Dear Vivian, Thank you for your response to the Friday Balcao topic of Suicide Prevention. As you rightly said there is a need for a Suicide Helpline in Goa. The COOJ Mental Health Foundation website www.cooj.co.in operates a HELPLINE for limited hours 5 days a week and the Tel No. is 2252525 (Monday to Friday 3pm to 7pm). It does need more publicity and support as well and we will be discussing this at the Balcao.
Will share your post at the Friday Balcao on 26th August best wishes Roland Message: 7 Date: Mon, 22 Aug 2016 12:25:03 +0000 (UTC) From: "Vivian A. DSouza" <[email protected]> To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!" <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [Goanet] FRIDAY BALCAO to focus on Suicide Prevention on 26th August Message-ID: <[email protected]> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 In my lifetime I have seen several men who have given up their lives.? In my case, it was always men.? Till this day,I am haunted by the memory of a dear friend, who ended his life by jumping from the terrace of the building he lived in, a scant 5 minutes after we had spoken on the telephone.? I recall the last conversation.? He seemed to be in a hurry and wanted to end our conversation.? It bothered me at the time.I still ask myself if somehow I had failed him.? I wonder what leads a person to take this ultimate step.Clearly, a person who takes this final step is deeply disturbed and wants to end it all.We need a suicide prevention life line, telephone number manned by trained volunteers to help talk people out of considering suicide.? I don't know if this exists in Goa.? If it does, it needs to be given more publicity, to help those who feel that life is not worth living.When a person gives up their life, they may have solved their problem, but the trauma scars their near and dear ones for ever.? it has been over 40 years since I lost my dear friend, but the memory is so vivid, and the grief unabated.? And I still ask myself what I could have done to prevent it.? There will never be an answer.Roland,? thank you for taking up this very important subject.? Being in the USA at the moment, I will not be able to attend, but I will be with you in spirit.With my best wishes.........? Vivian From: Goa Desc <[email protected]> To: goanet <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, August 22, 2016 3:06 AM Subject: [Goanet] FRIDAY BALCAO to focus on Suicide Prevention on 26th August --------------------------------------------- Welcome to the FRIDAY BALCAO the fortnightly discussion event since 1999 [email protected] --------------------------------------------
