Blog Post #5, Informal Proposal Draft

On average, one person dies by suicide every forty seconds somewhere in the world. In 2009 the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration completed a survey in 2009 that indicated solely in that year, 23.5 million people, ages 12 and older, had needed to be treated for either drug abuse or alcoholism. Suicide, depression, addiction, and self-injury, words many are afraid to say, thoughts that are devastating, topics that are avoided, and issues that are heard of occurring world wide. People see these struggles as illnesses, in which some cases they are. However, the categorization of these struggles as an illness makes many people feel demeaned and ashamed to having succumbed to them. It makes people feel as if someone else had the knowledge of their struggles, they would be judged and turned away. This feeling of rejection makes many turn away from the idea of seeking help. To Write Love On Her Arms (TWLOHA) is a non-profit organization that raises awareness of these struggles and lets people know they are real. Unlike most organizations that help promote suicide awareness, TWLOHA concentrates more on helping people that are struggling with suicide, depression, self-injury, or addiction to help them know that it is ok to feel what they are feeling, that there are people and places that can help them get better, and by helping them realize that they are loved.

Jamie Tworkowski, an average young man, meets a girl named Renee on a night like any other. This nineteen-year-old girl is addicted to pot, cocaine, and many other drugs. She has also attempted suicide and has scars on her wrists from a razor she has been using to inflicting damage upon herself. She was supposed to go to rehab the next day, but in the morning she drinks and takes a razor blade to write "FUCKED UP" on her wrist. Upon Renee's arrival at rehab, a nurse sees this and Renee is rejected for being considered "too great a risk." This is when Jamie stepped in and within a week, him and her friends work tirelessly taking her places she liked, talking to her, showing her the fun she can have without drugs or alcohol, and in reality just giving her the love she was lacking. After just one week, Renee is able to give Jamie the last of her cocaine and the last razor blade she had, stating she was not going to need either anymore. In 2006, at the age of 30, Jamie Tworkowski wrote an essay during his journey with Renee, titling it "To Write Love On Her Arms." Soon, Jamie began his non-profit organization that partnered with bands, other organizations, therapists, and rehabilitation centers in hope to raise awareness in the world. 

TWLOHA strives to make known the real-world struggles that many people face and afraid to admit. They host events all over so that people may attend and hear the stories of other people who may have experienced a similar hardship to their own. Attendants learn that they are able to get out of any hole not matter how deep they may think themselves to be in. The bands playing, usually christian, string songs that are filled with hope. Donations from events and proceeds from the purchases of their clothing, which usually have the saying "to write love on her arms" on them, all go towards funding rehabilitation centers where these people may find help. Throughout the events, pamphlets and flyers of facilities, in the area where the even is taking place, are handed out to everyone so that they know where to get help within their home town. 

To Write Love On Her Arms, along with other movements that resemble itself, are saving people's lives everyday. The spread of positive ideas and energy radiates to encourage the people who are facing these struggles but are ashamed or think help is unattainable.  In the future we may begin to see the difference in the rates and statistics of suicide, addiction, self-injury, and depression. Researchers may begin to see how the encouragement of others can change a person's mood, behavior, and motivation. Their change in views of life that will stop them from their thoughts will be amaze researchers world-wide.