Press "Enter" to skip to content

Hope Happens | Julia Hansen | TEDxYouth@CEHS


I want to kill myself

I want to kill myself kill me now I literally want to die I

kill me now I literally want to die I

kill me now I literally want to die I hear these words are on me each and

hear these words are on me each and

hear these words are on me each and every day by friends family and

every day by friends family and

every day by friends family and classmates I hear these words with a

classmates I hear these words with a

classmates I hear these words with a different ear than many other teens hear

different ear than many other teens hear

different ear than many other teens hear these words I hear these words knowing

these words I hear these words knowing

these words I hear these words knowing the immense impact suicide has on one’s

the immense impact suicide has on one’s

the immense impact suicide has on one’s life I’m a 17 year old girl and last

life I’m a 17 year old girl and last

life I’m a 17 year old girl and last year I lost my two closest friends to

year I lost my two closest friends to

year I lost my two closest friends to suicide along with this I have suffered

suicide along with this I have suffered

suicide along with this I have suffered from depression and struggled with my

from depression and struggled with my

from depression and struggled with my own suicidal thoughts each time these

own suicidal thoughts each time these

own suicidal thoughts each time these words are thrown around I am brought

words are thrown around I am brought

words are thrown around I am brought back to that life shattering car ride

back to that life shattering car ride

back to that life shattering car ride when my mom told me Payton killed

when my mom told me Payton killed

when my mom told me Payton killed herself all the time I sat on the floor

herself all the time I sat on the floor

herself all the time I sat on the floor screaming why me why’d I have to lose

screaming why me why’d I have to lose

screaming why me why’d I have to lose another friend after heard the news

another friend after heard the news

another friend after heard the news about buyout his death these words are

about buyout his death these words are

about buyout his death these words are thrown out casually not knowing the

thrown out casually not knowing the

thrown out casually not knowing the horrors that may cause for individuals

horrors that may cause for individuals

horrors that may cause for individuals including myself when you think a

including myself when you think a

including myself when you think a depression what do you see it’s a

depression what do you see it’s a

depression what do you see it’s a dressed in black cutter a stick-thin

dressed in black cutter a stick-thin

dressed in black cutter a stick-thin girl these individuals could easily be

girl these individuals could easily be

girl these individuals could easily be depressed but the happy smiling person

depressed but the happy smiling person

depressed but the happy smiling person you see before you today is also very

you see before you today is also very

you see before you today is also very depressed I vividly remember driving a

depressed I vividly remember driving a

depressed I vividly remember driving a car with my mom and her commenting on

car with my mom and her commenting on

car with my mom and her commenting on how that girl must be so depressed

how that girl must be so depressed

how that girl must be so depressed really because of the way she carried

really because of the way she carried

really because of the way she carried herself and her outfit choices but so am

herself and her outfit choices but so am

herself and her outfit choices but so am i I said astonished so am i and yet no

i I said astonished so am i and yet no

i I said astonished so am i and yet no one would think of the person that I am

one would think of the person that I am

one would think of the person that I am to be someone that’s dealing with

to be someone that’s dealing with

to be someone that’s dealing with depression Payton killed herself October

depression Payton killed herself October

depression Payton killed herself October 31st of last year she was an amazing

31st of last year she was an amazing

31st of last year she was an amazing cross-country runner an avid Model UN

cross-country runner an avid Model UN

cross-country runner an avid Model UN competitor a great mentor for younger

competitor a great mentor for younger

competitor a great mentor for younger kids and the best friend I could ever

kids and the best friend I could ever

kids and the best friend I could ever ask for

ask for

ask for she had a radiating smile that always

she had a radiating smile that always

she had a radiating smile that always managed to brighten the mood this helped

managed to brighten the mood this helped

managed to brighten the mood this helped save me nobody thought of Payton to be

save me nobody thought of Payton to be

save me nobody thought of Payton to be depressed let alone suicidal when people

depressed let alone suicidal when people

depressed let alone suicidal when people thought of Payton they thought of her

thought of Payton they thought of her

thought of Payton they thought of her incredible positivity her amazing

incredible positivity her amazing

incredible positivity her amazing enthusiasm and unwavering love and

enthusiasm and unwavering love and

enthusiasm and unwavering love and support nobody thought of someone else

support nobody thought of someone else

support nobody thought of someone else kept up brutally with insomnia or

kept up brutally with insomnia or

kept up brutally with insomnia or someone that could take their own life

someone that could take their own life

someone that could take their own life Beata had similar talents of being able

Beata had similar talents of being able

Beata had similar talents of being able to brighten the mood her emanating

to brighten the mood her emanating

to brighten the mood her emanating positivity made everyone fall in love

positivity made everyone fall in love

positivity made everyone fall in love with her immediately this helped save me

with her immediately this helped save me

with her immediately this helped save me she wasn’t someone to walk around dark

she wasn’t someone to walk around dark

she wasn’t someone to walk around dark sullen and gloomy she was someone to

sullen and gloomy she was someone to

sullen and gloomy she was someone to find something beautiful in each and

find something beautiful in each and

find something beautiful in each and every day and made sure others found

every day and made sure others found

every day and made sure others found that beauty as well my friends do not

that beauty as well my friends do not

that beauty as well my friends do not fit into societal standards of

fit into societal standards of

fit into societal standards of depression

depression

depression everyone has their own personal story

everyone has their own personal story

everyone has their own personal story with their own levels of depth I suffer

with their own levels of depth I suffer

with their own levels of depth I suffer from depression I suffer from depression

from depression I suffer from depression

from depression I suffer from depression say it out loud smash the stigma address

