More than forty years after being bullied for being gay at high school, I can still remember the fear, shame and desperation it created. Growing up gay in 1983, as the AIDS crisis was emerging, intensified a belief that something was fundamentally wrong with me. This is not a story about blaming the people who bullied me. It is about what bullying can leave behind, how shame can become internalised, and how the need to prove our worth can shape a life long after the school corridors are gone.

Living Beside Suicidal Thoughts: Why k

Living with someone who regularly says they wish they wouldn’t wake up can leave partners, family members and friends frightened, exhausted and constantly on alert. This article explores how to support someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, hopelessness, anger or rage while protecting your own mental health. It covers direct conversations about suicide, safety planning, emotional regulation, boundaries, caregiver burnout and the important difference between supporting someone and becoming responsible for keeping them alive.