People Read Strangers' Suicidal Thoughts

(paper envelope rustling)

"I have wanted to commit suicide
several times.

Every time, I write a new letter to
my family before I attempt.

I probably have about 30 or 40 letters
stacked up somewhere because I am too

much of a coward to go through with it."

♪ (emotional music) ♪

"I felt like I was useless because that's
what my parents told me:

That I was a failure and a loser.
I believed them.

I felt like a burden to everyone. I just
wanted to erase my existence.

I think it was when I lost my friend to
cancer - that really saved me.

It made me feel like it was selfish of me
to choose to die when some people

don't even have a choice."

"I've always had this feeling that I am
not doing as much as I can in this world,

or I'm not changing the world in any way.

So, what's the point in living?"

"The summer of my sophomore year,
I tried to kill myself.

The other kids at the hospital were some
of the nicest people I've ever met.

They supported me unlike my
teachers and family who called me

selfish and cowardly for my actions."

Hmm

I don't know how I feel about that word
associated with suicide.

I think it's kinda, like, a word used to
shame...

rather than help.

"I was sexually assaulted at the age of 15.

People at my school blamed it all on me.

After dealing with it for so long,
I couldn't handle it anymore.

So, one night, I went downstairs and took
all the pills in the cabinet.

I woke up in the hospital hooked up to
a bunch of machines.

To this day my parents can't come to
explain what happened.

They get too choked up every time."

If this person was in front of me,
I would hug them, honestly,

and just tell them that it's not
their fault.

She has no control over somebody
else's actions.

And it's awful that she's left with
the repercussions and all the feelings

and the emotions, but, I promise you,
it gets better

It gets better.

"I come from a past with a lot of bullying

Most of my years in elementary and middle
school was nothing but bullying.

Name-calling, being punched for no reason,
and teachers telling me to 'Grow up.'

This spiralled into me being depressed.

After 8 years, 5 suicide attempts,

I still feel like I'm no good to anyone."

The last part of it is really difficult to
wrap your head around.

To think that someone doesn't
feel good enough,

I think we all kind of go
through those situations.

It's hard to think about. You make so
attempts at something,

and you're still here, you have a purpose
for this world.