 Hey, Weirdos. We talk quite a bit about mental health here on Weird Darkness regarding depression, anxiety, thoughts of suicide, etc. And so this particular message from The Church of the Undead this week seems to fit into that just perfectly. So for those of you who have thoughts of suicide sometimes, or maybe you know somebody who does, perhaps this particular message from Church of the Undead will bring you a little bit of hope. The month of October is National Depression Awareness Month. It's something that's pretty close to my heart since I have personally struggled with depression most of my life, as have many of my friends, with suicidal thoughts, thoughts of self-harm, anxiety. Depression is at an all-time high and we really shouldn't ignore it. Whether you know somebody who's struggled with depression or thoughts of suicide, maybe even actions related to suicide, it's important to remember a few things for this upcoming month. That's what we're going to talk about this week on Church of the Undead. Hello, Weirdos. I'm Pastor Darren. Welcome to The Church of the Undead. Here in The Church of the Undead, I can share ideas which are relevant to those who suffer with depression, need some encouragement, and for those who love or are just curious about the God of the Bible. And it doesn't matter if you are a Weirdo in Christ or just a Weirdo, everybody is welcome here at The Church of the Undead. And I use the word undead because here we are dead to sin and alive in Christ. If you want to join this Weirdo congregation, just click that subscribe or follow button and visit us online at WeirdDarkness.com slash church. Full disclosure, I might use the term pastor because I've branded this feature as a church, but I do not have a theology degree nor did I ever go to Bible college. I'm just a guy who gave his life to Christ in 1989 and has tried to walk the walk ever since and has stumbled a lot along the way, because like everybody else, I am an imperfect, heavily flawed human being. So please don't take what I say as gospel, dig into God's Word yourself for confirmation, inspiration, and revelation. That being said, welcome to The Church of the Undead. Before we get into this week's message though, a quick reminder, as I mentioned earlier, October is National Depression Month and every year I dedicate this month to raising funds to help people who suffer from depression. We all know somebody who struggles with it, whether we know it or not. It's something people suffer with and they tend to do so in silence in the shadows. But the organizations that we are supporting with our annual Overcoming the Darkness fundraiser this month are working to make it easier for those in the darkness to come into the light, to find help and to learn that they are not alone and that there are ways to overcome the darkness and live normal lives. I'm evidence of that myself. Our goal is to raise at least $5,000 this month, but the more we raise, the more people we can help to climb out of their personal darkness. So if you'd like to donate or maybe you have donated and would like to give again, maybe you'd like to grab the link and share the fundraiser on your own social media and challenge others to give, which I would greatly appreciate. Visit WeirdDarkness.com slash Overcoming. That's WeirdDarkness.com slash Overcoming. The fundraiser ends at the end of this month, so please give right now while you're thinking about it. WeirdDarkness.com slash Overcoming. This week, when it comes to depression, we're going to talk a bit more specifically about suicide. And first, it's not about attention. Many people believe the lie that those who try to attempt suicide are trying to get attention. If you're somebody who has been taught this false belief, it's time to correct this thinking. Those who struggle with suicidal thoughts or have even tried to commit suicide in the past, they're not trying to seek attention. When a person resorts to suicide, it is because they've hit rock bottom. They see no purpose in life anymore and they desire not to live anymore. Unless you've been there, it's hard to understand the pain and hurt that causes you to want to take your own life. And even as I mentioned earlier, I've struggled with depression most of my life, but I've never been so far down that I have considered suicide. I can't imagine how dark of a place someone must be at that point. Those who think about suicide or try to attempt it, they need help, support, and to know that they're loved. Don't shame someone if they've shared suicidal thoughts or actions with you because it's only going to hurt them in the long run. Choose to be compassionate and caring and show Jesus love to them. A second thing to remember is that those who struggle with suicide are not selfish. There are a lot of people who have been taught this lie for years that suicide is the most selfish thing you can do. Those who struggle with suicidal ideation or actions, they're not selfish. They're not trying to get their way, nor are they trying to manipulate other people. Those who struggle with suicide are often very depressed and they just see no way out. It's a very dark place to be in and it can feel as though things will never get better. For a few years, I knew somebody who struggled with thoughts of suicide. Although they never acted on these thoughts, the thoughts alone are enough to suffocate anybody. Since I do struggle with conditions like depression, it's not uncommon for me to also struggle with the occasional thought of suicide. Don't get me wrong, I've never seriously considered it, but I also can't say the idea hasn't popped into my head, especially when I am dealing with depression. If you have a friend or another loved one who has a mental health condition, they could be at risk for also struggling with thoughts of suicide. If they talk to you about their thoughts or feelings surrounding suicide, don't treat it as a taboo subject. Allow them to express their feelings and just listen. You don't have to know what to say, but you can be there for them. Knowing that someone's there who genuinely cares can make all the difference for a person who's struggling. Those who struggle with thoughts of suicide often think the world would be better off without them. Remind them of how much you need