Live Through This
Live Through This is a series of portraits and true stories of nearly 200 suicide attempt survivors across the U.S.
According to the CDC, 1.4 million Americans attempted suicide in 2017 (the most recent year for which we have data). Ninety percent of those people will go on to live out the natural course of their lives. Media coverage and public attention typically focus on people who died from suicide, rather than those who lived to tell the tale, forfeiting an important opportunity to truly understand the complicated issue of suicide from a first-person perspective and build narratives of hope based on true-to-life experiences. Research tells us, however, that these stories are important: public attitudes change when people are exposed to those affected by mental health differences.
Live Through This reminds us that suicide is a human issue by elevating and amplifying attempt survivors’ voices through raw, honest stories of survival, and pairing them with portraits of those survivors in the moments just after telling their stories—putting faces and names to the statistics that have been the only representation of attempt survivors in the past. It breaks stereotypes and cultural assumptions about those affected by displaying a depth and breadth of experiences of suicidality from Americans across the nation. It shows that suicide does not discriminate, but transcends categorization (like age, race, faith, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or profession). It affects us all. Just take a look at the portraits.
The mission of Live Through This is to change public attitudes about suicide for the better; to reduce prejudice and discrimination against attempt survivors; to provide comfort to those experiencing suicidality by letting them know that they’re not alone and tomorrow is possible; to give insight to those who have trouble understanding suicidality, and catharsis to those who have lost a loved one; and to be used as a teaching tool for clinicians in training, or anyone else who might benefit from a deeper understanding of first-person experiences with suicide.
Earners will learn more about intimate experiences of suicidality and suicide prevention resources. Complete the following activities for a total of 25 points to receive this badge. This badge should take approximately one hour to complete, depending on the earner’s reading speed.
NOTE: This content explores themes of suicide and various other types of trauma. Proceed with care.
If you’re hurting, afraid, or need someone to talk to, please reach out to one of the resources below. Someone will reach back. You are so deeply valued, so incomprehensibly loved—even when you can’t feel it—and you are worth your life.
You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, Headquarters Counseling Center at 785-841-2345, the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860, or The Trevor Project at 866-488-7386.
If you don’t like talking on the phone, you can reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741-741. If you’d like to talk to a peer, warmline.org contains links to warmlines in every state.
** Many of these resources could utilize restrictive interventions, like active rescues (wellness or welfare checks) involving law enforcement or emergency services. A warmline is least likely to do this, but still might have these policies. You can ask if this is a possibility at any point in your conversation if this is a concern for you.
Requirements
Complete 20 points of the Evidence options below.Live Through This
Perspective
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