Second Life Survivors of Suicide Project

by Josue Habana | January 11, 2010 | 2 comments

In a dimly lit room, a small group of women discuss a matter than is widely and wrongly considered taboo: suicide. They discuss the topic candidly surrounded by candles lit in memory of some of those who have taken their own lives, by the people who miss them the most. This is the Survivors of Suicide project and it’s not in a small town community centre. It isn’t in a church. It doesn’t take place in a sterile medical centre. It is, instead, in a warm and welcoming building in the virtual world of Second Life.

Krissy Sinclair is the Second Life resident responsible for the immersive exhibit and conversation platform, which has been around for 8 months. A real life clinical social worker, Krissy runs a Survivors of Suicide support group offline too. Her encounters offline with those who have lost someone to suicide or who have perhaps survived their own attempt at suicide inspired her to recreate the project in Second Life. This allows people from all over the world to discuss the difficult issue from the comfort of their own home in an environment in which we notoriously feel less inhibited. Krissy believes passionately that the issue needs to be discussed.

“Let’s bring the subject of suicide out of the dark and into the light,” she tells me. “Let’s no longer hide discussion of suicide and instead offer support to those who need it. Many people have no understanding of what it feels like to feel the need to end their own lives. The first part of this exhibit is meant to help them develop an understanding. Suicide is an issue that still hides in many closets. The second part of this exhibit will help shed light by encouraging information and support which can help those who suffer.”

The project is affiliated with the real life Mental Health Association of West Florida and provides educational material on suicide and suicide prevention as well as sponsoring educational discussion and educational groups on the topic of mental health. The centre’s memorial candles can be dedicated by anyone, to someone they have lost to suicide and contain notes with more information about the individual or a simple message from the grieving loved one left behind. “The stories,” Krissy tells me, “Are meant to be shared. I have met wonderful people since starting this project. Some people are dealing with depression themselves, some have attempted suicide and lived, some have lost a loved one to suicide and some come just to learn more about suicide or to get help for a friend.”

The Survivors of Suicide project also has a social element. As well as live music events and a host of fun facilities (for example tennis and horse riding) the centre holds poetry contests and art exhibitions.

It’s a project requiring a lot of work on Krissy’s part. Fortunately, she has the assistance of her partner, Carmichael Caudron and a growing team of volunteers. A number of designers have helped to spread the word about the project by displaying posters in their stores too. And the work is far from over. The team involved with the project plan to translate all the resources into a number of different languages, expanding the demographic they can help.

The Survivors of Suicide project is a fine example of the use of Second Life and virtual worlds in general, in a productive way to help those who might otherwise find it difficult to seek or find such help. Its implementation within Second Life represents a recognition of the potential of virtual worlds to change lives in a positive way.

You can find the Survivors of Suicide Project in Second Life here: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Haetae/202/111/113

Resources

Mental Health Association of West Florida, Inc: www.mhawfl.org

Suicide Hotline: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org