Mental health professionals are responding after another Green Country family lost their lives in a murder-suicide in Broken Arrow.
In Broken Arrow alone, there have been at least five murder-suicide investigations in less than two years.
GRAND Mental Health says there are several factors that could play into someone wanting to kill themselves and their loved ones, but the best way to help is to stay in contact with your family and friends.
Friday’s triple murder-suicide in Broken Arrow is at least the second in the city this year.
Kimberly Hill-Crowell, the Chief Clinical Officer at GRAND Mental Health, says more people are now struggling with their mental health. “Just after COVID, I think we saw an increase in depression, isolation, a lot of people using substances,” said Hill-Crowell. She says, in general, people need to look out for any noticeable changes in their loved ones, especially if they start trying to isolate themselves or have angry outbursts.
“If you haven’t heard from someone, check in on them,” said Hill-Crowell. “If you think of a friend you haven’t spoken to in a long time, check in on them. If you have a family member that you think, ‘Man, I know they lost their job a couple of months ago, and I haven’t really heard from them in a while,’ check in on them.”
Hill-Crowell says suicide can happen to any family, so it’s important to educate yourself about signs that someone might be struggling.
“Mental health and substance abuse know no boundaries,” said Hill-Crowell. “There’s no discrimination when it comes to mental health and substance use. Mental health is just like any other disease; it’s just like cancer, it’s just like diabetes. It can happen to anyone.”
She says no one should feel ashamed to ask for help, and there are resources available for those who might be having these thoughts.
“I’m very thankful that the stigma is reducing, but it’s still there,” said Hill-Crowell. “I think that folks are still worried that they’re going to be judged if they reach out for help. The more people that ask for help, the less stigma there will be attached to it.”
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or harming others, you can reach out to the 988 hotline, where you can talk to someone and be connected with local resources that can help.
#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
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.
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For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
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
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