September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

A time dedicated to remembering lives lost, supporting people affected by suicide, and strengthening conversations about prevention, recovery and hope.

One social-media post has brought that message to life in a deeply personal way.

Instagram creator @iamdynami asked survivors to come forward during Suicide Prevention Month, writing that she wanted to show appreciation for survivors and asking,

“Where are my survivors at in the comments?”

The response was extraordinary.

People began sharing photographs and short accounts of their journeys—some describing attempts years ago, others describing the passage of months or years without suicidal thoughts, and others simply writing that they are still here.

These aren’t statistics on a page. They’re people showing what recovery can look like.

“23 years since my first attempt…”

One survivor, identified on Instagram as @_quentesa_g, shared that it had been 23 years since their first attempt and 17 years since their last.

They described the lasting physical reminders of their past while also celebrating having spent four years truly living life for themselves.

Another survivor, @e.c._does_it, described experiencing suicidal feelings as early as childhood, with attempts during adolescence and young adulthood.

Their message today was dramatically different:

“Me at 32 thriving and happy on the other side of it all.”

That distinction—on the other side—is one of the most powerful themes running through the posts.

Years can separate a crisis from the life that follows

Several people shared milestones measured not in days, but in years.

@colekaine wrote about six years without an attempt and two months without suicidal thoughts.

@zai_sylla shared that they had gone six years without a suicidal thought.

@anak_tu_king_of_the_giants_ simply wrote:

“2 years.”

Sometimes a survivor’s entire story can fit into two words.

“Still here.”

That phrase appeared repeatedly throughout the collection.

@londons_legacy wrote:

“Still here. Still figuring it out day by day. I made it to 30 yall.”

Another survivor, @yothatscoco, wrote that they were still here and had once felt they were living only for their children—but now were also living for themselves.

That shift is significant.

Survival can begin with holding on for someone else, while recovery can eventually include discovering reasons to remain for yourself.

Some survivors shared the distance between their lowest moments and today.

@ms.yoshii_ shared photographs representing four years of survival, explaining that one photograph was taken three days after their attempt and the second showed them four years later.

The contrast between the two images visually communicates something words sometimes cannot:

A crisis is a moment in time. It does not have to become the whole story.

Another survivor, @officiallynunu, described being a three-time survivor and shared that their most recent attempt had occurred 10 months earlier.

Their post reflected gratitude for continuing forward and included a milestone they once did not expect to reach.

@daryle_tyson disclosed two attempts, in 2019 and 2023, describing the period since then as a “beautiful space” while approaching another birthday.

Perhaps one of the most striking stories came from @t_keablackman.

She identified herself as a suicide survivor who became a suicidologist and said she founded an organization focused on Black suicide prevention, Black People Die By Suicide Too.

She also shared that she is pursuing a Ph.D. focused on Black suicide prevention.

Pain can become purpose.

Her story also highlights why lived experiences matter in prevention work.

Survivors can bring perspectives that cannot be learned solely through textbooks or statistics.

The stories aren’t all the same—and that’s important

The 19 posts do not tell one identical story.

Some survivors described attempts during childhood or adolescence.

Some described multiple attempts.

Some spoke about scars and lasting reminders.

Some celebrated years without suicidal thoughts.

Some focused on birthdays, family, faith, travel, work or simply waking up and continuing to live.

And some offered only a few words.

But together, the posts demonstrate something important about suicide prevention:

There is no single survivor story.

Recovery doesn’t always look dramatic.

Sometimes it looks like getting older.

Going to work.

Raising children.

Taking a vacation.

Celebrating a birthday.

Laughing with friends.

Sitting at the beach.

Taking another photograph.

Sometimes it simply looks like waking up tomorrow.