say it out loud smash the stigma address

say it out loud smash the stigma address it because it’s a real issue that’s not

it because it’s a real issue that’s not

it because it’s a real issue that’s not going anywhere this is what payton made

going anywhere this is what payton made

going anywhere this is what payton made me do

me do

me do she made me address the fact that i was

she made me address the fact that i was

she made me address the fact that i was mentally ill and needed help urgently on

mentally ill and needed help urgently on

mentally ill and needed help urgently on a spring sunday night i brutally cut

a spring sunday night i brutally cut

a spring sunday night i brutally cut myself with a buy local pin leaving

myself with a buy local pin leaving

myself with a buy local pin leaving ragged red markings on my left forearm

ragged red markings on my left forearm

ragged red markings on my left forearm my parents saw these markings asked what

my parents saw these markings asked what

my parents saw these markings asked what they were and i responded with a little

they were and i responded with a little

they were and i responded with a little mishap in a thorn-bush

mishap in a thorn-bush

mishap in a thorn-bush after this the conversation ended

after this the conversation ended

after this the conversation ended because obviously they’re sweet Juli was

because obviously they’re sweet Juli was

because obviously they’re sweet Juli was rummaging around on a thorn bush on a

rummaging around on a thorn bush on a

rummaging around on a thorn bush on a Sunday night right no they’re oblivious

Sunday night right no they’re oblivious

Sunday night right no they’re oblivious to the obvious truth that their sweet

to the obvious truth that their sweet

to the obvious truth that their sweet julia was very depressed and purposely

julia was very depressed and purposely

julia was very depressed and purposely harming herself on monday Payton saw

harming herself on monday Payton saw

harming herself on monday Payton saw these markings and asked what they are a

these markings and asked what they are a

these markings and asked what they are a little mishap on a thorn bush I

little mishap on a thorn bush I

little mishap on a thorn bush I responded they slide I go to well with

responded they slide I go to well with

responded they slide I go to well with her though from then on she completely

her though from then on she completely

her though from then on she completely put me under her wing and gave me

put me under her wing and gave me

put me under her wing and gave me unfaltering love and support I’m Tuesday

unfaltering love and support I’m Tuesday

unfaltering love and support I’m Tuesday I had a doctor’s appointment I got a TB

I had a doctor’s appointment I got a TB

I had a doctor’s appointment I got a TB shot TB shots are injected directly into

shot TB shots are injected directly into

shot TB shots are injected directly into your left forearm and let me remind you

your left forearm and let me remind you

your left forearm and let me remind you this is exactly where those red markings

this is exactly where those red markings

this is exactly where those red markings were still very apparent as I walked

were still very apparent as I walked

were still very apparent as I walked into the hospital I was nervous of what

into the hospital I was nervous of what

into the hospital I was nervous of what the nurse would say what she would say

the nurse would say what she would say

the nurse would say what she would say about my mental health of what she would

about my mental health of what she would

about my mental health of what she would say about the markings on my arm and

say about the markings on my arm and

say about the markings on my arm and what she would say to my parents the

what she would say to my parents the

what she would say to my parents the nurse entered rolled up my sleeve

nurse entered rolled up my sleeve

nurse entered rolled up my sleeve injected a needle and said goodbye with

injected a needle and said goodbye with

injected a needle and said goodbye with no mention of the fact that a girl

no mention of the fact that a girl

no mention of the fact that a girl sitting before her so obviously was self

sitting before her so obviously was self

sitting before her so obviously was self harming although I was nervous of what

harming although I was nervous of what

harming although I was nervous of what the nurse would say about the markings

the nurse would say about the markings

the nurse would say about the markings on my arm

on my arm

on my arm part of me needed her to say something

part of me needed her to say something

part of me needed her to say something because it was to the point where I

because it was to the point where I

because it was to the point where I needed more intervention the fact that

needed more intervention the fact that

needed more intervention the fact that there was no mention of the markings on

there was no mention of the markings on

there was no mention of the markings on my arm made me crawl even deeper into

my arm made me crawl even deeper into

my arm made me crawl even deeper into myself and become even more depressed

myself and become even more depressed

myself and become even more depressed this sent paint into a rage though she

