Live Through This: Portraits of Suicide Attempt Survivors

This page describes a project as presented in an archived portfolio. If you are in crisis, contact local emergency services or a crisis line right away.

The idea

Live Through This is a collection of portraits and stories of people who have survived suicide attempts, told by the survivors themselves. The photographer behind it, Dese’Rae L. Stage, explained that most of her other work focused on musicians and the live music experience, treating performance as a form of emotional release. The portraits in this project apply that thinking in a more direct way: telling a story as part of healing.

How it works

The photographer meets each participant and asks them to recount, in their own words, the story of their attempt or attempts. Right after the conversation she makes a portrait. The only instruction is that the person think about their journey. Each finished portrait is shown with a short excerpt from the story, chosen for being moving or for offering a distinct perspective.

Why it was made

The archived text says the project came from a mix of personal experience and a commitment to suicide awareness. The photographer wrote that she had lost friends to suicide and that society tends to sweep the subject aside. She argued that silence and shame are dangerous, that anyone can experience depression and suicidal thoughts, and that fear of talking about it can have fatal consequences.

Goals

• Reduce stigma and open everyday conversation about suicide.
• Show that life continues after an attempt.
• Encourage dialogue that may help prevent deaths.

The project was also introduced on the photographer’s profile.