New PSA aims to raise awareness about those who struggle with mental health and substance abuse
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A new public service announcement is released aiming to raise awareness about people who struggle with both mental health issues and substance abuse for millions of people.
This is about grief turned into a mission. The new PSA is out on the anniversary of a young man's death.
"My son Harris was truly the young man who lit up a room. Kind, loving, athletic, so funny," Stephanie Marquesano said.
Harris Marquesano also struggled with anxiety and substance abuse. At age 19 he was dead, Harris' mother, Stephanie Marquesano, says it was from an accidental overdose.
"Every day I feel that loss incredibly," Marquesano said.
Stephanie says her son suffered from co-occurring disorders.
According to the National Institutes of Health that's when someone has both mental and substance abuse disorders.
About 7.7 million people are affected, along with probably millions more who aren't diagnosed.
"Even though people say they address it, they often fail because the system fails them," Marquesano said. "Nobody challenged the importance of linking mental health substance abuse and addiction to change outcomes and save lives."
She says years of therapy and rehab failed her son.
Aiming to save other families she started the Harris Project to raise awareness about co-occurring disorders.
"You need a multi-level approach to this," Marquesano said.
The Harris Project is releasing this new PSA on the anniversary of Harris' death.
It highlights the dangerous intersection between substance use and mental health.
"This is phase one of a project designed to first educate and empower young people their families and their loved ones about what co-occurring disorders is," Marquesano said.
She hopes with awareness there will be an understanding that addiction and mental health need to be treated independently and together, so no other mother confronts losing a child.
"Each day since then is worse if anything because he misses so many things," Marquesano said.
Harris would have been 29 now. That new PSA will be seen on a number of different platforms.