Stories of Survival

Redemption

By Dese’Rae L. Stage from Paul G. Quinnett Lived Experience Writing Contest

"I tried to kill myself in the summer of 2006. I was 23. I spent a month deeply entrenched in an exhaustive cycle of breaking up and getting back together with Emma, the girl I'd loved for three years..."
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Here’s What I Learned from My Suicide Attempt

By Mike Liguori on February 13, 2018 in Vibrant Emotional Health, Stories of Hope

"When 9/11 happened, I joined the Marines. The Marines gave me a sense of being and purpose. When you’re in the Marines, you are trained from the first day that death is creeping in…"
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I Survived a Suicide Attempt: Jordan Burnham

Jordan Burnham’s interview on September 4, 2012 from Lifeline’s Stories of Hope and Recovery

"When I was 16, I was a sophomore in high school. That was the year that I was diagnosed with depression, which was a little strange to me…"
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Suicide Attempt Survivor Shares Story of Resiliency and Hope

By Senior Airman Maxim Meier, 7th Airlift Squadron Suicide Prevention Advocate, on September 23, 2022 in Team McChord

“On May 17, 2022, while on my way to work after a particularly bad morning, I decided to turn my car around, head home, and take my life…”

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Surviving Suicide: The Difference Between Being Spared or Being Saved

By Jo Harvey on September 7, 2015 in Behavioral Health, Health and Wellness

"As I type these words I can feel my anxiety rise, knowing the stigma surrounding suicide (or attempted suicide) surpasses that of addiction or even mental illness...."
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Rhett Miller’s Reason to Call the Lifeline

Musician Rhett Miller’s interview on February 28, 2013 from Lifeline

"When I was 14, I tried to kill myself. You might be thinking about doing that too, and I understand. At the time, it seemed like it was the only thing that made sense in the whole world…”
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I Was Lucky. Many Are Not.

By Simon Gray on July 9, 2020 in Rethink Mental Illness

“One night these thoughts became so strong that I took an overdose. I went to sleep that night content and almost happy that the pain and unbelievable anguish was at an end. This was nearly 17 years ago. It obviously didn’t work…”

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Michelle’s Story

Personal story by Michelle in NAMI Personal Stories

“It is not about being brave in sharing; it is about being real and hoping to end the widely stigmatized thoughts regarding an illness…”
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