When I began my mental health journey in 2016, I really had no one to turn to but my friends. The topic of mental health was considered taboo in my country of Indonesia, and even after years, it somehow still is.
Because I was young and afraid to tell my parents that I was worried about my mental health, I kept everything to myself. None of my friends really understood what I was going through. Growing up, no one talked about the importance of mental health. We didn’t really understand how to be there for someone. People tend to pull away when they know you’re struggling with your mental health. We grew up believing that if you pray to God, the urge to end your life, to hurt yourself or the sadness that haunts you every minute of every day will soon go away.
“You’re not depressed. You just didn’t believe in Him.”
And for years, I believed it. My mind tricked me into believing that everything happened because of me. I’m the sole cause of my problems. It happened because no one around me knew anything about mental health. There aren’t many resources, which leads me into a feeling of loneliness. No one I know has gone through what I went through, and I didn’t have that much support at the time.
My friends did their best to help me, knowing that they’re not professionals at all. I know it wasn’t easy to deal with my mental health problems, but they stood by me and lifted me up. I’m only here because of them. It’s not that I’m not grateful for my friends, but I often wonder about the fact that there aren’t many resources here in Indonesia. I found some resources online, but unfortunately, most are currently inactive. And then I came across Moment of Recovery: L.I.S.A. Suicide Prevention Helpline (Love Inside Suicide Awareness):
“Movement of Recovery “MOR Project” or we called addicts in recovery, is a startup project focusing on addiction and mental health service in Indonesia established in the beginning of 2018. We are in partnership with Komunitas Berteman Baik (a group of mental health professionals and survivors which gives mental health services through Psycho education in Indonesia) to develop Bali Bersama Bisa Community comprises of 11 NGOs in Bali that serve mental health needs of individuals and communities seeking help in Bali and Indonesia.”
Having experienced how hard it is to find the resources I need when I’m struggling with my mental health, I wish no one ever has to go through what I went through. Suicidal ideation can be extremely intrusive. Talking to someone who completely understands your feelings and emotions can make a huge difference. That’s where L.I.S.A comes in.
The great thing about this helpline is that it’s available 24/7, both in Bahasa Indonesia and English. This means that L.I.S.A. isn’t exclusively available for Indonesians, but also for everyone, everywhere in the world. I honestly believe this helpline has the power to change the world for the better and to make sure that every life is worth saving.
That’s why I chose to uplift this organization because I believe in their work. I want to spread the word about them so that my fellow Indonesians know that there’s a free and active resource to help us – and it’s only a text message away.
For services Bahasa Indonesia, L.I.S.A is reachable via WhatsApp at +62-811-3855-472.
For English services, L.I.S.A is reachable via WhatsApp at +62-811-3815-472
