Brave People Reveal What Life Is Like After Attempting Suicide

Here's what it's like to live a life you didn't expect to have.

By Stefanie Leonel — Last updated on Apr 04, 2023

Photo: Eugenio Marongiu / Shutterstock

According to a federal data analysis, suicide rates in the United States have surged to the highest levels in roughly 30 years amongst every age group except older adults, and the World Health Organization estimates that about 1 million people commit suicide each year. Suicide does not have an age limit, and can affect even young children who suffer from severe depression.

For those who have never experienced such depression and desperation, it's nearly impossible to understand what drives a person to commit suicide. We do, however, know that these individuals are hurting and seek a permanent solution to their problems.

Unfortunately, most suicidal people will never ask for help — even when they truly want it.

If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or the Suicide Crisis Line at 1-800-784-2433.

Luckily, there are people who've lived through their suicide attempts. Here, some of them share their stories.

Here 21 brave people reveal what life is like after attempting suicide:

1. Don't let your past define you

"I survived a suicide attempt. I am not ashamed of it and I don't let it define me."

2. It's a wake-up call

"I survived a suicide attempt. And I feel happier and stronger than I have ever been."

3. Make the most of your second chance

"My life started after I tried to commit suicide. I gave myself a second chance."

4. You matter

"When I was 20 I attempted suicide. No one ever tells you how much it hurts when your body is still fighting after you gave up. #imatter"

5. It's hard to talk about

"I wish I could tell someone that I attempted suicide recently. I don't have the strength to talk about it but I need to."

6. It takes strength to reach out for help, but it's worth it

"I attempted suicide 5 times...I reached out for help and now am happy. I finally know what it's like to be healthy."

7. The future is scary

"I attempted suicide and I finally decided that I was going to the hospital so I can get better. I can't promise that I won't try it again and that scares me a lot."

8. It's a time when failure is the best thing that could happen

"I attempted suicide once and tried so hard but failed. 2 years later now, I'm happy and engaged. Sometimes we fail for a reason. It does get better, I promise.

9. Second chances are everything

"I attempted suicide a year ago, but thank God I made it back to the land of the living. It gave me the chance to fall in love with the man who would do anything to see me happy and stress-free."

10. Living past the attempt is freeing

"Today I found the letter I wrote to my parents when I attempted suicide. I burnt it...4 years on and I'm finally out of the hole of darkness I was once consumed by."

11. It's hard to get yourself together afterward

"I tried committing suicide the other day. Life got to be too much. I'm still here and now don't know how to pick up the pieces."

12. It's a reminder that you're a fighter

"14 years ago I survived a suicide attempt. I still have those thoughts but I fight them with all I left in me."

13. It's a reminder of who loves you

"I tried committing suicide in the bathroom once. Ever since my dog waits by the door every time I go in. He will bark if I don't come out soon. He's my guardian angel."

14. Each day is a success

"At the end of every day when I lay in my bed, I whisper to myself, "I made it." It's been 4 years since my attempted suicide. I'm glad to be alive!"

15. Help those in your position

"When I was 16, I attempted suicide. The nurses there saved my life. I'm now a nurse in a children's psych ward to help other kids the way I was helped."

16. Children can give your life meaning

"I have attempted suicide many times, but the day my daughter was born I realized why I was never successful."

17. Find a reason to go on

"A year ago today I tried to kill myself. I still wake up every day feeling alone and depressed and having to find a reason to get out of bed. But I am alive."

18. There's a reason for everything

"I've attempted suicide 3 times...I guess there's a reason why I failed all 3 times I just have to find it..."

19. Life gets better

"Each and every day I am proud that I survived my suicide attempt against all odds. I never knew life would get this good.

20. Your life is a gift

"Several years ago I used to think I wasn't worth living so I attempted suicide. My roommate came home early and literally saved my life. A few weeks later I found out I was pregnant. My son was a gift from God to keep living."

21. Sometimes it takes a while to realize your worth

"I attempted suicide 17 days ago. I survived. And I know there's a reason for it. God is good. And it's a shame it took me so long to see that."