Well done guys, the work you're doing is so great. This made me so happy. I really hope this girl gets better and can move on with her life and be happy.
Peace and Love.
And happy Christmas.

1 | Left by eibhlin | Dec. 21, 2010 at 1:35pm

This is really moving. So cool. What you guys do is awesome, and it amazes me every day that you care so much for complete strangers, and that love saves so many lives.

2 | Left by Kendra | Dec. 21, 2010 at 2:28pm

I love reading articles like this, especially when it's posted on Twitter and I can check it on my phone instead if having to get on the computer. =)

3 | Left by Brandon | Dec. 21, 2010 at 2:31pm

That is really moving. I can relate to that girl. I used to cut and TWLOHA helped me by making me feel like im not alone.

4 | Left by cathy | Dec. 21, 2010 at 2:52pm

i was moved by this story very much, especially because I myself have had difficult discussing my own story with my parents. I am glad TWLOHA has had a great part in helping your family.

5 | Left by leslie | Dec. 21, 2010 at 3:52pm

that girl is very fortunate to have such a supportive mother. i wish more people would be understanding of these issues instead of angry.

6 | Left by linds | Dec. 21, 2010 at 4:30pm

This definitely move me! What an amazing story of hope :) thanks for sharing and making me cry at work :P

7 | Left by Michelle | Dec. 21, 2010 at 5:21pm

I want to thank this mother for sharing such a beautiful story. I have a friend now who, like me, is struggling with addictions - I pray that her own mother can be just as supportive and loving. Thanks for sharing this, TWLOHA.

8 | Left by Lacey | Dec. 21, 2010 at 5:21pm

I pray that this mom's daughter gets help. I have been "sober" for almost 11 months now, and it's definitely hard, but she isn't alone.
I also pray that someone from TWLOHA would care enough to e-mail me back. Your story matters, right? Why hasn't my story been read? I e-mailed you guys a while back, but a lot more has happened since then, and there's a lot more for me to talk about. I made the first move a couple months ago. Now, it's your turn.

9 | Left by That Girl | Dec. 21, 2010 at 6:21pm

she's so blessed to have a mom like she does. i'm amazed.

10 | Left by Anon | Dec. 21, 2010 at 7:11pm

Another life may have been saved. God bless you TWLOHA.

11 | Left by Izmir | Dec. 21, 2010 at 9:44pm

awesome - thank you 'mom' for sharing an amazing story about you and your brave daughter!

12 | Left by lisa | Dec. 22, 2010 at 5:57am

this sounds almost exactly like my story, only i havent been to an event yet. when are you guys coming to detroit? I love you all

13 | Left by Zoe | Dec. 22, 2010 at 8:46am

Tears are welling in my eyes as I read this. It is unbelievable, hopeful, and so very amazing to know that people find hope in other people. They find strength in each other. And in the end, they find help... what an incredible 13 year old to be able to ask for it.

14 | Left by Carly | Dec. 22, 2010 at 9:41am

Wow, such a beautiful story! I still struggle with cutting myself, but TWLOHA reminds me that if others can stop, so can I. We're all fighting this together. :)

15 | Left by Amber | Dec. 22, 2010 at 8:29pm

My heart goes out to that girl and her mother. I have been sharing this website and the vision of TWLOHA with my students and in one day I have affected more students than I thought! I am so glad these kids have somewhere to turn!
Happy Holidays!

16 | Left by Kellie | Dec. 23, 2010 at 6:11am

Listen, I love you guys.
So much.
If you guys weren't here, I know so many people who wouldn't be here either. You have a powerful movement that's helped me, and all my emo/depressed friends.
I wouldn't be doing good without you guys.
THANK YOU for the amazing work you do.
and is there any way I could contact you? I want to say a few things..

17 | Left by Didi | Dec. 23, 2010 at 7:08am

this is amazing. i literally cried while reading this.
you guys are amazing, this girl is amazing, her mom is amazing, & the story is amazing. i love it. one day, i will be that girl. i will tell my mom what's been going on. but right now, i will continue to read stories like this that give me hope that everything will be okay.

18 | Left by Krista | Dec. 23, 2010 at 7:25pm

This made me smile. It is nice to know that there are moms like you around. I wish my parents could have been as supportive and loving as you have been to your daughter. It seems like she is lucky to have you in her life. Keep doing what you are doing.

