Lifeline Gallery: Stories of Hope and Recovery

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. How do I create my own avatar?
  2. Why doesn't my avatar appear in the gallery after I post my story?
  3. I'm in crisis, how can I get immediate help?
  4. What is the 'embed player' option on my story?
  5. I want to tell my story, but don’t want anyone to recognize me – what do I do?
  6. How can I get more involved in suicide prevention?
  7. Can I post my story to MySpace or another website?
  8. I heard someone's story, and I really want to contact them – how do I do that?
  9. I don't get it, none of it, is there a how-to manual?
  10. I want to delete my story from the Lifeline Gallery, how do I do that?
  11. I'm not seeing any stories in the gallery window, why?

  1. How do I create my own avatar?

    Start by choosing a category - Loss, Turning Points, or Helpers - by clicking on the buttons located on the bottom of your screen. If you cannot see the category buttons, scroll down. Once you have picked a category, be sure to listen to the avatar that tells you about the different categorized sections of the gallery. In the bottom right hand corner you will see a red "Create your Own" button. That button will launch a window showing an avatar - a digital representation of oneself. Start by choosing a character that closely resembles you, and then modify them to your liking. There are slider bars that will do anything from make the avatars mouth, nose, and head bigger to allowing you to choose your age, and amount of makeup! Have fun adding accessories too. After you've created your avatar (we usually spend about 10 minutes playing with them, we can't help it!) you can then tell your story. Choose either "Text to speech," "Record by Phone" or "Pre-Recorded." Then follow the on-screen directions and share your story.

  2. Why doesn't my avatar appear in the gallery after I post my story?

    Every avatar is reviewed by the monitoring team to make sure all stories are safe and effective. This process takes 24-48 hours. If your story does not appear in 24-48 hours it is possible that your story did not follow the Lifeline Gallery Guidelines. Please read the guidelines and try to share your story again. It is also possible that you did not complete all the steps to posting your story to the gallery.

  3. I'm in crisis, how can I get immediate help?

    You can get immediate crisis help 24/7 by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK. Your call is free and confidential. If you ever need to talk to someone, help is always there.

  4. What is the 'embed player' option on my story?

    Once a gallery story is posted, there are three different options to share your story outside of the gallery—email, url and embed. The embed player code can be copied and pasted onto a social networking page, blog or website by viewing a story and then clicking on 'Embed Player.' Your avatar will then appear on your site. The embed player also acts as a link to the Lifeline Gallery.

  5. I want to tell my story, but don’t want anyone to recognize me – what do I do?

    No problem, while we usually encourage people to create an avatar that closely resembles them, we certainly don't require it. Also, you can choose the 'Text to Speech' option to have a voice, other than your own, tell your story. You are not required to give your full name or real name.

  6. How can I get more involved in suicide prevention?

    There are so many ways to help in suicide prevention. Have a look at the Resources & Links page for more information.

  7. Can I post my story to MySpace or another website?

    Yes! After your story is posted to the gallery, you'll be able to embed your avatar onto your MySpace profile or website. To do so click on the "Embed Player" button and copy the embed code and then paste it onto your site.

  8. I heard someone's story, and I really want to contact them – how do I do that?

    Privacy is important to us, so we don't require that people make their contact information public. However, if someone does want to be contacted, they can leave a link to their website or social networking profile - look for that information next to their avatar.

  9. I don't get it, none of it, is there a how-to manual?

    Yes! Well, there is an avatar that explains exactly how to use the Lifeline Gallery. Visit her by clicking here, or on the 'How-To' button located on the homepage. She is waiting to help you!

  10. I want to delete my story from the Lifeline Gallery, how do I do that?

    If you would like to delete your story please email us at lifelinegallery@mhaofnyc.org and let us know. Please include the name you used on your avatar in the email. We will be able to process your request in 24-48 hours.

  11. I'm not seeing any stories in the gallery window, why?

    If you are not seeing any avatars/stories in the gallery window you may need to download the most recent version of adobe flash. Start by clicking here. Also, you may need to update your browser. For example, Internet Explorer 7.0 works best with the Lifeline Gallery.