A silent suicide epidemic is sweeping Brazil. The number of suicides here has spiked 73 percent since 2000, claiming 11,000 lives a year, and is now the fourth-leading cause of death among young people.

In Brazilian society, positivity and optimism are valued, while suicide and depression are taboo topics, experts say. Teenagers confronting mental illness and the relatives of those who have committed suicide often feel isolated and invisible.

Bereaved parents of suicide victims are now turning to each other and forming support groups to learn how to carry on when all that remains of their children are the objects and photos they left behind.