Get support, usually related to consumer driven mental health and recovery issues, at least here.
There is much support available online,
some of which is dangerous,
some not helpful and
some just right.
Persistance is probably key to finding what you need.
Hopefully, this will help.
It will start with most critical first, as in triage and progress to more informational.
hon.ch
is one way of determining the level of expertise of the information. It is a NGO (Non Governmental Organziation) out of the United Nations. There is a symbol on the page and you are likely to be able to find browser extension for your browser that will look like bright colors instead of grey (at least on my browser if they conform to HONcode guidelines). See Plugins for more information.
Generally, this is the medical model, as in Doctors and other such medical related information.
You might have noticed that this page is not HONcode, but who knows maybe later. Many people getting paid may have the resources to do that, but I don't right now.
Severe Crisis is best handled at a hospital emergency room, calling family or friends or 911.
e.g. 1.800.SUICIDE (784 2433) in the USA 1800SUICIDE SAID TO BE SHUTDOWN, TRY THE TALK NUMBER LISTED ELSEWHERE
Very serious, possibly life threatening issues, like being suicidal. Generally, people will just listen to what you are saying, which many others around you might not be doing at the time. Usually trained volunteers answer the phones to help by active listening. Related to Crisis above. See also: http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/ for one of the better ones I've read.
The Samaritans have been around for over 50 years now and do confidential (as confidential as an Internet that just about everything is a postcard unless encrypted can be) email and take phone calls 24x7.
By talking about issues and reducing isolation.
Many people are isolated (particularly around the holidays) and need to talk to someone.
Ok, this one's a joke, but it follows the progression and some humor after all this heavy stuff might be in order.
You could also think of this as your computer support lines and possibly perpetual hold :-)
There are some public resources to find help. Mostly (in the US) it is at the local government level, i.e. county or city government. Most are sliding scale (meaning based on ability to pay or a percentage of income). The quality can vary and some waiting is to be expected. Community Mental Health Centers, if there are those in your area, may be a place to find help.
May be one of the definitive self help resource. Lists model programs and directory to almost all of the referral groups in the US.
Said to be one of the oldest on the web.
A Mind That Found Itself
http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11962
is available as a free ebook on Project Gutenberg. Downloadable and redistributable. Free as in Freedom, not Free as in Beer :-)
A fairly academic but complete book available for download.
http://www.mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/download/ Also available printed ISBN 1-890873-00-4 Copyright © 1996-2000 Clayton Tucker-Ladd & Mental Health Net
Yes, it's still under construction like most of the web pages out there, but I'm hoping to collect some of the useful info I've found on the web to give something back. So only some of it will be original stuff, but all in one place and hopefully some things you haven't seen before.
Oh, and try anything here at your own risk meaning this is not professional but peer advice only. Hopefully it is good quality, but how information applies to your life is your decision, not mine or the host's. You're not paying for this and I'm not getting paid for this, but giving back some things I've learned along the way, usually the hard way. Or, in other words, experience not education. Want to see how the distinction relates to problems, see quackwatch.org
Eventually to see if anyone is viewing this creation...
Maybe just search engines...
webmaster
20060906 Jerry