Every year, we’re reminded that #SeptemberisSuicidePreventionAwarenessMonth and that the effort is particularly important in the military-rich areas of Hampton Roads and Virginia because of the appallingly high rate of #suicide among #veterans.
This year, those reminders are more important than ever. So are calls for participation in this month’s #suicideawareness and prevention events.
#Suicide rates have been rising. #TheCentersforDiseaseControl reports that increasing numbers of people say they have recently considered taking their own lives.
Young adults in particular are combating feelings of helplessness and #hopelessness, not always successfully. The #CDC numbers say 16 percent of those in the 18-to-24 age group say they’ve contemplated #suicide.
No surprise: It’s the #coronavirus #pandemic, with no clear end in sight, that is leading more people to think that life just isn’t worth living. Just about everyone is dealing with some sort of disruptions of what had been normal life. It’s worse for some than others, of course. Some have lost a loved one or been seriously ill themselves. Some have been thrown out of work. Some are facing #financial disaster.
Those young people who are so depressed may have been looking forward to a bright future — college, starting a job — and now they are wondering if they’ll have any future at all.
Being lonely and isolated can leave anyone feeling helpless and depressed. So can having too much empty time without the diversions and connections we’d come to take for granted.
Complicating matters is the fact that the #pandemic has caused more counseling and therapy sessions to be conducted online. Some people are hesitant to participate in virtual sessions for one reason or another. Some prefer personal contact. Some don’t have secure, private access to the internet.
#JamesDonaldson 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
#Suicide has been of special concern in Hampton Roads in recent years because of the high numbers of military #veterans who live in this area. Nationwide, #veterans are about twice as likely as the rest of the population to take their own lives. Many have faced things during their service that stay with them.
There are phone and text hotlines available toll free, around the clock for #veterans in crisis — as there are for civilians as well. There are also services available at #VA facilities for #mentalhealth and other problems.
For one reason or another, and despite recent efforts to remove any #stigma, many military members and #veterans are hesitant to seek help through the military or #veterans’ facilities for problems such as #depression. There’s a lingering — misguided — notion that admitting such problems is a sign of weakness.
For more than a year, Virginia has been part of the national Governor’s Challenge to Prevent #Suicide organized by the Department of #VeteransAffairs and the #MentalHealthServices Administration. Gov. Ralph Northam started a pilot program to improve services for #veterans across the commonwealth, coordinating and preparing existing civilian health-care agencies and facilities to do a better job of helping #veterans and their families.
Those worthwhile efforts to help those who have served our country got underway before the #pandemic hit in March. Now the need for #suicide prevention is greater and more urgent.
But just when they’re needed more than ever, #suicideprevention events, like everything else, are complicated by the #pandemic. The annual Out of the Darkness community walks to raise awareness and money for #suicideprevention are modified this year to follow safety guidelines. Check the #AmericanFoundationforSuicidePrevention website to find out how to participate and donate in your area.
That website is one of several resources online that can help people deal with their own #depression or with loved ones who might be struggling. The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Services, for one, has a useful #SuicidePrevention section with advice about spotting warning signs of #suicide and how to help.
Sometimes just offering a sympathetic ear can do a lot to help people realize they are not alone.
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
