Project Semicolon

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness month. I saw this book around starting last week (which was also the three-year anniversary of my friend’s passing) and I thought I’d pick it up.

I had not heard of the Project Semicolon organization before. This book is full of short (a few pages at most) stories of survivors and in some cases those left behind as well as pictures of tattoos that people did in remembrance of their hard times and their strength.

This book comes at the beginning with a warning and I really must emphasis that one. It’s not just about suicide and mental health but also everything under the sun that you can imagine that’s not good. Rape, sexual and physical abuse, bullying, neglect, multiple addictions, self-harm, toxic relationships, grief…

It’s really hard for me to rate a book that’s such a personal thing about people’s everyday lives about their survival. There was stuff in here I related to and felt myself. But I also have to admit for me, and I think myself as a reader someone who could deal with anything, I had to walk away at times and put the book aside because it just felt like too much.

I know the point of the book is the end of those stories where people chose hope and putting one foot in front of the other and there’s some great stuff there I just wish there was more of people’s recoveries and not just how they get to the point but none of these are very in-depth essays so I suppose that could be expected.

Recommend: Not generally. I just can’t. While hearing survival stories and people who are still fighting everyday is a hugely important thing I would really be careful about this one.

Check out the organization website here: Project Semicolon

NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

I also found some good information here International Association for Suicide Prevention