By S.E. Cupp
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Warning: This article contains information about #suicide. If you or a loved one is in need of help, call the #NationalSuicidePreventionLifeline at 800-273-8255.
In this month’s Better Homes and Gardens, readers were treated to a lovely interview with British singer and actor Harry Styles — shot neither at his home nor garden, but nevertheless very revealing.
In it, the 28-year-old admitted he’d set up his first therapy session five years ago, after dealing with #mentalhealthobstacles for years as a teen idol and singing sensation with One Direction. He’d avoided it for a long time.
“I thought it meant that you were broken. I wanted to be the one who could say I didn’t need it.”
The admission is a welcome one, as young people are facing #mentalhealthchallenges in staggering proportions. As more and more young celebrities like #NaomiOsaka, Camila Cabello, Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner tell their stories, more and more young people will hopefully see it’s okay to not be okay. (While no longer a “young person” nor a celebrity, I wrote about my own struggles here last year.)
But had any of these people been at a U.S. #college while they were at their lowest mentally, they might not have gotten the help they so desperately needed. That’s because universities are failing our #students when it comes to #mentalhealth.
A new study by the Healthy Minds Network found that the #mentalhealth of #college #students has been steadily declining over the eight years they collected data, with a whopping 135% increase in #depression and 110% increase in #anxiety from 2013 to 2021.
The #COVID #pandemic saw a frightening rise in #suicidalideation, according to the #CDC, with 25.5% — a quarter — of 18- to 24-year-olds more likely to report they’d seriously considered #suicide.
As of 2018, even before the #pandemic, #suicide was the second most common cause of death among #college #students.
This #school year alone, there’s been a rash of awful news.
Just last week, Arlana Miller, a 19-year-old cheerleader at Southern University and A&M College in Louisiana, posted a haunting #suicide note on #Instagram and took her life.
In April, James Madison University star softball player #LaurenBernett died by #suicide at age 20.
Also in April, California Polytechnic State University #student Zach Blanchard died by #suicide at age 21.
#KatieMeyer, team captain and star goalie for #StanfordUniversity’s women’s #soccer team, took her own life in March. In a few months, she would have graduated.
At least five #NCAA #athletes died by #suicide in less than two months. Just in this academic year, at least four #students at Saint Louis University and #WashingtonUniversity died by #suicide.
Those are just a few of the horrific headlines.
There’s a term called #suicide contagion, a phenomenon that’s been difficult to manage especially inside #colleges, where campuses are communities and news of a #suicide can sometimes lead to others.
I remember back in 2010, at my alma mater, Cornell University, there were six #student #suicides in six months.
In the wake of #COVID, many #colleges are attempting to make #mentalhealthawareness a more prominent part of #student life.
But access to #mentalhealthservices is still the main obstacle. #Colleges all over the country are severely understaffed and lacking resources.
In some cases, #students wait months for care, oftentimes giving up. In other cases, a staff of 10 #mentalhealthspecialists has to service thousands of #students each year. Where private care is available, many do not take insurance.
Making matters worse, #colleges all over the country are failing to set and adhere to appropriate protocols for #students in need.
#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
Order your copy of James Donaldson’s latest book,
Celebrating Your Gift of Life:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy
According to public records, in some cases professors ignored required accommodations for #students with certified special needs, schools’ leave-of-absence policies were found to be discriminatory, or they did not provide #counseling for sexual assault victims.
Unsurprisingly, Congress has failed, too.
In 2016, the House introduced the #MentalHealth on Campus Improvement Act, which would have awarded grants to #colleges to improve #mentalhealthservices, and require the Department of Health and Human Services to establish a #College Campus Task Force. It has not passed.
In 2021, the Senate introduced the Higher Education #MentalHealth Act, which also would have established a commission to better study and serve students’ #mentalhealthneeds. It has not passed.
In 2022, the House introduced a #Student #MentalHealth Rights Act, which would solidify college’s legal obligations to #students. It has not passed.
As the #mentalhealth of our #college #students has worsened, access to on-campus services have in many cases become harder to get. This is a travesty, and a sadly preventable one. Making #mentalhealthservices readily available saves lives. And with every new #suicide, the issue becomes more urgent.
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
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
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 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
