please stay alive dont hurt your self hugs

*hug*

I feel for you I've just started to get professional help myself. They really do help ^^ and It's always hard to speak about these things. But like you said your not alone. I to tried attempted suicide (Not a good time for me back then) But been fighting depression, anxiety, and PTSD so it's always nice to see others sharing, so thank you for sharing ^^

I'm sorry that you have to go through this, too. I hope things get better for you

It's a hard road to travel, but one I'm glad to be on, especially with friends and family (and meds XD) that are with me on this road. And I hope you have one that are with you on your road as well ^^

I can't say that I know what it's like to battle depression like that, Zig, but I want you to know that people out there value you. I for one, hope that you stick around and continue your artistic projects. I'd be really sad if you ever disappeared =(
Please keep on keeping on, just like the rest of us weirdos

I'll try my best

I just wanted to add that I value you as a friend, a fellow artist, and someone who shares many of the same interests as myself. We've known each other now for many years, even if we have gone through long periods of low contact. I consider you to be a valuable part of our little, strange community, and I want you to remain a part of it for many years to come.

Thank you, I value you too, and I hope we both will be :)

Well since ya offered me one the other day when I was feeling down. *Big horse hugs back!*

*hugs*

You are very brave, and glad you have help. Ending your path so sudden is not a journey, but a sad tragedy. The are people around you can count on to help ya, stay true to yourself and overcoming your problem.

When our lives are born, what do we all do then after that? We all grow up from baby, child, teenage, adult and to a senior. That means our lives are an adventure, and of course there will be, and always will be obstacles.

That's a struggle that can be hard, or even harder to break. It's like you saying to yourself: I can't do it. How can I possibly do it, it's impossible!
That's where you drown yourself in darkness and despair, a wall inside you that you don't think can't break it by yourself.

But that's just it, only you can break it! Because you created it by yourself inside you, which means only you can break free from it. Listen to the voices, listen to the words that can change you. And those can be courage, inspiration, motivation or love.

Keep pushing forward and don’t let things bring you down. :)

It's hard but I can only try.

I know the feeling

I have no idea what you're going through with this, so all I can say is. Don't give in. Life might be a struggle, but it's preferable to the alternative. And whenever you're in doubt, remember, you have friends here.

Thank you

Remember seeing your comments on Red-IzaK's illustrated post on dealing with their mental health.

It is wonderful to know that you have been able to push through the most difficult obstacle of recognizing you need help, deciding you're worth helping, and seeking it out! Most people who end up lost forever can't get past it.
It doesn't diminish the urgency of counsel and assistance you are entitled to, but it make the rest of us more hopeful; even the most twisted and difficult things can begin to seem manageable when you share them with others, especially the ones experienced and trained to help with those problems.

I don't know whether it would be uplifting or depressing, but I wanted to confess the unusual manner in which I connect to your work here on FA. Originally, I stumbled upon one of your earlier stories, before moving on to the The Dragon and The Steed when only opening chapters. Following that, real life concerns took me out of the furry story reading circles, and when I got back, I found that I'd lost my ability to make time and concentration for reading lengthier texts, so I only skimmed the rest of that grand story when it was finished, same as with many other generously shared worthy pieces of writing on sites like this. However, I have remembered to quality and atmosphere of those pieces that I did read, and have followed you even since.

I enjoyed watching your new story series take off, even if I didn't get to read them.

I liked seeing you form an informal league of creators from the "weighty quadrupedal fantasy" circuit: people like Shallion, for instance, whose works I'd also had the pleasure of sampling before I'd compromised my reader's faculties, and who is present in the comments above.

I appreciated your decision to revise some parts of The Dragon and The Steed that didn't feel appropriate.

I loved seeing you share photos of magnificent horses.

I was very excited to see your concept for a game set in the worlds of your stories, complete with a finely detailed mad.

I was frustrated to find myself undable to answer your call for proof-readers or for critical feedback, but I still have your story files sitting on my dashboard from that time, so the intent to try was there.

I also am grateful for all the pieces of artwork portraying your characters that exist thanks to your engagement with the respective artists. I enjoy spotting the green scales of your Mirablis in the submissions inbox, and seeing your usericon crop up on Twitter.

The point I'm trying to make here, besides merely asking for attention with my bloated comment, is that you never know which aspects of your work will catch the audience's eye, and how it would affect them. Naturally, there are scores of people out there who are proper dedicated readers of your works, and works of your fellow creators, who likewise have been touched by your vision and your style, and for whom you have become an impotant presence.

This could be seen as an apologia for parasocial relationships, but I don't believe one has to be delusional, or otherwise at fault, for connecting to people in this one-sided way, this is just us adapting to the age of networks and total transprency. It can be very uncomfortble to acknowledge that the very human need to put oneself, and one's works and desires, out there for everyone to appreciate and judge, could bring in people interested in ways you wouldn't condone, but has always been the flip side of fame, and there is also the compensation of occasionally being surprised at how much support your shared pains and needs can garner.



Another thing I wanted to say on the hard subject of suicide: it is not irrational, or cowardly, or contemptible, or selfish, to want to get out of a situation that brings you unbearable suffering with little relief or joy, or whereby you don't feel enough reason to keep on going. Suicide prevention should be about making sure the people suffering are given a way out of such circumstances that keep them alive, not simply restraining them to prevent self-harm, while leaving the original source of their smothering misery to torment them further.

So don't hesitate to get angry at the world if you're not given the means to lift yourself up with, but instead you get asked to endure it without complaining.

The problem is, sometimes our mind can be easy to convince that we're in the worst possible scenario, everyone's abandoned us, and no one's ever given a damn about our well-being anyway. It's the hardest thing to get out of those dark places, because the mind tends to get especially suspicious about others assuring you they love and value you then, so it's often up to the person suffering to maintain some vestiges of trust in themselves, and in others' caring about you.

I wish you every ounce of strength you may every need, when you need it, to get through the roughest patches!
For what it's worth, from a very unfaithful reader and a stranger, here's my assurance that you are an important part of this world, and if your circumstance is making you doubt it, or lose all enjoyment of your life, this is the fault of the world, of everyone of us not doing something about it, but not you. You're good.

Hello! Wow, I was not expecting a response like this. Thank you so much for taking the time to say these things. It's absolutely okay that you haven't read all of my stuff, I'm just happy that you are interested! And thank you for following me for so long :)

It has been a difficult decade for me, but it really helps to know that people care. This was really heartening to read, thank you

I have accumulated a vast library of things I've been dying to read over the years, and although I rarely make a dent in it, your works are certainly among the ones I think of first when an opportunity presents itself.

It is a difficult time for a lot of people, especially for those whose preexisting troubles have compounded with the more recent waves of misery brought about by the pandemic, and the economical mayhem surrounding it.

I dearly appreciate you for taking the time to read through my oversized post!

I'm always looking forward to seeing new things from you, even if I can't get myself to properly appreciate them yet, and I'll be glad to see any update on you finding a way to be happy despite all the challenges!

I feel for you, it's tough. I've gotten quite good at hiding my feelings, for better or worse.

Thank you, it is... The reaction this time was really positive, though, so I'm glad that I opened up a bit

That is good. I have noticed over the years that people have become more informed about mental health issues and are more understanding, which is definitely positive.

Yeah, it's a really good thing :)

You are loved.

Fall back on those who are rocks in your life. They will help you get through anything.

The world is ALWAYS better with you in it.