USA Folks, Here's A Little Trick I Used For Times When I Didn't Have A Therapist But Needed To Have A

USA folks, here's a little trick I used for times when I didn't have a therapist but needed to have a short confidential talk about something that was bothering me:

- Message the Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Give them a short one-word message like GO.

- When the counselor comes on the line: the magic words are "I feel like I'm keeping too many secrets" and "I want to practice talking through something with you before I talk about it with other people"

- At some point they will ask if you're having thoughts about taking your own life. In my past experience they were pretty non-carceral when I said yes, but DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. Do your own research, and make your own risk-informed decisions about whether to disclose or not.

- When you are done talking through the thing, they will ask you what your next steps are. I would typically say "I'm gonna talk about this with a friend" or "I'm gonna journal about it".

- Then they'll typically give you links to some websites for more support. In my experience the websites would be kind of useless, but feel free to check them out and make your own mind. One person's "useless" can be another person's "life-changing".

You might be wondering "but what if I'm taking resources away from someone who needs them" to which I assure that if you have something so difficult to talk about that you can only imagine yourself revealing it to a trained counselor, then you are the Crisis Text Line's intended audience. You probably shouldn't be using it weekly as an alternative to therapy, but once every few months as a PRN? Go wild.

More Posts from Benhartley and Others

benhartley

1 year ago

Might I add Over the Garden Wall

Media with immaculate vibes:

A Series of Unfortunate Events (Netflix show)

Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated (show)

Gravity Falls (Disney show)

Treasure Planet (Disney film)

Mystery Files (YouTube)

A Series of Unfortunate Events (film)

The Spiderwick Chronicles (film)

Ghost Files (YouTube)

Atlantis the Lost Empire (Disney film)

Lockwood and Co (Netflix show) (please save it)

5K notes View Post

benhartley

1 year ago

I Have A Folder Called Time Is A Flat Circle In Which I Collect Evidence Of Humanity. Here Is Most Of

I have a folder called Time is a Flat Circle in which I collect evidence of humanity. Here is most of them.

176K notes View Post

benhartley

1 year ago

Looked for this for ages. Finally found it!

Today's Adventure is that I, after an unintentional 13-hour power nap,

Got woken up at 6AM by a phone call from a friend stranded in Montana because of the heat wave and almost no cell service because of their crap provider.

OhSoThat'sHowIt'sGonnaBe.jpg

Ok.

I somehow summon a week's worth of spoons and in less than 30 minutes and 5 phone calls, get them

A hotel

An appointment with a mechanic from 2 states away

A perscription refilled from 2 states away

and A Pizza

Go me.

But then it's 8AM and there are unscheduled live humans at the door and while EVERGENCY MODE is still on, I have already blown through a ton of spoons, and also probably shouldn't meet whoever it is wearing just a pair of bootyshorts that say "CRYPTID" in Gothic Font on my ass.

So I greet them in those shorts and a T-shirt that I manage to put on both inside out and backwards

#nailedit

It is, Fortunately, not the mormons.

it is, Unfortunately, two UPS guys trying to deliver my other in-house friend's new phone except the new guy doesn't know how to operate the "sign for package" device, and the old guy that's supposed to be mentoring him is like, 92, deaf as a post, and doesn't actually know how to operate the device either.

by the way

it is already

over 100 out

it takes almost 30 minutes to sign for the phone

when i get back inside, i discover that apparently the Corgi has learned how to open his kennel from the inside because he is now out of the kennel and waiting for me to come in.

he also has cat litter all over his face because while he was waiting for me he also learned how to open the baby gate to the cat's room and help himself to a cat shit breakfast.

He'll be fine

He's a cattle dog, they're legally required to have at least 1 really disgusting snack they love.

but

more to the point

i have no idea at what point he learned to open his kennel from the inside

has he been staying there out of politeness this whole time??

And

I got other shit to do today.

namely.

I'm seeing a realator

The Devils most pathetic yet effective demons

I get a reminder text that I have an appointment with her

at least

I think that's what it is because what she sends me is: "🏡⏰12:00 ❔"

With the time typed in the middle like that.

She is, according to her profile, at least 80.

so I reply "😎👍"

and then she sends me a string of GODDAMN POST-MODERN EMOJI HEIROGLYPHICS THAT TAKE UP MY ENTIRE SCREEN.

She's on an iPhone so half of them don't even translate across platforms

It takes me half an hour and three different software programs and goddamn wingdings to translate, but she has sent me the address and rules about masking and not wearing shoes inside.

in emoji

instead of like

literally any other format

I am

FASCINATED

and simply must meet the woman so if I don't come back to update I got stolen by the fairies but I'm taking the Corgi with me as protection so I'll see y'all later.

117K notes View Post

benhartley

1 year ago

Found out my university library has the book for Sondheim’s Assassins (1990), and checked it out immediately. There’s a bit in the depository scene where, after Lee Harvey Oswald shoots JFK, Booth takes his suicide note and burns it. This directly parallels the Ballad of Booth, where the Balladeer burns Booth’s suicide note after he shoots himself.

And I’m fucking LOSING it over the implication that Booth has replaced the Balladeer and Oswald is now in Booth’s previous position as “our pioneer.”

It’s a new American Dream, where any kid can grow up to be president, and any kid can grow up to kill one.