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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Teens calling suicide lifeline more than any other age group, state data shows
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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Teens calling suicide lifeline more than any other age group, state data shows
According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in the last 12 months, about 6,500 teens called the 988 crisis lifeline for help.
Author: Julia Kauffman
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Concerns about teen mental health are rising as more in North Carolina are calling the national suicide and crisis lifeline.
In North Carolina, people ages 13 to 17 are calling 988 more than any other age group. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, in the last 12 months, about 6,500 teens called the crisis lifeline for help.
A virtual mental health service geared toward teens says inquiries on their site have grown 10 times in North Carolina since last summer.
“We have seen a huge uptick for adolescents needing these services,” Brittany Ratterree, a clinical outreach manager for Charlie Health said.
A lot of teenagers who need help don’t know where to start.
Isabel Zachariah is a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill from Concord. She shared that she’s struggled with anxiety since high school but didn’t know what it was until much later.
“I always just expressed it to my parents that, ‘Oh
#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
like, my face gets very warm, I’m experiencing these types of things.'” Zachariah told WCNC Charlotte’s Julia Kaffuman. “But I don’t think we fully put a label on it until I got into college.”
She said she educates herself on mental health to learn how to cope with anxiety. Plus, she now helps others through NAMI: The National Alliance on Mental Illness.
“So many young kids are lost because of the hardships they face,” Zachariah said. “They don’t know how to directly cope with those kinds of things.”
Charlie Health works to help teenagers by offering emergency counseling, resource connections, and support groups.
“It’s a really amazing thing to see when we are able to provide hope and provide same-day access,” Ratterree said.
Many treatment centers are 18-plus, which creates a roadblock for children seeking help.
“For adolescents, in general, if you need mental health support, there’s not many here and locally to our community,” Ratterree added.
As experts call for more mental health services for children, there are a couple of projects in Charlotte working to address that need.
StarMed Health Care is working on a project estimated to cost more than $60 million, called the Katie Blessing Center. It will be a full-service mental health facility for people 18 and under in east Charlotte. The city is contributing $2.5 million to the project.
Plus, Hopeway opened a clinic for teenagers this year that is also in east Charlotte.
If you or a loved one are facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. You can call Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat with them online.
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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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