I’m Chris and this is my story. I’m Filipina and at 15 years old, I tried to hang myself. I had a long history of being bullied since I was in elementary school. In high school, I felt very sad. I couldn’t make friends and I struggled to get out of an abusive relationship with my boyfriend. After I tried to kill myself, I was referred for intensive mental health services where my team supported me in my road to recovery. I was able to regain my sense of self and was slowly able to make amazing new friends. I became the school’s Yearbook editor-in-chief for two years, but I continued to struggle and my last two years in high school were challenging. My treatment team was there when I needed them and reminded me how valuable I was. I feel that I know who I am and that I have a purpose. I’m going to be graduating and heading to college where I’d like to start a volunteer-based sorority that focuses on women’s rights and domestic violence.
Looking back now, I am so thankful that my suicide wasn’t successful, because if I … died that day…I would have never met my treatment team that really cared and helped me during the hardest times of my life…The day that I tried to kill myself, I call it the Hanging Anniversary because I didn’t really succeed at hanging myself, but instead, I was able to HANG in there and decided to keep pushing to find my happiness.