Hi everyone, firstly I apologise that this is not a directly WoW related post and that if it is in the wrong area of the forums or inappropriate and should be moved, locked or deleted then so be it and I’m sorry.
TL:DR, read the topic title.
Anyhow:
Today is my 30th birthday and last year I made a very personal post on my birthday on facebook as I knew that would be the day my profile is most viewed, it got a huge amount of attention and this year I feel I have the courage to share it with you all, the wider WoW community that I have been a part of for 16 years.
I write this as I sit alone in my room because I am stuck in barracks ( I serve in the military) due to this pandemic because I can’t go home to my parents who are at risk or my girlfriend who lives in a full house and whilst I will be physically alone for the day, I am not alone, I have you, the warcraft community, my guild and my friends via skype who are with me throughout the day.
In summary I once, a few years ago now, was struggling, like many, to just get through the day due to events going on in my life that were out of my control and bringing my world down around me. I dug myself into a really dark hole and I could not see a way out.
I dug in so deep that I got close to the edge of ending my life but thankfully I found my way out of the hole after one critical moment with my beautiful dog Lucy which became a turning point that I couldn’t carry on feeling this way and I needed help.
Now more than ever people are struggling with mental health and many lives are lost everyday to depression and suicide.
With the lock down during this pandemic people have become more alone and isolated than ever and it will be one of the hardest of times their lives. As an online community, you are one of the critical pillars of bringing people together and while the forums can be venomous and trolling at times it is still another person on the other side of the post to interact with, even if its a sparring match of opinions.
Although no-one knows if you’re a dog on the internet.
To those who are in that hole I just want them to know that it won’t last forever, there is light at the end, you can climb out of the hole and it is ok to not be ok on the days you don’t feel ok but do seek help, help others help you.
To the friends and family of those who are struggling, it only takes the smallest gesture to help someone, you may not know that someone is struggling but the question “are you ok?” could be enough to get the ball rolling.
It’s a call, text, face-time (during the pandemic) or just simply sitting in silence in the room with them. You could get them online into the games you love.
You don’t have to be a mental health nurse or doctor, you just need to be supportive and understanding and help them find a way.
We all have to wade through the mud in life, some are just deeper in it than others but we can all get through it (and BFA), together.
It’s ok to not be ok and dark days DO NOT last forever.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I hope that this post helps others in some way and again I am sorry it’s not WoW related and inevitably there will be trolls or dismissive posts that it shouldn’t be here and they are justified in their own way but the message is out there regardless.
My battle tag is Anzu#21942 and if anyone just needs some stranger to talk to and an ear to listen (or eyes to read in this case) then please feel free to get in touch. I am around on BNet most days and happy to help.
I get it now. But what is DR?
was not the case with me hheehe