Behind the Faces of Suicide

Book excerpt: There is hope...Around the world, over one million people die by suicide each year, the majority due to mental illness. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. Behind the statistics are actual people, families, and friends. We have collectively chosen to share our stories of the loved ones we have lost to suicide. We want it to be known how these young people lived, how they were loved, how they struggled, and how they fought to conquer their diseases, until their battles were lost. We are surviving the greatest losses of our lives and strive to continue healing. There is great hope that there will be progress in research and funding for mental health, suicide prevention, and stopping the stigma.