{"id":25627,"date":"2026-04-08T14:46:52","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:46:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/?p=25627"},"modified":"2026-04-08T14:46:52","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T14:46:52","slug":"lets-talk-about-suicide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/lets-talk-about-suicide\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Talk About Suicide"},"content":{"rendered":"

23 March 2026 | Silver Spring, USA [Hope Media Europe and Adventist Review<\/em>]<\/p>\n

In many cultures\u2014and within faith communities\u2014suicide remains a subject surrounded by silence, discomfort, and misunderstanding. Yet silence often deepens suffering, leaving individuals and families to navigate pain alone. Inside Suicide<\/em>, a new four-part docuseries produced by the REMINDED project of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, seeks to change that reality by encouraging honest conversation, informed understanding, and compassionate response.<\/p>\n

Suicide is one of the most complex and painful challenges faced by individuals, families, and communities worldwide. It affects people across age groups, cultures, socioeconomic settings, and religious backgrounds. Despite its global impact, it is frequently treated as a taboo topic\u2014rarely addressed openly and often burdened by misinformation, fear, and deeply rooted myths. Faith communities are not immune to this struggle.<\/p>\n

Created as part of REMINDED\u2019s ongoing commitment to mental health education and suicide prevention, Inside Suicide<\/em> confronts these challenges directly\u2014without sensationalism, without theological oversimplification, and with a clear emphasis on hope.<\/p>\n

A Global, Documentary-Style Approach<\/h2>\n

Produced as a fully documentary series, Inside Suicide<\/em> consists of four episodes, each approximately 30 minutes long. Each episode explores different dimensions of suicide prevention, mental health, and faith, combining professional insight, lived experience, and theological reflection.<\/p>\n

The series features more than 35 interviews with mental health professionals, educators, theologians, and pastoral counsellors from around the world. Contributors represent at least eight countries, including Argentina, Brazil, the United States, Puerto Rico, Germany, Ukraine, Kenya, and South Korea. Many work within Adventist institutions, including Loma Linda University Health, Loma Linda University church, and Andrews University, as well as in community-based suicide prevention initiatives.<\/p>\n

The series also includes voices beyond the Adventist tradition. A Catholic priest and a Jewish rabbi offer historical and faith-based perspectives on suicide, underscoring that this is not a denominational issue, but a human one. Their inclusion reflects REMINDED\u2019s commitment to dialogue and collaboration across faiths, professions, and cultures.<\/p>\n

Stories That Humanise the Crisis<\/h2>\n

One of the most impactful aspects of Inside Suicide<\/em> is its inclusion of real-life stories. These testimonies are presented with care and sensitivity, not to shock, but to humanise a crisis often reduced to statistics.<\/p>\n

Among those featured is Aguska Mnich, also known as Aguska Free, a multiple-time world champion in freestyle football and a suicide attempt survivor. She shares her journey through some of the darkest moments of her life, including three suicide attempts, and reflects on how faith, professional support, and the discovery of freestyle football became lifesaving elements in her recovery.<\/p>\n

The series also includes the story of Mark Tamaleaa, a professional speaker in suicide prevention whose family lost a son to suicide in 2022, and Efra\u00edn Vel\u00e1zquez, an Adventist pastor and professor from Puerto Rico who also lost a son to suicide in recent years. Their testimonies offer an honest portrayal of grief, resilience, and the long journey of healing\u2014experiences shared by many families, yet rarely voiced publicly.<\/p>\n

Another compelling story highlighted in the series is \u201cAngels of the Bridge,\u201d a volunteer-led initiative in Corrientes, Argentina. For years, a group of young volunteers has maintained a continuous presence on one of the country\u2019s largest bridges, a site previously associated with a high number of suicide deaths. Through vigilance, conversation, and timely intervention, the initiative has reportedly helped save more than 160 lives in a little more than two years.<\/p>\n

Challenging Myths, Offering Hope<\/h2>\n

The objectives of Inside Suicide<\/em> are both clear and intentional.<\/p>\n

First, the series raises awareness, acknowledging suicide as a global crisis that affects all demographics\u2014from affluent societies to developing regions, from youth to older adults.<\/p>\n

Second, it encourages open and informed conversation. Schools, churches, families, and communities are invited to address suicide without fear, shame, or judgment. One episode is devoted entirely to dismantling common myths, misconceptions, and harmful theological assumptions that often prevent people from seeking help or offering support.<\/p>\n

Third, and most important, Inside Suicide<\/em> offers hope. While the series does not shy away from the darkness surrounding suicidal ideation and loss, it consistently points towards the possibility of healing, recovery, and life. Seeking professional help, relying on the community, and trusting in God\u2019s sustaining grace are presented not as weaknesses but as acts of courage.<\/p>\n

A Personal and Demanding Journey<\/h2>\n

For Adri\u00e1n Dur\u00e9, producer and director of the series, Inside Suicide<\/em> has been one of the most challenging projects of his career.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis has been one of the most difficult series I have ever produced,\u201d Dur\u00e9 says. \u201cMany of the questions raised forced me to revisit experiences from my own past\u2014very dark moments I had lived myself. Editing the series required an enormous emotional investment.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dur\u00e9 notes that the creative process demanded vulnerability and dependence on God. \u201cAt times, it felt like reopening a wound. But day by day God gave me the strength to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n

His hope is simple and deeply personal: \u201cIf through this series we can save even one life\u2014or help a parent, a friend, or a church member step in at the right moment\u2014then everything was worth it. The more we talk about suicide, the more lives we can save.\u201d<\/p>\n

An Invitation to the Church and Beyond<\/h2>\n

\u201cInside Suicide<\/em> is not merely a documentary series to be watched; it is a call to listen more carefully, speak more honestly, and care more intentionally,\u201d producers said. \u201cIt affirms that vulnerability is not something to fear, but a doorway to healing.\u201d<\/p>\n

They explained that \u201cas a global faith community committed to wholeness and compassion, the Adventist Church has an opportunity\u2014and a responsibility\u2014to help break the silence surrounding suicide. Inside Suicide<\/em> represents a meaningful step in that direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

The full docuseries is available at https:\/\/reminded.org\/documentaries<\/a>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

[Photo: Hope Media Europe]<\/em><\/p>\n

The original version<\/a> of this article was posted on the Adventist Review<\/a>\u00a0website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Adventist-produced series seeks to break the silence, open a path to hope<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":43,"featured_media":25628,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1574,7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-25627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellness","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/43"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25627"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25629,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25627\/revisions\/25629"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/25628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}