And the patterns continue to present themselves…
I was in Dallas yesterday w the Cowboys front office staff (slide➡️). First session working w this group…a group that understands one session alone, isn’t enough…that ongoing discussion is needed to form culture arnd this topic.
After the session was over, I had a number of great convos w staffers coming up…& one of convos that hit me the most was from a really young guy, high energy, great voice/delivery & he just said: “This perspective is so different. I get it now. For so long I thought – members of my family were impacted by these things, & I escaped & was the lucky one. Now I realize, it’s not me – the healthy one, & them the sick ones. It’s all of us…it just happens at different times & at different levels, but I’m one of ‘them’ too.” I literally fist bumped the guy & gave him a bro hug. I was so excited he saw the bigger pic.
So then, I’m coming home late last night getting ready to post @piglet67’s story about RM43 for the LIFESaver May campaign, & I read his line she shared, that I put on the next slide (➡️). Robert KNEW he needed help. He knew what he was having were suicidal thoughts. But he was afraid he’d be considered one of “them,” if he went to a professional to ask for help abt it. Read his words they are so powerful: “If I’m honest I wont go back to normal, & I’ll just be the suicidal kid.” As if that’s such a rare thing (when 15 million+ reported major suicidal ideation last yr).
Then, late last nt, got the word that a former colleague at the Suns, GM Lance Blanks, died by suicide. He was a big time athlete himself, reached the highest levels of front office sports, & now he’s gone. I had to wonder, did this same erroneous “us & them” narrative prevent a proud successful guy like that from getting help?
The ONLY way this narrative changes – to the reality that this topic impacts ALL of us, & that you’re not strange if you have far end of the spectrum thoughts/symptoms, is if we tell/share our stories. Only then will help-seeking become more common. We HAVE to do this. Peg & Nate thanks for being leaders w RM43’s story.
