Holiday gloom - the ethics of blogging

[peacetraveler22]

Visions of fairy tales, snowmen and twinkling lights dance in my head around the holidays. For me, this is a very joyous time of year, but for others a harsh reminder of isolation and loneliness. People who have no family, those who are estranged from loved ones, or live as loners on all other days of the year are suddenly faced with grim isolation while their co-workers and acquaintances run from one party and feast to another. I take my responsibility as a blogger very seriously. This is not a job for me, but an intellectual and artistic endeavor. A way to express myself, to continually learn from others and share my cultural experiences and social thoughts with thousands of strangers. However, sometimes the lines are blurred and I receive very strange messages. They are usually from men asking provocative or inappropriate questions, or someone who wishes to degrade me, my appearance or nationality. Yesterday something changed. I received a suicide note in my inbox, and I became very shaken and disturbed...

The message was something like this:

"I wish good luck to your family and loved ones. I want to say goodbye. With this pain, I can no longer live. I am in debt, cannot pay bills, lost my job, my wife left me. There is no hope in life and it is time for this cycle to end. I cause only pain and grief for others. My life is worthless. Thank you for your blog, for your kindness...Goodbye..."

How would you handle this situation? A desperate cry for help from a complete stranger, or maybe even a troll or someone just playing psychological games from the sofa? I take suicide very seriously, and even the hint or threat of it brings back horrible memories. I had a neighbor who blew his brains out in my childhood. His wife was cheating on him while he worked his ass off as a long haul truck driver, driving a tractor trailer all over the U.S.  I remember it vividly, as my father went and cleaned his brains from the ceiling after he pulled the trigger. He left behind two small children. Perhaps some of you know someone who has killed themselves, or threatened it.

I don't know about Russia, but in the USA there are many ways to seek immediate help. Suicide prevention hotlines, where you can call and instantly speak with someone, shelters where you can go for company or a nice meal on the holidays, or any other night...If you know of similar resources in Russia, please share in the comments in case the person who sent me this message is serious and needs help.

Should I respond to this email or ignore it?