Suicide is never the right answer. There are always alternatives. It’s easy to think that there is no other way out of a situation, but it simply isn’t true. Suicide is often the result of emotional pain exceeding an individuals ability to cope with such pain. Taylor is a good example of this. His coping skills simply weren’t up to handling the emotional pain he suffered in his life. If he had stopped to think, he would have sought help, and wouldn’t have cheated himself out of the rest of his life. The problem is that those who are suicidal often don’t stop to think. They just assume there is no other way out. This was the situation with Mark. The loss of Taylor overloaded him with emotional pain. He could not cope with it, and wasn’t in a state of mind where he could give his actions thought. As a result, he died needlessly. If you’re considering suicide, do yourself and those around you a favor, seek help before you reach the point where your coping skills can handle what’s going on in your life. The tragedy depicted in this book is a good example of what can happen, if help isn’t sought. Don’t let the story of your life end the same. There are people just waiting to help you. The following is a list of toll free numbers where you can get the help you need. If you’re thinking about suicide, call now. Some numbers are answered 24 hours a day, others are not, but there is always a number to call. Many of the numbers below are especially for gay teens, but older individuals shouldn’t hesitate to call. If for some reason one number doesn’t work, try the next!

	Adolescent Suicide: 800-621-4000
	Covenant House (also suicide): 800-999-9999
	Girls and Boys Town National Hotline: 800-448-3000
	National Crisis Line: 866-334-4357
	National Hope Line Network: 800-784-2433
	National Hotline for Gay Teens: 800-969-6884
	Teen Line Hotline Help Center: 888-747-8336
	Trevor Project (suicide and counseling hotline): 800-850-8078

Remember, you can also call 911 and ask for a suicide hotline.

Additional numbers can be found by searching the internet and the yellow pages. A search for “gay youth suicide hotline” or simply “youth suicide hotline”, will bring up links to other places you can get help. The key is to get help, because life is worth living.