this sent paint into a rage though she

this sent paint into a rage though she was so mad that they would be so idiotic

was so mad that they would be so idiotic

was so mad that they would be so idiotic and say nothing about the markings on my

and say nothing about the markings on my

and say nothing about the markings on my arm pain was my complete support

arm pain was my complete support

arm pain was my complete support mechanism Payton made me speak about my

mechanism Payton made me speak about my

mechanism Payton made me speak about my depression mental illness is a silent

depression mental illness is a silent

depression mental illness is a silent epidemic although what although one in

epidemic although what although one in

epidemic although what although one in five individuals suffer from some sort

five individuals suffer from some sort

five individuals suffer from some sort of mental illness it was completely

of mental illness it was completely

of mental illness it was completely pushed under the rug and we do not

pushed under the rug and we do not

pushed under the rug and we do not address it we talk about broken bones

address it we talk about broken bones

address it we talk about broken bones and we talk about headaches but the mere

and we talk about headaches but the mere

and we talk about headaches but the mere thought of talking about mental illness

thought of talking about mental illness

thought of talking about mental illness makes people run far and fast

makes people run far and fast

makes people run far and fast last spring I wanted to kill myself but

last spring I wanted to kill myself but

last spring I wanted to kill myself but I was done being silent I told my

I was done being silent I told my

I was done being silent I told my parents and they brought me to the

parents and they brought me to the

parents and they brought me to the hospital they saved me I saved myself

hospital they saved me I saved myself

hospital they saved me I saved myself purely because I could speak about my

purely because I could speak about my

purely because I could speak about my depression this is a message I want to

depression this is a message I want to

depression this is a message I want to spread far and wide because of this I

spread far and wide because of this I

spread far and wide because of this I created a project I call the yellow

created a project I call the yellow

created a project I call the yellow tulip project which is meant to spread

tulip project which is meant to spread

tulip project which is meant to spread hope and happiness and try to remind

hope and happiness and try to remind

hope and happiness and try to remind people that even in the hardest and

people that even in the hardest and

people that even in the hardest and darkest of times hope still really is

darkest of times hope still really is

darkest of times hope still really is out there Payton’s favorite color was

out there Payton’s favorite color was

out there Payton’s favorite color was yellow and they out his favorite flower

yellow and they out his favorite flower

yellow and they out his favorite flower was a tulip so for me it was a perfect

was a tulip so for me it was a perfect

was a tulip so for me it was a perfect combination of my friends lives in the

combination of my friends lives in the

combination of my friends lives in the fall we planted Hope gardens which is a

fall we planted Hope gardens which is a

fall we planted Hope gardens which is a community gathering while planting

community gathering while planting

community gathering while planting yellow tulip bulbs into the ground we

yellow tulip bulbs into the ground we

yellow tulip bulbs into the ground we planted Hope gardens at hospitals

planted Hope gardens at hospitals

planted Hope gardens at hospitals schools and all and other communities

schools and all and other communities

schools and all and other communities around New England pannabai oughta put

around New England pannabai oughta put

around New England pannabai oughta put so much of their love and energy into

so much of their love and energy into

so much of their love and energy into making people feel loved and cherished I

making people feel loved and cherished I

making people feel loved and cherished I believe that through this project our

believe that through this project our

believe that through this project our legacy can continue on I’m a seventeen

legacy can continue on I’m a seventeen

legacy can continue on I’m a seventeen year old girl who lost my two closest

year old girl who lost my two closest

year old girl who lost my two closest friends to suicide I’m a seventeen year

friends to suicide I’m a seventeen year

friends to suicide I’m a seventeen year old girl who is a passionate musician

old girl who is a passionate musician

old girl who is a passionate musician artist and worker I’m depressed but

artist and worker I’m depressed but

artist and worker I’m depressed but today I am healthy I want to kill myself

today I am healthy I want to kill myself

today I am healthy I want to kill myself kill me now I literally want to die

kill me now I literally want to die

kill me now I literally want to die think before you speak

think before you speak

think before you speak thank you

thank you

thank you [Applause]

”

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *