Note: Please do not contact me in order to ask for my help. I am a 20-year-old student with unpredictable moods and no mental health training. And this is the internet, where a person’s influence really doesn’t reach very far. It’s not fair on you or me for you to rely on me to help you.

I try to comment on other people’s blogs whenever I feel I have something to say and the energy to say it, but that’s about as far as I can go. I’m having enough trouble trying to keep myself alive without having to worry about the welfare of strangers.

I wish I could do more, but I really can’t. So if you’re having difficulties, please don’t comment or email me asking for my help. You’d be much better off following the rather general but sound advice below. Thank you.

If you are depressed…

See your doctor.

Look at the MIND site for good basic information about mental illness.

Seek counselling (if you are in the UK, look at the MIND site linked above to find out if your local branch of MIND offers free counselling. You may also be able to get free counselling from your school, college, university or workplace).

If you are suicidal…

Call a suicide hotline (try The Samaritans if you’re in the UK – they also offer an email service – or, if you’re elsewhere in the world, find a hotline near you at the Befrienders site).

Read this page. I never thought that something that someone had written on the internet would save my life, but that piece of writing has been a comfort to me many times.

If you’re genuinely planning to commit suicide, please go to your local hospital.

I know that most of this advice seems obvious, but it felt irresponsible of me not to include it somewhere on my blog, just in case it helps someone who needs it.