Not to be confused with a Hitchhiker’s Guide reference, this tattoo is a reminder: a permanent Post-It. I traded it for a six pack of Sam Adams at the very beginning of what would become my Internet famous gay divorce.
It may have even helped save my life. It reminded me to breathe. I remember one day in that time period when I couldn’t get the George Washington Bridge out of my head. I only lived about ten blocks away. Luckily, I had an unshakeable support system of people who were there to listen at all hours.
A suicide is attempted every 40-60 seconds. A suicide is completed every 15-18 minutes. That means that around 96 people die from suicide every single day in this country. At least 6 people are intimately affected by each completed suicide. When you do the math, you start to see how overwhelming this problem is: 576 people are affected by suicide in a day; 17,280 in a month; 207,360 in a year.
I truly believe that learning to talk openly about suicide could be a first step toward saving some lives. I’m so close to meeting the goal for my Live Through This Kickstarter campaign, but I still need help. There are over 120 suicide attempt survivors who want to share their stories with me—with us. If you’ve ever been affected by suicide, please consider donating—every single dollar counts. And if you don’t have that dollar to spare, you can help by sharing the link anywhere and everywhere. Please help. You might save a life.
For more information (or to donate), please visit http://bit.ly/livethroughthis.
If you’re feeling suicidal, please talk to somebody. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
It’s the final week of backing for the LTT project, and there’s less than $2000 to go before the campaign is funded. If you or someone you love has been affected by suicide, please consider reblogging and/or donating. Huge thanks to everyone who has helped thus far; you guys are amazing.