T H I N G S   A R E
L O O K I N G
U P
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The Study

PROJECT METHODOLOGY

Project Lift Up Up is an ongoing national longitudinal study of youth and young adults designed to understand exposure to suicidal thoughts and behaviors in social networks. A cohort of almost 5000 adolescents and young adults aged 13-22 years was recruited online through social media with a particular focus on vulnerable populations like sexual and gender minority youth.

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED

Timeline of Surveys
Age
Gender
Sexual Orientation
Race
Ethnicity
Location
Location

KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS

Suicidal thoughts and behaviors: Anything a person does intentionally that can cause injury to one’s self, including death. Includes:

  • Death by suicide
  • Attempt to die by suicide
  • Thoughts of suicide
  • Non-suicidal self-injury

Exposure to suicidal thoughts and behaviors: Knowing someone in one’s social network who is |struggling with self-directed violence.

There is a growing number of suicide prevention programs that train adults and peers (“gatekeepers”) to be more active bystanders — to try to help when they see someone who may at risk for self-harm.

FUNDING
Project Lift Up is supported by the National Institutes on Mental Health of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01MH128269. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

LIFT LINES

Everybody needs a lift sometimes. some words of wisdom from peers to help lift you up.

Birthdays tell how long you’ve been on the road, not how far you’ve traveled.     /     
You are loved unconditionally and with an unchanging love.     /     
The sleeper must awaken.     /     
Keep hold of the small wins, the small joys, and use those as the steps to keep you going … “Collecting small things kept me going. Gotta stay to finish my collection. But in the process of making one collection, I found a new one and it kept going from there. It’s not a permanent fix, but it can at least help you until you are able to get help.      /     
More love. Less hate.     /     
To be loved is to be known: to be understood is to be witnessed.     /     
Happiness is not by chance, but by choice.     /     
I am not afraid of storms for I am learning how to sail my ship.     /     
And this too shall pass.     /     
Don’t tell me the sky is the limit when there are footprints on the moon.     /     
Everyone can master a grief but he that has it.     /     
Even on the darkest days the sun will shine again.     /     
We cannot control the world around us. We can only control our response to it.     /     
Crying does not indicate that you are weak. Since birth, it has been a sign that you are alive.     /     
Be where your feet are.     /     
If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.      /     
Meh, I’ll make it. I always do.     /     
Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.     /     
Wait and hope.     /     
In response to “You’re pointless simply say “Thirty-nine buried. Zero found.     /     
It’s all about perspective.     /     
You have writers who write about crazy characters but that doesn’t mean the writer himself is crazy.     /     
Self-Care: refers to the practices that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and enhance overall quality of life.     /     
Do things at your own pace. Life is not a race.     /     
There will be no end if you keep asking others’ approval. Be true to yourself and you will be free.     /     
Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.     /     
You are worthy of all the things you want, even the things that feel out of reach.     /     
Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.     /     
Good things take time.     /     
Be patient with yourself. Healing takes time.     /     
When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.     /     
Wake up everyday with that thought that something amazing is about to happen.     /     
You are not your mistakes. They are what you did. Not who you are.     /     
Remember, some things have to end for better things to begin.     /     
The greatest glory in living lies not in the failing, but in the rising time when we fall.     /     
     /     Better to be a lion for a day then a sheep all your life.
     /     A problem is a chance for you to do your best.
     /     Hold fast. Brave the storm.
     /     People lie and say what you want to hear, but nature won’t. Nature is life in its purest form.
     /     There are too many flowers to smell and songs to listen to for me to stop going.
     /     If every porkchop were perfect, we wouldn’t have hot dogs.
     /     Love yourself the way you love others.
     /     Be comforted deal soul! There is always light behind the clouds!
     /     Treat every day like it’s the good old days, because you’re living them right now.
     /     I’ve tried so hard to do right.
     /     Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
