1/Suicide, A Thread:
I've shared this with many of you but I think it's time to do so again. Recently had a friend commit suicide. It's absolutely awful, and this is the second time that I've talked to someone the day before they've taken their own life.

2/I need you to know something though. Suicide is not selfish, that's what people tell you to try and prevent you from doing it. Here's the truth. Suicide is telling yourself that being dead is less painful than being alive. Seeing light through the end of the tunnel is hard.

3/Many of you know this, but roughly 3 years ago I attempted to take my own life. As a disabled Veteran with PTSD I was going through a divorce, I lost my only friend at college to suicide (and he was a DV too), I lost my service dog. It felt like I was done for.

4/I said my goodbyes on social media. I ignored dozens of phone calls and text messages. I took my gun and drove up to the mountains. The cops were on a wild goose chase looking for me and they couldn't find me anywhere.

5/Ultimately, I finally took a call from a police officer, by accident actually, and he talked me down - but I want you to know something much more important than this suicide attempt story:

6/Taking your own life isn't selfish, but it is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I found love again. I made great friends. I got another service dog. I found a job that can accommodate my Disability.

7/If I didn't give myself another chance at life, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to accomplish so many great things. I never pictured myself being happy again. The only thing I felt and saw for future was pain...so please, I'm begging you..

8/If you're wearing that smile and hiding the pain, I'm not your superman. I can't fix everything, and neither can my words - but I can tell you that you have the opportunity to get the help you need. There are so many good people willing to help without a second thought.

9/Stay alive. All problems have a way to manage/resolve. Don't live for your friends or your family. Stay alive for yourself. You're going to come back from this. Don't focus on the future, you can't predict it. Plan for the future by operating in the present. It's going to be OK

I hope this helps people that are having a hard time with COVID, etc. You can survive. Make sure you're talking to people that you can trust.