Life might feel like its an unrelenting crisis or emergency at times.
If you have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and are feeling suicidal, self-injurious, or self-destructive, the good news is that there are people who are willing to help.
Whatever you are doing right now, stop and commit to keeping yourself safe and alive for the next hour.
I’m serious. Set the timer on your phone for 60 minutes. Promise yourself that you won’t make any problems worse during that time. The truth is that even intense emotions and urges can change within an hour or two. You don’t have to add to your pain or trauma. You don’t have to hurt others.
Letting people know that you need help is always a smart decision. Keep telling others until they listen.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline
988
Warm Lines
These are peer-run organizations and may not be available 24/7.
Crisis Text Line
If you can’t talk, text.
Samaritans NYC
1-212-673-3000
Veterans Crisis Line
1-800-273-8255 (Press 1) or text 838255
RAINN
Sexual assault hotline
1-800-656-4673
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Crisis Text Line
Text 741741
Again, if you can’t talk, text.
Outside of the United States? Check out these international resources from Unsuicide.
If you are looking for a dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) therapist, please check out this list of qualified mental health professionals through Behavioral Tech’s web site.
Need a book to read right now? Get a Kindle version of How I Stayed Alive When My Brain Was Trying to Kill Me: One Person’s Guide to Suicide Prevention or I can recommend Stronger Than BPD: The Girl’s Guide to Taking Control of Intense Emotions, Drama, and Chaos Using DBT.
If reading is too difficult right now, think about listening to an audio book. I love good books like Calming the Emotional Storm by DBT therapist Sheri Van Dijk.