Recently, a young lady that I went to school with passed away after a drug overdose. I didn't know this girl very well, but I know she was sweet, bright, and passionate. We were all absolutely devastated to receive this terrible news.
As I let the news sink in, it occurred to me that, in a meeting with my adviser when I was still in college, this girl's name came up. She hadn't been coming to class and we were wondering why. My adviser suggested I get on Facebook and reach out to her, maybe I could find out what was up and see if she was okay.
Like I said, I didn't know her well, we weren't friends on any social media platforms, so I never reached out.
When that thought hit me, I was also hit with a wave of guilt. I sat there thinking, I should've just reached out to her when I had the chance. What if that could've made a difference?
Now, I know that addiction and mental illness are things that are much bigger than any one person. No one person is to blame for what happens to those who are struggling. Everything happens for a reason.
I did learn something from this. When you sense someone is struggling, even if you know there's probably not much you can do, you should still reach out. Maybe what they need is a little extra love and encouragement. If you are struggling yourself, reach out. Find someone you trust, contact one of the many crisis chat/text lines, call the suicide hotline. You can even email me.I know how hard it is to reach out and ask for help, but you'll thank yourself later.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Website: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
Drug Abuse Hotline: 1-877-990-7370
Website: https://drugabuse.com/library/drug-abuse-hotlines/
As always, if you believe you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
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