Project Sem;colon

Semicolon: “A punctuation mark ; which is used in writing to separate different parts of a sentence or list or to indicate a pause” (Collins English Dictionary). 

There is a myriad of organizations that play a crucial part in helping individuals with life’s rollercoaster of ups and downs. One that has made a positive impact on thousands of lives is Project Semicolon.

The Semicolon Project was created by Amy Bleuel in Green Bay, Wisconsin, to focus on achieving lower suicide rates in the United States and around the world. This program offers support groups for those with depression, anxiety, addiction, bipolar, etc. The semicolon is used to symbolize that the author’s sentence is not over yet as a symbol to the person as their choice to keep going in life and not cut it short.

The website is their main source of help from any help related issues of questions ranging from “Why am I in such a bad mood?” to “Handling Rejection” and “Teens coping with trauma.” All issues are valid and the encouragement to reach out is tremendous. Their website also offers resources such as assessment tests, finding treatment, and emergency contacts. 

Project Semicolon provides many ways to get involved and help others while also helping yourself. Events, volunteering, campaign ideas, and reading stories are just some of the many ways to provide help to others while making your mental health essentially better. 

Sharing your personal story on the website will make you a member of the Project Semicolon Community and has the potential to change your life. The supportive and reliable information given is used to empower and allow others to cope and understand the symptoms of the different forms mental health can take.

Self-injury is one of the programs main focuses and those who participate encourage a tattoo of a semicolon as a symbol of their choice to keep going despite their battles with mental illness. Most people believe that self-injury through cutting is the only way people harm themselves, but this is not true. 

The project also emphasizes dealing with different issues, some including the loss of someone, shyness, peer pressure, bullying, break-ups, self-esteem, etc. and how to get help or sharing your own personal experience to help others going through the same types of issues.

Just by one shared location, treatment centers, hospitals, and therapists near you are shared and recommended in case of the need of a quick access face-to-face.

Remembrance of others is important as condolences can be sent after the reading of the lifetimes of those lost to mental health. Donations can also be made to the families or the project in general to help with the medical and other factors involving the financing that comes with mental health issues. 

Education is one of the main concerns about the project. By informing people about all types of mental illness and other very important issues in the world can allow for quicker treatment for long term problems that you may not even know you were or could potentially be dealing with. By educating those about issues that those around them may contain can create a better understanding and help those who are sensitive, or triggered, to certain topics. This constructs a better environment for those struggling, providing a more comfortable way of reaching out and lowering the worldwide struggle of mental illness.