Que@BabblingGeek@infosec.exchange
Because it's important: I am safe, and I am not currently at risk of harming myself or others. If you are not safe, or you are thinking about harming yourself or others, I encourage you to reach out to literally anyone and ask for help. Can't find anyone? I'd be happy to help.
I found myself crying in the car this morning on the run home from the coffee shop listening to an NPR segment on Long Covid and someone losing their life to suicide because of how severe the impact had been.
Rolling back to 2020 I was looking at doing CERT training, working out, and leading an active life. This week in 2022 I celebrated riding my bicycle for the first time in 3 years. Let that sink in, my accomplishment for this year, was being able to ride a bike again, so I could spend more time with my kids.
It is unlikely I will ever be able to return to a normal 9-5 office job and WFH or accomodations will be a permanent requirement for me to participate in the workforce. My brain still works, but my body is unreliable.
Every day I have to risk manage myself from 'is it safe to stand up' to 'can I attend my kids school function this evening.' I have learned more about planning and scheduling to survive a week than I ever imagined.
I practice the first rule of emergency response: make sure you can safely respond before putting yourself at risk, and I find that often the best (and only) thing I can do is keep myself out of danger.
#LongCovid #SuicidePrevention