Suicide Prevention Awareness: A Story of Choosing Life

A black and white photo of a doe and her fawn in a clearing used to illustrate a post on suicide prevention awareness month.
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⚠️ Trigger Warning: Suicide Prevention Awareness.

This post discusses personal suicidal thoughts, experiences of despair, and survival. It may be distressing for some readers.

If you are currently struggling, please don’t feel obliged to read further.

Always prioritise your well-being and consider reaching out to a trusted friend, mental health professional, or a suicide prevention helpline in your country.

Surviving the Darkest Moments: Suicide Prevention Awareness

Once upon a time, there came a period in my life where I wanted to end it all, not just figuratively, for attention or as an edgy way to be different.

For real, like research and planning stuff, I was inches away from an earnest attempt at suicide.

A woman sits on a couch with her head in her hands amongst a dark ambiance, there is contrast with light at the window symbolising the hope of a brighter day after dark periods, suicide awareness prevention.
Photo by Annie Spratt via Unsplash

Not the first, this particularly dangerous episode of depression wasn’t during the teenage angst phase as many have experienced, it was later on in my early-twenties.

A period that came after the bubble of young adulthood burst, after a stifling, abusive relationship, during an exodus of friends that I thought had my back 4eva.

Following the unfolding of consequences from years of my misguided choices – I believed that I was left with only one option: end it all.

It consumed me, terrified me, changed me.

Finding a way to go that would impact the least amount of people whilst not hurting myself or surviving in any capacity was ironically my lifeblood for a while.

The way I saw it was textbook for those with strong emotional ability: that nobody cared, that the world was better off without me, that everything was so horrific there was no point going on, that the pain of existing was too much to bear, that death would be the final frontier that held any mystery, enough to soothe me and take it all away in one fell swoop.

I thought I knew it all, had seen enough and that nothing would change. Just like anyone else in my situation considering suicide, how profoundly wrong I was.

Two men stand in an ocean carpark at dark dreary night fall, their spaced out silhouettes symbolise the feeling of being alone for suicide prevention awareness.
Photo by Matin Hosseini via Unsplash

Looking back, I see how I believed lies and let them fester.

Backing myself into a state of imagined isolation, seemingly alone, it was really a very close call.

That’s why I now choose to tell my story of survival so publicly in honour of suicide prevention awareness month 2025.

I’ve never been private about it per se, but I didn’t exactly publish anything so openly for strangers to read because of it being such a delicate subject for many, and I don’t claim to be an authority or professional that can help in any way.

Many are even surprised when they learn I know a little something about depression and mental health issues.

Surviving those darkest moments changed everything. What was close to killing me ended up being my ongoing protection, a blessing and something I will forever hold dear.


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How To Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir

Home surface showing different dried and fermented items in diffused light, showing that homemade tibicos fruit kefir is attainable by all.
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First published 10/6/25 – Last updated 27/6/25

Featured image credit: bovin wook via Unsplash
Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir Recipe by Natacha Neveu for TheSortingHouse

How To Make Homemade Tibicos Fruit Kefir

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Learn how to make homemade tibicos fruit kefir the simple way, no experience needed. Whatever you call it: Tibicos Kefir, Fruit Kefir or Water Kefir, your inner microbiome (and your parched taste buds) will thank you.

Probiotics don’t have to come out of a lab, carbonation doesn’t have to come out of canisters and homemade fermentation doesn’t have to be complicated.

Homemade tibicos fruit kefir AKA living water kefir is an ancestral, refreshing, nourishing and gut-loving probiotic drink you can easily make yourself. Thus bypassing industrial processes, undisclosed “natural flavourings” and gut microbe-destroying chemicals or pasteurisation.

Consequently with just quality filtered water, organic untreated lemon, a couple of dried figs (still organic obvs), and some tibicos kefir grains, you can brew a naturally fizzy, fruity water kefir.

A fermentation vessel with lemons sat in a dark home garden setting.
Photo by Elodie Oudot via Unsplash

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How To: Easy Homemade Magnesium Spray Recipe

Dark glass spray bottle labeled 'Homemade Magnesium Spray' on a cozy home counter with salt flakes in a ceramic dish – natural DIY skincare recipe setting.
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Curious About Topical Magnesium or Already a Believer?

If you’re intrigued by the benefits of magnesium oil spray or simply want to see what the fuss is about, you don’t need to spend a fortune on boutique bottles. With just two simple ingredients, you can make your own homemade magnesium spray in minutes, quickly, easily, and affordably.

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