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James Donaldson on Mental Health – Why am I lonely? Lack of social connections hurts Americans’ mental health
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Tens of millions of people don’t have relationships that provide meaning in daily life. No amount of federal money ? no number of mental health workers or programs ? will solve that problem
Evan Feinberg by Opinion contributor
We need a new way to think about mental health ? one that recognizes every person’s role in tackling the crisis that surrounds us.
We all know this crisis exists. After the COVID-19 pandemic, record numbers of people have reported mental health challenges. About 20% of U.S. adults ? nearly 60 million Americans ? have a diagnosable mental illness. Nearly 40% of high school students ? and half of high school girls ? say their mental health has struggled in recent years. Anxiety, depression and suicide have soared. So has addiction, which about 1 in 5 Americans now struggle with.
Amid this crisis, government at all levels is desperately trying to make a difference, mainly through new programs and funding streams. President Joe Biden’s proposed 2024 budget, for instance, envisions a 44% increase in federal spending on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. In the State of the Union address, he called for funding “more mental health workers.”
We need more than increased spending to help with the mental health problem
And states like Florida and Virginia are now spending record amounts on mental health services.
That helps explain why big federal funding increases before the pandemic didn’t make much of a difference ? mental health challenges continued to rise.
Clearly, some root cause is going unaddressed.
Hence the need for a new approach. The mental health advocates and substance abuse experts whom my organization has worked with over the past decade show the way. They prove that the mental health crisis isn’t just a clinical crisis. It’s really a crisis of community.
To be sure, clinical settings and clinical tools are essential for many people with mental health disorders. But it’s also true that mental health is ultimately about psychological well-being. Everyone is looking for a life of meaning, and finding that life requires a supportive community.
#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
The famous psychologist Abraham Maslow said it better than I can. Based on his experience treating tens of thousands of patients, he realized that mental health challenges ultimately arise when people’s deeper needs aren’t met. Most notably, when people lack relationships, belonging and love, they get lonely, leading to anxiety and depression. Left unchecked, loneliness can ruin someone’s life.
What’s happening in America supports Maslow’s theory. Last year, the U.S. surgeon general called loneliness an “epidemic,” and an American Psychiatric Association poll conducted this January found that a third of of adults say they have experienced feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year.
No wonder mental health is plummeting. Tens of millions of people don’t have the relationships that provide meaning in daily life. No amount of federal money ? no number of mental health workers or programs ? will solve that problem. The real solution is communities coming together and people reaching out to one another, in a spirit of mutual support.
I’ve seen this truth play out nationwide.
The Phoenix, which promotes sobriety and fights social isolation, is helping thousands of people beat substance abuse through a supportive community that’s often focused on physical fitness.
The Confess Project is training barbers and beauty industry professionals to be sort of paraprofessional mental health counselors, forging stronger bonds with millions of people through their everyday work, particularly among communities of color that have stigmas related to mental health.
Then there’s Give an Hour, in which mental health professionals help train people to be informal “peer supporters.”
Relationships, mental health support make a difference
It turns out that the combination of relationships and mental health support makes a remarkable difference.
These efforts are promising ? but not nearly enough. Loneliness continues to soar, and with rising political polarization and social-media-driven isolation, this crisis looks set to continue getting worse.
As it does, more and more Americans will experience mental health challenges. While many will certainly need clinical help, let’s realize that the worst thing we can do is to expect others to solve this crisis.
The best thing we can do is to come alongside them ourselves.
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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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