This month I lost someone extremely close to me because they took their own life. Bradley was an incredible person and should not be gone at 22 years old. He was basically a brother to me and we really bonded through video games. I want this to serve as a reminder to anyone who is struggling that it is okay to reach out, to get help, and to talk to people. So many people struggle with this, but just feel like they are alone or that it isn't an issue. Personally, I am someone who struggles with this and I never felt like I needed to share anything or be open with people.

You are not a burden to anyone. People do care. You are never alone.

Please feel free to visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at https://afsp.org/.

Mental Health is something that many people in the gaming community struggle with and it is not talked about enough. I know many people who play games to escape reality, decompress when they aren't feeling well, or just to connect with friends that they have. It is important as a community to come together and make sure we look out for one another. Sometimes flame or raging comes from a place of struggle. Don't forget to take care of yourself, take breaks, and be there for the people around you.

When this post is 3 hours old, I will be going live to do a charity stream in Bradley's honor. I want it to be a place where I can remember the good times I had playing with my friend, have open discussion about mental health with the community, and hopefully raise some more to help more people. There will be donation tier rewards where you can interact with the stream and hopefully have some fun. Please consider stopping by, interacting, and potentially donating to help out others who struggle with suicidal thoughts. Please see more resources below and make sure to take care of others on and offline.

Stream: https://www.twitch.tv/f0rbiddengaming

Donation Page: https://streamlabscharity.com/@f0rbiddengaming/suicide-prevention-remembering-bradley

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org/

Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/

National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255

International Association for Suicide Prevention: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/Europe/