#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – Behind #Hollywood’s Rise In #Suicides – And What To Do About It

“#Suicides among famous people are up because #suicides among everyone in #America is up. It’s a national disaster,” says #KurtCobain biographer Charles R. Cross

Sharon Knolle

The tragic deaths of “Euphoria” actor #AngusCloud and Irish singer #SinéadOConnor are only the latest stark reminders of Hollywood’s prevalent #mentalhealth and #suicidecrisis.

Although, as of this writing, neither has been officially determined to have died by #suicide, both had been open about their struggles with #mentalhealth.

After every high-profile #suicide, such as “Breaking Bad” actor Mike Batayeh, country singer #NaomiJudd and “So You Can Think You Can Dance” judge #Stephen“tWitch”Boss, the question is debated whether the industry, as a whole, has done enough to support people who may be in crisis.

A number of #mentalhealthexperts told TheWrap that although #suicides among the general population rose during the #pandemic, people who work in entertainment can be particularly vulnerable.

“Entertainment is already an occupational group that’s at increased risk,” said Colleen Carr, director of the #NationalActionAllianceforSuicidePrevention, citing a study conducted by the #CDC in 2016 that demonstrated people who work in entertainment, #sports and media had #suiciderates significantly higher than those of the general population.

“#Suicides among famous people are up because #suicides among everyone in #America is up. It’s a national disaster. And we only pay attention to it, it seems, when a famous person dies,” said Charles R. Cross, author of the #KurtCobain biography “Heavier Than Heaven.”

Cross cited the lack of access to #mentalhealth care even for those who are insured as well as the often unmanageable costs of treatment and taking time off from work.

“If this were a disease you caught, there would be benefits every weekend, with everyone in #Hollywood doing things to raise awareness,” he told TheWrap.

The conversation about #suicideprevention in #Hollywood is ongoing, but it’s not always easy to tell who is having a #mentalhealthcrisis, let alone get them help in time.

Judd, who died by #suicide in April, talked publicly about her struggles with #depression. Judd’s daughters, Ashley and Wynonna, said in a statement at the time, “We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of #mentalillness.”

Fans were shocked by the seemingly out-of-nowhere December death of tWitch, who was always upbeat and smiling on the Fox competition series. Speaking six months after his death, his widow, dancer Allison Holker told “The Today Show,” “No one that saw this coming. No one…” She’s now committed to bringing awareness to #mentalhealth and helping people who are struggling to get the support they need.

Support on set

“There are not a lot of industries that have done a terrific job getting ahead of this current #mentalhealthcrisis,” said Ashley N. Kolaya, lead impact and engagement officer at USC Annenberg’s Mental Health Storytelling Initiative.

“The entertainment industry is especially demanding in terms of time you spend working away from family. You can be in situations where you’re confronted with #trauma and if you’re playing a character who experiences a tremendous #stress or traumatic experience, or if you’re editing a scene where that’s the case, these can fall under that risk factor category,” Kolaya continued.

She added that unions usually have some form of #mentalhealthcoverage, “but if I’m doing a scene that’s got me really triggered or upset, there’s not a clear, universal path for what to do in that situation.”

Kolaya cited the work done by one of the initiative’s coalition members, Amazon Studios, where “Underground Railroad” showrunner Barry Jenkins “made it a point” to have #mentalhealthprofessionals on site since the series dealt in such heavy topics as slavery and abuse.

“That’s the kind of example we would love to have everybody following. One of the things that coalition will be thinking about is how can we get the industry to adopt some best practices,” said Kolaya. 

“Yellowjackets” star Jasmin Savoy Brown, who had to take time to “decompress” after filming the very dark second season of the Showtime hit that involves murder and cannibalism, said the mostly #female cast relied on their intimacy coordinator for emotional support.

“Last season [the IC] was there for a couple of sex scenes. And then people started requesting her for other stuff — anytime there’s anything that might cause an emotional or psychological response. She emailed us and asked if we wanted her around, and towards the last couple episodes, she was there every day,” Brown told TheWrap in March.

The intimacy coordinators TheWrap spoke to for our June story about how their on-set roles have expanded, stressed the importance of also having a mental health expert, and not just an IC, available for actors and crew.

Kathy Kadler, who was an IC on Netflix’s “The Night Agent,” told TheWrap in May, “In my personal opinion, one of the reasons why we have such high levels of #suicide and #druguse in the industry is because we ask these performers to delve deep, to go vulnerable, to feel these big feelings. And then we finish that scene, we put them through wardrobe, hair and makeup and we pack them up in a car and we send them home.”

Kadler explained that ICs, along with professional #counselors, can help actors “debrief or de-role, which is a way of shedding the character.” She added, “So they’re not taking those leftover emotions z emotional bleed off is huge — back home, and then self medicating, however they choose.”

#James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation
website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

The media’s role

“I think entertainment plays a big part in portraying potential solutions, and [can also] contribute to the problem,” said Kolaya. “In a worst-case scenario universe, stories that are being told and consumed are actually causing more harm. And we know #suicidecontagion is a real thing. We want to make sure that content creators have a resource that they can turn to with experts in telling those kinds of stories that are informed and with the right knowledge and skill sets.

Netflix’s 2017 series “13 Reasons Why,” where the #suicide of one character sets the entire series in motion, was linked to a steep rise in online suicide searches and #suicidalbehavior, said Carr of research conducted by the #NationalInstituteofHealth.

“That really underscored the importance of responsible portrayal of #suicide and that helped to inform prevention efforts and outreach efforts,” she explained.

“It’s really important when we think about #mentalhealth and #suicideprevention, to recognize the key role that entertainment and news media played in changing the conversation about #suicide from one of #hopelessness and despair to one of hope and help-seeking and recovery,” said Carr.

“We know that the overwhelming majority of people who struggle with thoughts of #suicide do not die by #suicide, but instead access the resources, gain the skills needed to live full lives,” she continued. “The power of the work that the entertainment sector does every day can reach millions with stories that can help them on the road to recovery.”

The #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline #988 is a free, 24/7 confidential service that can provide people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, or those around them, with support, information and local resources.

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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.

James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.

In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.

He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.

James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!

For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:

www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)

James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.

If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org