ESB ElectricAid funds suicide prevention drama
News: ESB ElectricAid
A new play written and directed by Patrick Kearney and performed by Patrick McBrearty is to tour colleges across Donegal during 2010. Funded by ESB ElectricAid Ireland, the play, I Belong Here, will be followed by creative writing workshops designed to enable young people to recognise contributing factors to suicide; to discuss and find solutions to prevent suicide and to promote wellbeing and life.
The play is about a young man, Ger, whose best friend has died by suicide. In reflective mode, Ger articulates all the reasons why he will not copycat his friend's actions; why he will choose life over death. The core message that Ger communicates is the need for himself and other young people to belong: to reconnect with their real self, others, and the world about them.
The project is a pro-active and practical response to the increasing numbers of young people and particularly young men dying by suicide, says Patrick Kearney, who has for many years used the creative arts to promote health within communities.
He said, "Many boys today are in serious trouble. They are confused by society's mixed messages about what's expected of them. This leaves them experiencing a sadness and disconnection. Research shows that boys are performing less well in schools compared to girls, and that their self-esteem is fragile and rates of depression and suicide in boys are on the rise.
"In the education system, boys are now twice as likely as girls to be labelled learning disabled and are up to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with a serious emotional disorder - most especially attention deficit disorder, for which many boys receive potent medications with potentially serious side effects. Consequentially, boys are more likely to endure disciplinary problems, be suspended from classes, or actually drop out from school entirely. Boys are experiencing serious trouble outside school as well.
"The rate of depression among today's boys is shockingly high. Boys are up to three times more likely than girls to be the victim of a violent crime and up to six times more likely to suicide. Many boys who seem OK on the surface are suffering silently inside - from confusion, a sense of isolation and despair. They feel detached from parents, siblings, and peers. These feelings of loneliness may last throughout boyhood and continue into adult life. In order to help these boys, we need to get behind their mask of masculinity that most boys and men wear to hide their true inner feelings, to present to the world an image of male toughness, stoicism and strength, when in fact they feel desperately alone and afraid."
The Rathmullan-based writer and Letterkenny-based actor have also been supported by the Western Health&Social Care Trust to promote the project later this month in Derry to 400 health professionals at a major event promoting the prevention of self-harm and suicide.
For further information about I Belong Here, contact: 074 9158836 or visit www.artistsincreativeenterprise.com
