Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: distressed
  • Music: The Barr Brothers, "Beggar in the Morning."

There are lines. Please stop crossing them.

When I posted about depression, I said that I was giving myself comment amnesty; I said that I might not (probably would not) read the comments.

Since then, people have contacted me via email (when they had it), via my old email (which I rarely check), via my contact form, via Facebook, and via my Tumblr, to give me their phone numbers, to tell me not to hurt myself (which I did not threaten to do), to provide crisis hotlines, to make suggestions about medication (which I did not solicit), and in one case, to threaten to report me to the police as a suicide risk if I did not update my blog immediately to show that I was still alive.

Please. Stop. "Comment amnesty" did not mean "work harder to make sure that your words, your well wishes, your specific need to engage with my depression will be heard." I try to keep open dialogs on this blog, and I usually appreciate communication, but right now, this contact is intrusive, and upsetting, and seems to prioritize the needs of the contacting person above mine. Please. Stop.

This is why I do not talk when I am sad.
Tags: depression, shameless plea
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  • 222 comments

catalana

January 13 2014, 03:06:32 UTC 3 years ago

Holy crap people suck. Personally, I think you have the right to do what you want in your own life, up to and including suicide, if it does not cause others direct harm. Obviously I hope you continue to live, but your life is yours to govern. I can't imagine threatening you to try to get you to live. Particularly when you have basically just given a status update, not a call for help. Ugh. I hate humanity so much sometimes.

(Also: been there myself, and you know how to get in touch if ever you have need of me. I figure you have your support network in place, but...that cartoonist from the Toronto airport will always have a soft spot in my heart. If ever she desires it.)

seanan_mcguire

January 13 2014, 15:20:03 UTC 3 years ago

She, and I, love you too.