I Am Alive (suicide prevention)

Talking can keep people alive. Watch our video to learn more.

We teach suicide alertness and intervention skills to community members and professionals.

Our vision is that one day, every community will have people with the skills and confidence to help someone choose to stay alive.

To help us with our work, please visit http://www.iamalive.org.uk to make a donation. You can also tell us your reasons for living: I am alive because...

Thank you.

If you are at risk, or concerned about someone, you can find useful resources here: http://bit.ly/resourceinfo

Click here to donate to Grassroots http://bit.ly/donateGRT
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/okgkfP
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/Grassroots_CIC

Video production by www.tanglewoodproductions.co.uk
Music by http://soundcloud.com/alex-harvey

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Suicide prevention
• suicide prevention video
• suicide intervention
• suicide
• suicide awareness
• Grassroots Training
• I am alive
• Grassroots
• charity video
• it gets better
• reasons to live
• reasons for living

[dONALDBLOOD]

I think this is selfish. There are people who don't want to be helped. Some people cannot be helped.

Maybe because of the way they have been raised, or because of their history.

I had troubles and suicidal thoughts in the past also. I'm just saying I'm also respecting people's decision if they decide they want to kill themselves. No one deserves a shit life if he decides to give it up!

No one deserves to be forced to suffer!

Please think before giving me a reply supported by anger or hatred.

[GrassrootsCIC]

There's no anger or hatred here. We do not believe that people should be forced to stay alive if they are thinking about suicide. Rather, we teach a model that helps caregivers to understand a person's reasons for dying, and any reasons there might be for living. It is ambivalence about suicide that can sometimes help someone make a decision to stay alive, for now.

I hope that makes some sense. Thank you for your thoughts, and best wishes.

[ChristophDollis]

If people are suicidal and other people want to help the suicidal person either improve their lives and feel better or, through voluntary means, avoid suicide and recover at their own pace, so be it. Nothing wrong with that.

It's the coercion that's evil. If a person wants to end their life, it's their right. They have to live it after all, and they didn't even get a chance whether to be born or not. They owe no duty to stay.

[GrassrootsCIC]

Thanks for your comments Christoph. We do not believe that people should be forced to stay alive if they are thinking about suicide. However, the stigma surrounding suicide means that many people, and perhaps men in particular, feel that they cannot ask for help. It is this stigma that we're trying to dispel so that those who need and want help are better able to tell someone that they are struggling.

[misscoulter8]

I wish my son had seen this video before he took his life May 5, 2010, at the age of 18.. he was a beautiful young man but just could no longer face the difficulties in his life... Thank you for caring about all the people contemplating suicide.... the more we reach out, the more people we can help... hugs to the creators of this video... again, thank you :o)

[GrassrootsCIC]

Thank you for your comment; we will keep trying to dispel the stigma around suicide to make it easier for any of us to talk openly about it. All the best.

[GrassrootsCIC]

Emailed response to I Am Alive video:

“I am alive because, tonight, a friend posted your I Am Alive video in his FaceBook status.

In that same hour, another friend started a Words With Friends game with me and in two moves played the words 'give' and 'share'. Sounds silly but under the circumstances - Really, what are the odds?

No one knew of my suffering.

Suicide is a taboo subject in the US...thank you for being aware and willing to talk about this. K”

[ChristophDollis]

Desperation and courage are not mutually exclusive.

[misscoulter8]

You are so clueless... I won't even dignify your *reply* with any type of feigned attempt at communication. Suicide isn't an act of *courage*, it's an act of desperation. Derp.

[dONALDBLOOD]

Thank you, this is all I want to say.

[ChristophDollis]

Hear, hear, dONALD.

[ChristophDollis]

Exactly. There shouldn't be stigma around suicide. It's anyone's right to do, and can be a very understandable decision. Probably in many cases it's the best decision, including in many where it isn't done.

[ChristophDollis]

What if he'd seen it and then taken his life because he wanted to?

I'm sure he was aware suicide prevention efforts exist.

It's unfortunate your son was so unhappy or saw so little purpose in his life that he took his life. But I accept the fact he did, and I admire his courage in doing so.

[dONALDBLOOD]

Yes it does, thank you for the answer. I support this kind of thinking.