As a Suicide Attempt Survivor, I Know There is Hope Out There

This Volunteer Spotlight story originally appeared in AFSP's 2024 Annual Report. To read other inspiring Volunteer Spotlight stories, and to learn more about our work, click here.

In 2018, Vuong Tran was living in one of the most beautiful cities in America — San Diego — but experiencing what felt like an impossibly dark season of depression. After surviving a suicide attempt, receiving help from his local church, and spending five days in a psychiatric hospital, Vuong found hope in community and in therapy. Encouraged by people who supported him, and feeling less alone, he also realized that talking about suicide and mental health openly helped his healing.

Vuong wanted to let others know there is hope, and do more to reduce the stigma around mental health and suicide. Connecting with AFSP’s San Diego chapter later that same year, he volunteered to help with International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day and the chapter’s presence at San Diego Pride. Moving to Oregon in 2020, he joined the Oregon chapter as a volunteer, tabling at various events and eventually joining the chapter board, serving as volunteer coordinator and chair of the Programs and Education Committee. This past year, he took on the role of board chair.

---

“Volunteering is a way for me to spread light in a world in which there is darkness. Growing up as an Asian American male, we never spoke about our feelings and our mental health. I bottled up many years of tough emotions, which eventually led to my suicide attempt. I want to create a world in which people, especially those of color, can openly have conversations about mental health and suicide prevention.

Volunteering has taught me so much. I’ve learned about safe messaging involving suicide, and why we avoid phrases like ‘committed suicide,’ because it implies a crime, rather than being the result of a complex health situation. I’ve learned that generally, there are multiple factors that lead someone to a suicidal act, and that it’s not usually the result of one simple reason. I’ve also learned of resources available to people in crisis that I didn’t know about during my own dark period, like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which AFSP supports through its advocacy efforts; and the support available to survivors of suicide loss, such as the Healing Conversations program and Survivor Day events.

As a suicide attempt survivor, my message to those who are struggling is that there is, in fact, hope out there. Although things may feel dark, there is a beautiful community ready to love and support you. No matter what your connection to this cause, no one has to suffer alone.”