Long story short, I lost my partner to suicide. Since then I’ve done a lot for suicide prevention. I’ve donated money and I perform poetry each year in front of hundreds of people who have lost someone to suicide. People don’t know that I do this. What they also don’t know is that I’ve been hospitalized for attempting a few times. I have always had to be strong for these people but I find it near impossible to let people in because the last person I opened up to commited suicide.
This Saturday I have been asked again to stand in front of a few hundred people who have lost someone, but this time they want me to tell my story. They want me to say things that I’ve never said out loud. I’m going to because, even if my words only help one person, then that’s incredible. It terrifies me though
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Man, I give you kudos for bravery. Talking in front of a group is hard enough. The only encouragement I can give you is this: you are not responsible for other people’s actions. You are doing a beautiful, positive thing. I don’t understand how you sharing will cause someone to go over the edge.
I give you a lot of credit for what you’re doing.
Your attempts mean that you have a perspective that most suicide prevention speakers don’t have. This is a very valuable asset because you know to avoid the empty platitudes, guilt trips, and various other unfortunate ploys that people so often use. You know what it’s like to actually BE THERE.