19 | Left by Katie | Dec. 23, 2010 at 7:55pm

I want to say your daughter is very brave.
I still have yet to tell my own parents about my addiction with cutting. They know I have struggled with suicide but I
never had the courage to tell them what I have done. I have been clean for over a year and I have still to tell my parents and I wish I was braver

20 | Left by Juels | Dec. 23, 2010 at 8:50pm

Mothers like that make things like this possible. Life for myself, and so many other people would be so much better if our mothers were half as understanding as this woman. She is a very lucky girl. And you're a wonderful mom.

and thank you Chris/TWLOHA for posting this e-mail.

21 | Left by Dayelle | Dec. 24, 2010 at 5:53pm

This, unlike so many things I read these days, made me shed a tear of joy. This is a moment to celebrate and cherish. I would bet that if some youth who are in trouble and dont have a mom like this, I bet they have some female figure somewhere in their life who would take this step. Search them out. They are there and they want to help.

22 | Left by brokentogether | Dec. 24, 2010 at 7:59pm

This story, this story relates to me so much. I'm 13 and I had struggled with the same thing earlier this year along with deppression. I want to say that iv'e have fallen in love with TWLOHA. It has turned my life around and I have seeked help. Thank you for sharing this story, I now know i'm not the only 13 year old out there struggling with things like this.

23 | Left by myself | Dec. 25, 2010 at 6:29am

I'm glad that you all are getting more reinforcement that the work you do is important and life-changing. Thanks again for all that you do!!

24 | Left by Jess | Dec. 25, 2010 at 7:30pm

That is so amazing! Knowing you are not alone in this can be sooooo important!! She is so lucky to have a mom like you, that is willing and able to help her with this. I wish the best for you and your daughter!

25 | Left by Alexis | Dec. 25, 2010 at 9:06pm

I wish my mom could be this wonderful. My mom is wonderful don't get me wrong... But not when it comes to stuff about cutting, addiction, or TWLOHA... Moms like this one are truly helping their children heal.

26 | Left by Kristene | Dec. 26, 2010 at 12:12am

WOW thats an amazing story I to have a problem with cutting and that has almost made me want to tell my mom but I dont think she will understand but this story is amazing!!!!

27 | Left by Anon | Dec. 26, 2010 at 9:43pm

I'm the mom who wrote this essay and gave Chris permission to post it.

I just want to say thank you to all of you who've talked about how brave and wonderful my daughter and I are. Truthfully--I only did what I knew I could and had to do. Finding out that she was cutting was my 52nd birthday present. Not what any mom wants for any birthday, that's for sure. My daughter's been reading your comments, too; I'll let her post her own response if she's so inclined. I don't speak for her, even when I think I know what she would say.

I also want to echo the thanks from all of you to Chris, Jamie, and the rest of the folks who give of their time and themselves to TWLOHA. We'd all be worse off without them--and without one another. No one here is alone. Not one of us.

Blessings of the season to you all, and wishes for a better 2011.

TheMom

28 | Left by TheMom | Dec. 27, 2010 at 5:47am

Just wanted to tell you how wonderful it is that you're so supportive of your daughter and even that you are willing to recognize this as a real problem rather than a "drama queen" type plea for attention as so many do.

29 | Left by Ellie | Dec. 27, 2010 at 10:02pm

Awwh. Thats a really touching story... I'm 12 and I wish my parents cared about me like that mother did. I also cut. I've always wanted to go to one of their events. I have a purple TWLOHA shirt... I plan on getting more:D

30 | Left by Lesley | Dec. 28, 2010 at 7:44am

I really wish my family would have had this same reaction when I told them about TWLOHA. I've been struggling with the same things since I was eleven, and I'm fifteen now and still mending. I've struggled with self harm, and suicidal thoughts as well as attempts, that they've sort of just brushed off of their shoulder. They will make me appointments for my therapist every so often, but mostly they don't have time to take me to them. But at the same time, I am okay with that. Without their help, I found ways to help myself through TWLOHA, and I truly believe that this is the reason why I am who I am today. And that is exactly what I needed. Some people need their parents to help them get through things, some people need friends. And some people need to get through it on their own. It took this story to help me realize that.

To the mom that posted this, Thank you so increadibly much for allowing Chris to share this. This was so moving, and so very helpful. And to your daughter, she is so beautifully blessed to have a mother like you, I will pray that she continues to stay strong and to have hope.

Sorry that this is so long. c':

31 | Left by Sabrina | Dec. 28, 2010 at 1:49pm

I wish all parents were this supportive, I got yelled at by my sister when she found out....

32 | Left by Michelle | Dec. 28, 2010 at 8:33pm

This story inspired me so much. I finallyy told myy mom that ii was addicted to cutting and she's getting me the help ii need. Thankyouu so much.

