The Actress Says She Sought Help After
Attempting to Commit Suicide When She Was 22
James Donaldson notes:
Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, 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 suicidal thoughts 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
Evan Rachel Wood is opening up about how years of abuse pushed her to seek help and check into a psychiatric hospital.
In a moving essay for Nylon, Wood, 31, said her wake up call about her mental health came after a suicide attempt when she was 22.
“Looking back, it was the worst, best thing that ever happened to me,” Wood began.
“It was morning; I felt as though I had been hit by a truck. Then with an almost hysterical acceptance, without thinking, I picked up the phone. It was one of those moments when you have a choice that goes beyond the initial choice you make by calling out for help: You can not die, or you can come back to life,” Wood wrote.
Wood then explained that her call to her mother and knowing that she soon would be getting the help she needed felt freeing.
“The beautiful thing about being at the bottom is there is nowhere to go but up. I wasn’t supposed to be alive, so nothing I did at that point mattered. I had already proven to myself nothing mattered. So, I may as well surrender.”
When she spoke with her mother again, Wood revealed her mother questioned why she attempted suicide.
“After a moment I said, “I just wanted some space,” Wood wrote.
“My mind at the time was filled with scars and shadows and most importantly, so much shame. I was struggling with PTSD and didn’t know it.”
“My PTSD was caused by multiple rapes and a severely abusive relationship that went on for years,” Wood wrote.
However, living in the public eye forced Wood to hide her pain.
“Getting help for mental illness is not something I can broadcast,” Wood continued.
“So when it came time to find a psychiatric hospital, my first concern — which most people won’t have to worry about — was figuring out a way to get help without anyone finding out, because if they did, any chance I had at rebuilding myself would be severely impaired by the cruelty of strangers.”
After a number of rejections, as many facilities were out of space, Wood and her mother found a private psychiatric hospital.
However, in order to protect her identity, Woods changed her name at the hospital.
“When my time was almost up, I felt conflicted about leaving. Of course, you want to get out of there, but it’s the first place where I had felt safe and taken care of for some time.”
Since her stay, Wood says she’s continued going to therapy and has managed to wean herself of medication.
“Depression isn’t a weakness, it’s a sickness. Sometimes a deadly one. And sometimes all people need is to know that they are loved and that others are there for them,” Woods concluded.
Wood’s op-ed comes just under a year after the actress opened up about the sexual assaults she experienced in order to make a change.
The Westworld actress gave emotional testimony in front of a House Judiciary Subcommittee in Washington D.C. to advocate for Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights Acts in all 50 states.
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
[email protected]
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 [email protected] 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
