#AAS17

So, while I sit on my couch for 3 days following the #AAS17 conference, tweeting, and retweeting, I forget to do, what everyone that is at that conference is there for; Suicide Prevention.

As someone with Borderline Personality Disorder, I need a routine, and I need to look after my P.L.E.A.S.E skills so that I don't fall into the suicidal or self harm thoughts. Potato chips, cigarettes, and coffee, just doesn't cut it.

I joined watching the conference for a number of reasons:

1. I work with a group on poverty reduction in my city. I truly believe that poverty and suicide have a connection. In the same way that it does for crime and addiction. I need to watch to find out how I can do this in my city.
2. I follow @officialbpdchat on twitter. This is the group of people I can connect with online to share how we are using our DBT Skills together. What works, what doesn't. 
3. I also follow @SPSMChat these folks have made a powerful online influence on me. And I wanted to support these folks, as best as I could where I am.

What I did not expect to take away from this conference:

1. A free online course to learn how to reduce suicide in my own city. I found this at http://training.sprc.org/ 
2. I forgot that it DOES NOT need to get to hospital visits, or an actual attempt. Suicide prevention comes right at home, in your community, at work. Just don't be a fucken asshole. Thank You, Bart Andrews for reminding me of this.
3. That MY voice matters too. That Lived Experience has a role to play in this, and clinicians, researchers, psychiatrists, and crisis centers need to remember this. And so do I.
4. That Crisis Text Line is coming to Canada!!! WOW!!! FANTASTIC news!!

Thank You, http://www.suicidology.org for bringing this conference. And for letting me be a part of it #spsm .

Everyone who attended are amazing and rockstars and I now have my faith restored that people are working on changing things, to do better. For people like me.

I can't say that I'm "fixed". I struggle. People like Bart, and April, can't help me when I'm in crisis, and suicidal. When I reach out to them for help, they gently remind me that they can't do that. And direct me to use the appropriate resources in my area.

Thanks to people like Carl, I am able to talk, be down right honest. And a time or two, he has saved my life. By being there for me.

Thank You to the #SoMe team, for allowing me to take part of this, as far away from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Mad respect for all of you. I'm blown away. And proud to be a small part of this from afar.