Back to top

R U Ok?

10 September 2015
Amber Airey
Tackling Obstacles
community
connectedness

R U Ok day is a national campaign in Australia bringing awareness to suicide prevention. R U Ok encourages people to check in and ask the question, start a conversation. A conversation which just might change someone’s mind about taking their lives.

People with a chronic illness like that of Multiple Sclerosis, are more susceptible to anxiety and depression. We are more likely to become isolated from our friends, family and public in general.

As someone who has lost family to suicide and have been touched by people who have Multiple Sclerosis and chosen that they could fight no longer and have made the heartbreaking choice of suicide, this campaign is an important day for me.

No matter how strong, brave, or inspirational a person may seem, we are all battling against the uncertainty that comes with a diagnosis of an incurable disease. We are all vulnerable to the dark moments that creep into our daily lives. For some those dark moments remain, and we are unable to find the light.

So today I ask you R U OK?

Its ok, to not to be ok, and if you are feeling this way I urge you to talk about it, for there are better days, no matter how hard the days feel now.

On this R U Ok day, reach out, have a cuppa, check in, close the gap. Start the conversation.

 

 

If you are struggling with mental illness, please contact someone, there are services there to help you.

https://www.lifeline.org.au/ - 13 11 14

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/ - 1300 22 4636

 

 

 

Image Credit: 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/262405115761856289/

Comments (8)

Lawrie's picture Lawrie replied on

Good topic Amber and thank you for your courage in raising it. There is a huge gap in MS services surrounding chronic illness and unbearable suffering, and this is the topic of end of life choices. An extraordinary woman called Helen Joyce recently made a speech to the festival of dangerous ideas about dying with dignity and end of life choices. I have yet to see a more compassionate and intelligent discourse on the urgent need for suitable laws in Australia. The speech can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcI4es_yDbg The fact that people are ending their lives too soon in lonely and violent and painful circumstances, or being forced against their will to live in lonely and violent and painful circumstances is a terrible indictment of our society, when there are beautiful and gentle alternatives available. More than 2500 people suicide in Australia every year, and many do so because society provides them with no alternative. Suicide is not against the law in Australia, it is only illegal to obtain the means to take your own life painlessly and peacefully, with others there to be with you as you pass. The laws currently force people to obtain their legal rights in the most lonely, violent and painful ways imaginable. Over 80% of Australians want the right to a quick, painless death at the time of their choosing, with their loved ones around them, in their own home, and when the circumstances warrant that choice. Merely knowing you have that option becomes part of one's care, and gives people the courage and confidence to live life to the full to the very last. Let us hope we will be given access to this most basic of human rights very soon. Thanks again Amber for opening up a discussion that as a society we usually try to forget about or hide away.

Amber Airey's picture Amber Airey replied on

Thank you Lawrie, I really do appreciate your comment on this post. I will endeavour to watch the you tube video you have posted. This issue is very important to me, the mental wellbeing of people newly diagnosed and also those with progressive illness needs to be highlighted and talked about! I have met many people in since my introduction into the community of MS who all have something in common, and that is the initial fear, grief that comes from uncertainty. It is something I will continue to discuss in my blog posts while I have the platform to do it. :-)

jessica john's picture jessica john replied on

Healing from KIDNEY, i never taught Dr.Samson who could ever get my KIDNEY cured with his healing spell, i have tried almost everything but i couldn't find any solution on my disease, despite all these happening to me, i always spend a lot to buy a KIDNEY drugs from hospital and taking some several medications but no relieve, until one day i was just browsing on the internet when i come across a great post of ;Cynthia Vincent; who truly said that she was been diagnose with KIDNEY and was healed that very week through the help of these great powerful healing spell doctor, sometime i really wonder why people called him Papa Samson, i never knew it was all because of the great and perfect work that he has been doing that is causing all this. so i quickly contacted him, and he ask me some few questions and he said a thing i will never forget that anyone who contacted him is ! always getting his or her healing in just 6 hours after doing all he ask you, so i was amazed all the time i heard that from him, so i did all things only to see that at the very day which he said i will be healed, all the strength that has left me before rush back and i becomes very strong and healthy, this disease almost kills my life all because of me, so i will to hospital to give the final test to the disease and the doctor said my KIDNEY is okay, i am very amazed and happy about the healing Dr. Samson gave to me from the ancient part of Africa, you can email him now for your own healing too at: doctorsamsonhabercure@gmail.com or you can call him on private issue on this no.+27611202973, thank you sir for healing me from KIDNEY, am Jessica john

Samara's picture Samara replied on

I like the helpful info you provide on your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and take a look at once more right here frequently. I'm fairly certain I will be told plenty of new stuff right right here! Best of luck for the following! Feel free to visit my web blog: <a href="http://regalosdemiparati.com/?option=com_k2&view=itemlist&task=user&id=749245">contest to win a free iphone 6</a>

Tory's picture Tory replied on

I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I'm looking to create my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. kudos Here is my site - <a href="http://emceekerser.com/">og baller</a>

Karen's picture Karen replied on

Wonderfully written Amber and very heartfelt. If only people would talk more about suicide and work to remove the stigma that has been linked to it in the past. I have nothing but admiration for your battle with MS and hope one day they find a cure xxx

jessica john's picture jessica john replied on

Healing from KIDNEY, i never taught Dr.Samson who could ever get my KIDNEY cured with his healing spell, i have tried almost everything but i couldn't find any solution on my disease, despite all these happening to me, i always spend a lot to buy a KIDNEY drugs from hospital and taking some several medications but no relieve, until one day i was just browsing on the internet when i come across a great post of ;Cynthia Vincent; who truly said that she was been diagnose with KIDNEY and was healed that very week through the help of these great powerful healing spell doctor, sometime i really wonder why people called him Papa Samson, i never knew it was all because of the great and perfect work that he has been doing that is causing all this. so i quickly contacted him, and he ask me some few questions and he said a thing i will never forget that anyone who contacted him is ! always getting his or her healing in just 6 hours after doing all he ask you, so i was amazed all the time i heard that from him, so i did all things only to see that at the very day which he said i will be healed, all the strength that has left me before rush back and i becomes very strong and healthy, this disease almost kills my life all because of me, so i will to hospital to give the final test to the disease and the doctor said my KIDNEY is okay, i am very amazed and happy about the healing Dr. Samson gave to me from the ancient part of Africa, you can email him now for your own healing too at: doctorsamsonhabercure@gmail.com or you can call him on private issue on this no.+27611202973, thank you sir for healing me from KIDNEY, am Jessica john