that gets worse around the holidays. A reader writes about a friend whom has seemed increasingly troubled, and might have done the unthinkable.

Read DrFran's column in People.

The Post That Should Not Be Ignored

Facebook has been an interesting way for friends and I to keep in touch, those in and out of Second Life. And in some cases, a chance to stay in contact with friends taking a break from the Grid, though games and an occasional shared joke.

Because of it’s volume, we occasionally hear about Facebook posts in the news. A few weeks ago a student left a short suicide note as a post before jumping off a bridge. It was certainly strange. One seldom if ever believes any post that shows up on your page will be anything like that.


So imagine the surprise when I logged on, and find that one of my Facebook/Second Life friends posted, “Goodbye. Please forgive me, I love you all.”

The post was hours old. Fortunately, she had a number of friends, at least one whom she entrusted her address. It was this friend whom within minutes of the post dialed 911 and alerted her city’s emergency services. They found her, overdosed, but caught it in time, and rushed her to the hospital. She was safe.

This isn’t the first time someone I knew brought up suicide. Once in real life and once in Second Life, a friend talked about doing away with himself. People whom have often leave warning signs, such as this. And what one should do is take such talk seriously, talk to them, and get them to change their minds. For someone in Second Life, with whom contacting real life help might not be an option, one can get in contact with a therapist or a group therapy group. Even if the friend won’t see them, one can talk to the therapist for advice (Industria Dowler was the one I contacted for advice on my friend). It can take a while to get a depressed friend to turn around, but it can be done.

For now, I can be thankful my friend was found in time, and is now in safe hands.

Bixyl Shuftan