     /     It’s natural to cry don’t let people make you feel otherwise.
     /     Hating people is like burning your own home to get rid of a rat.
     /     We do it because we believe we have something to offer.
     /     It is okay if all you do today is survive.
     /     Take the time it takes to take less time.
     /     Aim for the moon and if you miss, land among the stars.
     /     Balance is a process, not a definition.
     /     The hard times are golden because they all lead to better days.
     /     Treat every day like it’s the good old days.
     /     Be what you want others to be.
     /     I am patient. I am resilient. I am worthy. Today, I let go of things I cannot change.
     /     Work on yourself. For you yourself.
     /     A bad morning does not mean a bad day.
     /     Celebrate every win no matter how small.
     /     If speaking kindly to plants can help them grow, imagine what speaking kindly to humans can do.
     /     Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else.
     /     Wake up every day with the thought that something amazing is about to happen.
     /     It’s okay to prioritize yourself.
     /     Don’t let yesterday take up too much of today.
     /     Bloom where you are planted.
     /     Do not wait for the perfect conditions to start.
     /     Try to be a rainbow is someone else’s cloud.
     /     Success is the ability to leave failure behind without losing enthusiasm.
     /     Stay close to anything around you that makes you glad you are alive.
We cannot control the world around us. We can only control our responses to it.     /     
As long as you are breathing, you’ll grow. Everything heals, you just need time and hope.     /     
You don’t need a grand reason to live. The small things usually outweigh the big.     /     
It’s always darkest before the dawn or “Only in darkness can you see the stars.     /     
If life doesn’t go right, go left. There’s always another path.     /     
Do it and do it horribly; it means just go for it and show up, life’s about showing up not perfect.     /     
What a poor reason for refusing light, because the night is so dark.     /     
Always look for the helpers, you will always find people who are helping.     /     
The true way to be happy is to do something to add to the happiness of others.     /     
The poetry of earth is never dead.     /     
Friends come and go but the ones that stay are family.     /     
Sometimes you have to cut a little bit of yourself off, no matter how much it hurts, in order to grow.     /     
At the end of the day it’s still you.     /     
I know love exists because I exist, and I am full of it.     /     
All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.     /     
I understand you; I care about you.     /     
Let it happen.      /     
You are loved.     /     
No matter how we choose to live, we both die at the end.     /     
It’s a marathon, not a race.     /     
God help those who help themselves.     /     
Just keep moving forward. Always.     /     
Remember this: be kind to your mind. Kindness is beautiful. You got this.     /     
You must take care of yourself to be able to care of others.     /     
Your direction is more important than your speed.     /     
Happiness often sneaks through the door you didn’t know you left open.     /     
Don’t use your energy to worry. Use your energy to create, grow, and heal.     /     
Be gentle with yourself. You have the power to protect your peace.     /     
Trust your intuition. If something feels right to you, it probably is right for you. Put yourself first.     /     
Celebrate every win, no matter how small.     /     
You have the courage to begin again.     /     
The idea is not to live forever, but to create something that will.     /     
Growth begins when we start to accept our own weakness.     /     
With every act of self-care your authentic self gets stronger, and the critical, fearful mind gets weaker. Every act of self-care is a powerful declaration: I am on my side, I am on my side.     /     

RESOURCES

HELPFUL LINKS FOR YOUTH & FAMILIES

We know it can be hard to know where to start when accessing mental health resources. If you are struggling and want to speak with someone about how you are feeling, here are a few trusted resources we encourage you to reach out to.

988 Suicide & Crisis Hotline
Call or chat online: 988lifeline.org
The Hope Line
800-442-HOPE (4673)
Crisis Text Hotline
Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a volunteer Crisis Counselor or visit www.crisistextline.org
National Mental Health Information Center
Call toll-free at: 1-800-789-2647 or visit http://www.mentalhealth.org/
Go Ask Alice
For answers to general questions http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/
The Trevor Project
(LGBTQIA+ Resource) Text START to 678-678, call  1-866-488-7386, or chat online at https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
 
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