them and how many plans God has for their future. A third thing to remember this month is that suicide can affect anyone. There are stereotypes surrounding those who struggle with suicide, but those are incorrect stereotypes. Anybody can struggle with thoughts of suicide or self-harm or depression or anxiety. Males, females, people of any skin color, people of any age group can struggle with suicide. Even if somebody might seem happy all the time, it could be that they're also struggling with thoughts of suicide. Some of us with depression are in the creative business, the acting business or music business, and we can really put on a mask of being in a great mood and being fun to be around when we don't really feel it. Never assume somebody's okay, even if they never say that they're struggling, or even if they say, yeah, sure, I'm fine. You can't necessarily take them at their word. Dealing with suicide is never easy, because it's a complex issue. It doesn't target one specific type of person or a certain age bracket. This means all people could struggle with suicidal ideation at some point. Even though most people don't struggle with these thoughts, these thoughts don't discriminate. Moreover, just because a person doesn't have suicidal thoughts at the present doesn't mean that they won't develop them in the future. I say this not to frighten you, just to make you aware of it. Anyone can struggle with suicidal thoughts. This is why we need to spread more awareness surrounding suicide and depression and not treat it as a taboo subject. Thoughts of suicide and self-harm are a lot more common than you might think. A good way to prevent this is to remove the taboos surrounding the subject and allow people to express their feelings freely. As believers, or let's face it, just as human beings, we should want to help all people, including those who struggle with thoughts of suicide, depression, self-harm, anxiety. As somebody who's been there and is often still there, it's important to have people around in order to help you with these thoughts and impulses. A fourth thing to remember for International Depression Awareness Month is that those who struggle with suicide are not lost causes. Those who struggle with it should not be seen as a bother or as a burden. They're people, and they're created in the image of God. Genesis 1, verse 27, So God created mankind in his own image. In the image of God, he created them. Male and female, he created them. Their lives are beautiful, important, unique. We should never have to lose someone to suicide. It is a tragedy, and yet people keep ignoring this what really is an epidemic. Don't treat those who struggle with suicidal thoughts as lost causes, because they're not. Often, those who struggle with suicidal ideations or attempts are very emphatic. They're caring, they're in tune with their emotions, and this gives them the capacity to be some of the most compassionate people to walk the earth. Treat them with kindness and never shrug them off as lost causes. God has a wonderful plan for their future, and by helping them in their struggles, you're showing the Lord's love for them, not to mention the truth that you should want to help others because you love them. There's never a good reason to lose someone to suicide, and through prevention we can stop many of these hurt individuals from taking their own lives. And finally, one more thing to remember. Things will get better. If you're somebody who does struggle with thoughts of suicide or depression, maybe you've even made an attempt to take your own life in the past, please know things will get better. With proper help and proper support, you'll be able to experience healing. I know it's hard, but God has a really special purpose for your life. Your days aren't always going to be filled with self-hate, intrusive thoughts and deep darkness. There will also be days of love, support, and sunshine, believe it or not. Don't give up now because those beautiful days are ahead. And also, don't be afraid to reach out for support. Talk to somebody that you trust, or somebody you know who will be there for you. In fact, that's the reason that I set up the Hope in the Darkness page at WeirdDarkness.com to have those resources available for you at any time, 24-7, just in case you need them. And of course, don't forget to talk to God about these feelings too. Be genuine with him. Know feelings or thoughts will ever push God away. He loves you. He desires to fill your heart with his love, peace and compassion. You're never alone. Even when you feel alone, you're not alone because God is always with you. And don't be afraid to reach out to a professional, such as your primary care doctor, a therapist, a psychiatrist, on our Hope in the Darkness page. You can talk to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or just dial 988. There's also the Crisis Text Line. If you want to text somebody, just text the word HOME to 741-741. There's save.org that you can visit. Or our friends at ifred.org, the International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression. There's the Seven Cups app, which I've heard from a lot of people has been very helpful to them. There's that in a whole lot of other different resources. And of course, you can always call 9-1-1 if you're in the United States or 999 if you're in the UK, if you are in an emergency situation and you need to talk to somebody right now so you don't take those drastic actions. Any of these resources can help you on your healing journey. So please don't give up. I know things might be hard, but they are going to get better. There's light at the end of that dark tunnel. There just might be a healing journey to get there as well. If you like what you heard, share this episode with others who you think might also like it. Maybe the person you share it with will want to join this weirdo congregation too. To join this weirdo family yourself, find us on Facebook, listen to previous messages, even find out how to join me in my daily Bible studies, visit WeirdDarkness.com slash church. That's WeirdDarkness.com slash church. You can find the sources I used for this week's message in the show notes. I'm Darren Marlar. Thanks for joining me Weirdos and until next time, Jesus loves you and so do I. God bless.