For those of us in love, Valentine's Day is the best day ever. For the rest of us, it is Single's Awareness Day (aka S.A.D...depressing, isn't it?). This year, on February 13th, a cause on facebook called "To Write Love On Her Arms" asked us, quite literally, to write the word "LOVE" on our arms, because the next day (Valentine's Day) had the highest rate of teenage suicide. I came across this on facebook, and thought its message was a tad corny but very powerful, so please take a few minutes, go to the website below, and read Renee's story:
To Write Love on Her Arms (www.twloha.com) is a work in progress. It's about a story and the response to that story. This began with one broken girl, one painful night; addiction, depression, cutting. This is a glimpse at the five days that followed, a decision to love and to begin telling her true story. To Write Love on Her Arms is becoming something bigger, something hopeful. It's the realization of what life can be when we commit to meeting a need. A friend of mine told me there's no such thing as suicide prevention. This is an attempt to prove him wrong, to say that love can change a life. We can hold back the darkness. Rescue is possible. Join us as we continue to write this story, and as we begin to offer hope to the many hopeless who walk these dark roads. A Jimmy Eat World lyric has been stuck in my head today, "Believe your voice can mean something."
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wow so i read that website an i am deeply moved. I can relate to Renee extremly well. Im already ordering a shirt lol. Thanks for the post..i can't even explain.....
Jeese! I had no idea the "day of love" was also the highest for teen suicide! I guess it's also sort of like how depression increases over the holidays...
Valentine's day can be pretty nasty for us single people... x.x
Yeah I agree with you preventing suicide is definitely possible. That site has a very unique approach, it sounds great!
Hi There! I just made an account and i'm new on ProgressiveU. This is my first comment ever, so here goes.
TWLOHA is an inspiring movement. I've actually found out about it by a group on Facebook and I love the message that it presents to the youth. It sort of reminds me of PostSecret, but more aimed to help prevent suicide and promote awareness.
http://hs.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7693997482
Here's the link to the Facebook event. You can see photos of people who posted up their written "Love" on their arms.
I was invited to join this movement on facebook too, and I wrote "LOVE" on my arm. A lot of people asked me what it meant, and then I explained the story. It was a great way to spread awareness.
Whenever I see S.A.D I think of Seasonal-Affective Disorder. But back on topic...
This is brilliant. Suicide prevention... it's a tricky subject. You can't stop someone from killing themselves, but you can help to stop them from feeling that way.
I wrote "LOVE" on my arm... but it had to be covered up or they threatened to give me a days exclusion - and that may not sound like much but at the time, it was. It was great to explain though, my only regret is that I didn't get more people involved.
It's a nice story and a nice idea, but can anyone find the statistics on Valentine's Day and teen suicide? I haven't found it mentioned ANYWHERE on any of the suicide prevention websites, but maybe I'm missing it.
My cousin DID commit suicide. Two years ago. He was 17. I am ALL FOR suicide prevention, however it happens. I am also for accuracy of information, though. If anyone knows where to find the stats on V-day suicides, please pass them along to me?
Thanks.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
I actually heard the stat about high suicide rates on Valentine's Day from a friend of mine, who did a charity about it. I'm having the same problem you are...there doesn't seem any exact numbers on which day teen suicide is highest, but I found this on urbandictionary.com under the Valentine's Day entry:
"It also makes single people feel miserable. Suicide rates are known to go up during this time of year."
I'll let you know if I find anything else.
I don't know. I've never really felt any more lonely on valentines day then any other day. Perhaps it may be a coincidence, mixed with some psychological effects?
+mspin
I've had a friend that's gone down this root and the story has helped her too a while back, i think its a Facebook Cause as well. But uh it really is a good cause for people with terminal depression issues.
Glutenously yours,
Pasta Rasta
Teen suicide, or any suicide, is definitely preventable through love and affection. Valentine's Day as a holiday should be done away with, because it was never really about couples. It was about a doctor, and I have no idea how it became about couples.
TWLOHA is such a beautiful,amazing, and moving movement. Thanks for sharing this and helping to spread the word!