33 | Left by Katie | Dec. 28, 2010 at 10:35pm

this is so amazing. i'm glad that everyone speaking up and telling their stories means there are more resources out there now. god bless.

34 | Left by mermaid2010 | Dec. 29, 2010 at 6:54pm

i've battled with cutting for so long it's ridiculous. it has become more then a coping mechanism, but an addiction; a disease.
my family has found out plenty of times and offered therapy, which i tried, but found to be unsuccessful. i kept doing it, actually afraid to say anything, because i didn't want to be a dissapointment, i couldnt stand the sadness that i brought on. i've battled on and off eating disorders as well, but cutting myself seemed like my safety suit.
we can only change and grow stronger once we are ready. once there is enough belief in ourselves and confidence too overcome the fear and pain.
but TWLOHA...is a beaken of light. the hope that never is to far out of reach.
thank you.

35 | Left by Brittany | Dec. 30, 2010 at 9:42pm

Wow.. That is truly an amazing story, I've self harmed before I never really found it addictive but comforting, is that wrong? does that mean that I was doing it for attention? It's really confusing. I never told my parents, or anyone in my family for that matter, I dont think of my mom as someone I can talk to her.. Cause we dont get along but this story is inspiring.. Really it is, I wish I lived in America so I could go to these events!! I really want to go see them & I really want to get the gear so i can support ye.
Thanks.

36 | Left by Hazel | Jan. 7, 2011 at 12:13pm

Hi, Hazel. It's The Mom again.

I can speak for my daughter in this regard: She was doing it for the attention, yes, but she also felt herself wanting to do it as an addictive behavior. She started with wanting attention from some of her friends who had begun to turn their backs on her for what are, to me, poor reasons of mean-spirited thirteen-year-old schoolgirl drama. This all came out into the open during the meeting she and I had with her psychiatrist, following months of sessions with her therapist.

Don't let yourself think it's somehow less "important" if you're "only doing it for the attention." Harming yourself for any reason at all is not healthy.

I'm so sorry to hear you don't feel like you can talk to you mom about this. Granted, I was pretty devastated when I found out about my daughter--but I also knew that I couldn't just let things go, I couldn't lay the blame on her and shrug off my responsibility for her. As I said before, I did what I knew I needed to do--because I love her. Sure, it hurt, but ignoring it would have hurt more. (Hurt everyone, not just her, not just me--everyone.)

I hope you can find some adult you feel you can trust with this, and talk to them. Perhaps a teacher, or someone at a church you attend (if you do), or a friend's mom?

You're not alone. Whatever else you think, know that. You are not alone.

The Mom

37 | Left by TheMom | Jan. 9, 2011 at 9:29am

Im a 12 year old girl in 6th grade. Ive been suffering with depression and cutting for 2 years. My parents knew and I lied and said i wouldnt cut any more. I went to therpy and everything. It didnt work. I have 2 friends that understand the depression part just not the cutting. I scare them frequently telling them i dont want to live. I also get bullied at school for being the "emo" girl. People have said things that involve my cutting to me and this only makes the depression worse. I wish my parents werent blind and see my pain

38 | Left by Emmie | Jan. 10, 2011 at 6:50pm

i cried reading this and i NEVER cry. i am 13 years old. and the entire year of 6th i cut. im in 7th now. and TWLOHA helped me SO much. im very very happy to know that im not alone.and Rescue Is Possible
~jess:)

39 | Left by jess | Jan. 11, 2011 at 2:49pm

Oh MAN that made me cry!!! She is blessed to have a mom like you!!! And kudos to her for choosing the direction she wants to take...step by step. Wow. So awesome.

40 | Left by Caitlin | Jan. 19, 2011 at 10:12am

@ Emmie.
your parents arent blind Emmie, parents see pain in their children everytime they feel it. sometimes its better to not believe something is real then to accept what their child is doing. when my parents got a call from my school saying that i was being held in the school office for depression and cutting because i couldnt be around other students due to the fact that i "could harm them", they didnt even know what to say. we really didnt even talk about it. not because they didnt care, but because they didnt want to believe it was true. your parents do care Emmie. im 100% sure that your loved and cared for by many people. some that you never even know cared.

41 | Left by Zach | Jan. 24, 2011 at 6:15pm

guys im truely moved by this post. her mom is so understanding. If only my parents could be that way....ive been addicted to self harming for 2 years but its gotten better(atleast as much as better it can get) I am reading these articles and I am so amazed. I have a great group of friends who help me....but ive lost most of them my parents like to hide the truth...but I know with the strength I get from here I may be able to talk about this as the past.

42 | Left by shianne | Feb. 1, 2011 at 2:10pm