Kids and young adults are killing themselves in our country at an increasing rate, and we Americans have not been moved. We have yet to fully accept an established medical fact: the despair that leads to suicide is nearly always caused by mental illness. Knowing its cause, we can prevent suicide in many more cases.
Just as we prepare our youth for the threat of AIDS in sex education, we should prepare them for the threat of suicide in mental health programs. Sadly, we don’t. Where there should be dialogue, openness and understanding, there is silence, stigma and ignorance.
Living Proof seeks to change this picture with broad strokes. Our first initiative is to produce and distribute a documentary video aimed at teens and young adults. This project has a simple, if ambitious goal: to eradicate the risk of facing mental illness blindly. Coping with illness is a tremendous challenge, and its onset can be an especially dangerous time. If we continue to allow ignorance and fear to exacerbate feelings of helplessness, we’ll be paying the price in lives.
Knowledge and compassion are the tools our kids need. Please join us in our efforts to increase both.
- Living Proof Productions is a 501(c)(3) organization; donations are tax-deductible.
- Our directors are Douglas Faneuil, Marc Powers and Kathy Dillon.
- We are located at 180 31st St. Brooklyn, NY 11232.
Douglas Faneuil is the founder of Living Proof Productions, a not-for-profit devoted to suicide prevention based in New York City. He also designs database solutions for companies throughout the Northeast.