My mixed feelings about the self-help grind narrative

Amora Podcast

TW suicidal ideation.

Hello, welcome back !🌞🪩💌🧚🏽‍♀️🍵

The other day, I had a liiiiiiiitle teeny tiny crisis, where, despite I was not experiencing suicidal thoughts, I felt very comforted by an article I found that talks about navigating the role as an emotional supports towards a person who is experiencing suicidal thoughts and very low mental health states.

*I am not a professional so this is purely based on my experience and what I have learned from mental health support trainings, and particularly a response to the "anti self-help" articles I found.

I know that today's discussion is more dense to what we usually talk about here, so please feel free to skip this episode if this is too triggering or too much to handle for you at this time.

I find value sharing finding reflections like these, and align to my ethos towards this space, which I have utilised to talk about things that serve me, as well as topics that evolve and change with me. One of them is self-help.

I am not currently against it, however I do not think self-help is the answer for all healing; in fact, I think that the self-help narrative could be somewhat damaging if we utilise it as an "apply it to all" rule of thumb.

Today we explore why self-care advice and content we see around might not be the answer to some of our complications, in this case, those concerning our mental health or a crisis.

** DISCLAIMER**

The sources that sparked thought upon this conversation talk about suicide, however I cannot speak on behalf of that community as I do not currently experience suicidal ideation. However, even though crisis feels and looks different for everyone, I think that the information that the author shares may also be of help for anyone who is navigating a tough period/ mental health crisis, without it necessarily being suicidal ideation.

Articles I discuss today:

https://k-bebell.medium.com/persistently-suicidal-maybe-the-problem-is-society-not-you-f4a47300e09d

https://k-bebell.medium.com/why-we-need-an-anti-self-help-approach-to-suicidality-8168fcfc1f07

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Resources:

Suicide Prevention Resource Guide (Healthline)

https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/suicide-resource-guide#Crisis-hotlines

https://www.crisistextline.org

EN ESPAÑOL:

https://cuidadosamente.com/lineas-de-emergencia/

https://psiconecta.org/blog/4141-linea-telefonica-para-la-prevencion-del-suicidio

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Closing Karakia:

A karakia to alleviate any emotional heaviness, mama, and lead us to a state of not (source @manawamaori)

Unuhia, unuhuia, unuhuia

Ki te uru tapu nui

Withdraw from the sacred,

to the world untouched

Kia wātea, kia māmā te ngākau,

te tinana, te wairua i te ara takatū

So that our hurt, body, and spirit

can be free of restrictions and move

to the path prepared for us

Koia rā e Rongo,

whakairia ake ki runga

There is Rongo, suspended high above us

Kia tina! Tina! Hui e, tā

Draw together! Affirm!

To learn more about Karakias:

https://www.otago.ac.nz/maori/world/te-reo-maori/karakia-prayers/

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As always, I am very grateful for the fact that you are listening and reading this. I would love to hear your opinion and thoughts around your relationship around the self-help narrative, and the resources we have available at this moment in time. I am still exploring this topic so I am truly open to hear different opinions to mine as I know that mine is not necessarily fully accurate, or even professional.

Let’s connect! <3<3<3 Thank you for listening, always !!!!!!
Much love ! xoxoxoxo

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