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James Donaldson on Mental Health – How to lower a troubling male suicide rate? End the myths about emotions
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James Donaldson on Mental Health – How to lower a troubling male suicide rate? End the myths about emotions
BY JUSTIN PERRY
Signs, like this one spotted in a parking deck stairwell on N.C. State University’s main campus on on Feb. 13, 2022, advertise suicide prevention help.
During the 2022-2023 academic year, NC State experienced a spate of 14 student deaths, including seven suicides.
As you read more local coverage about suicides, you may have noticed that the highest suicide rates occur in males. Across the spectrum, whether you’re looking at middle-age and older men, students in our universities — including at my alma mater, UNC-Chapel Hill, — or children in our K-12 schools, the highest rates of death by suicide occur in boys and men.
As a therapist that matters to me. As a man who has had to work to manage depression and anxiety for nearly three decades now, it also matters to me personally. I’ve spent my adulthood seeking to find a balance between building on the helpful things I learned growing up from a boy into a man and unlearning myths that have paralyzed me at the darkest points of my life. In much of the conversation around men, masculinity, fatherhood and more, the commentary is disproportionately deficit focused.
Topics center on absenteeism of fathers, toxic masculinity, immaturity of boys, and the various ways that we fall short. While these conversations and subsequent behavioral changes are necessary, so are more robust and thought-out conversations.
Ironically, one idea that is often presented as a strength — “men are unemotional and logical, while women are emotional” — is rooted in a multi-gender myth. If men are unemotional, how do we have the highest rates of: death by suicide, murders committed, domestic violence, substance abuse, infidelity (though the gap is closing) and heart attacks? Boys and men aren’t unemotional. But outside of sports, we’re rarely given healthy and sober opportunities to learn how to manage our emotions. As boys we’re given a bar menu of emotions — laid back, excited (primarily tied to a sporting event or competition), or the most widely used, pissed-off. While someone would say this looks stunted, if a boy/man can limit themselves to displaying these three emotions, it often will help them in three key arenas: appearing cool and making friends, expanding their dating pool, and climbing the corporate ladder to make more money. The problem is the pissed-off emotion overextends as a shield for many other emotions. Sad, scared, anxious, ashamed, confused, hurt, jealous, insecure, etc. are some of the emotions under the umbrella of pissed-off. However, those emotions are vulnerable ones and therefore considered by some to be feminine and off limits if you’re male — especially if you want to excel in the arenas above.
#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
So what do boys and men do with these vulnerable emotions shielded by anger? We explode inward and/or outward, of course.
My challenge for boys and men moving forward is to reclaim the definition and perception of masculinity. Competition is a good thing. We just need to channel it in a healthy way, even if it is simply being the healthiest version of myself as a 43 year-old dad.
As cool as the idea of being a self-made man may seem, let’s be clear there are no self-sustained men. We are built for and sustained by connection. Build a squad.
Let’s end the myth of being unemotional and instead acknowledge early on that we deal with all the same feelings that girls and women do, and let’s develop healthier ways to deal with them. Let’s take the energy of being protectors and extend it towards each other. Check in on each other and support others in getting help. Start a group text. Invest in the idea of our schools having sports, arts and extracurriculars, but also having mental health professionals who can help children develop socio-emotional skills early. Boys and men don’t have to stop talking trash with each other. But let’s also make space to deal with real pain before it’s too late.
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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:
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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