Due to this year's unfortunate events and the increasing number of depressed hackers, me and a couple of friends decided to start a community not only for HN but for anyone seeking help.<p>I am very sad to hear the stories on HN like far_far_away's and others like him.Not to mention the death of Aaron Swartz which definitely changed the mood for many hackers.I've been through this situation (depression) 5 years ago and it was a living hell.Feeling trapped and no way out.<p>I want to help these people or at least try and I'm sure many of us want the same thing.This is not about money or business!It is about us.We are humans before anything else, and we have feelings.Judging by the current trend we are not on the right path and some of us don't even know it yet.<p>So starting from today, I decided to dedicate some of my time specifically for this cause.I am sick of seeing people suffering here when I know I can do something about it.If I can improve someone's life by at least 5% I am happy.<p>If anyone is interested in joining this cause, I am open to any suggestion.This is not about me and you, it's about all of us.<p>For anyone interested the mail is this: hackershelp2013@gmail.com<p>I had no time to prepare something special but I believe this is the first step in the right direction.<p>More updates coming soon...<p>Thank you all.
I used to volunteer for the Samaritans in the UK (A well known and respected suicide helpline <a href="http://www.samaritans.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.samaritans.org/</a>).<p>What you are taking on is a laudable thing, and I would honestly suggest talking to these people (or an equivalent US one), and find out their "ways of doing things".<p>Providing such support alone can take a toll on you, and there is a difference between sacrificing time and sacrificing you. If you can find others who can "man the phones" too, and if you establish good guidelines (policies on abuse, on anonymity, on sharing data between calls and working with other services and oh a thousand things more) you I hope will do some good here.<p>Oh and one last thing, I learnt you "worked the phones" for a year or for life. If like me you only do this for a yer, do not feel you are abandoning others. And maybe you will leave something that lasts beyond you<p>Good luck