9/27/18 #SameHere Hero: Ben Meisner

Today’s #SameHere  Hero is what it’s ALL about!
 
Ben Meisner is the newest member of The Influencer Alliance. He’s a professional hockey goalie, playing in Germany, who recently shared an INCREDIBLY vulnerable story in the Player’s Tribune, about how – if he died by suicide, most wouldn’t blink an eye bc he’s not an NHL star. He’s shedding incredible light on the 1 million “faceless” ppl per yr out there, we are losing to suicide around the world.
 
I got to speak to Ben a for a while, connecting from overseas, & am so enthused by his desire to be a global advocate & has his platform to change & save lives.  We discussed the plan to do #SameHere events together overseas, & he’ll be coming to the US to speak about mental health as well in the coming months. Please help us welcome him to the “Crazy” fam!
 
“I was diagnosed with OCD, & anxiety which really kept happiness a distant thing for me. I was bullied relentlessly in school, was abused as a minor by a childhood coach, as well as witnessed a shooting. Not reaching out & internalizing things really led to a spiral for me.
 
I was broken. I pulled away from the world, didn’t try & make friends, or associate w people. I quite honestly didn’t like people & trusted no one. It was a lonely existence.
 
I was steps away from death by suicide when it really set in what was lying right in front of me: death. I felt almost hopeless in the sense that I felt I may as well try & get help, as death would always be there. It was a horrible way of thinking, but it lead to me reaching out for help, which then lead to my recovery.
 
I learned tips & techniques to help harness my thoughts, as well as taking medication – which were my saviors. They allowed me to function on a more even level which made it easier to control my thoughts.
 
I decided to tell my #SameHere Story because I wanted to save lives. I was living in hell every day & I just thought my story needed to be heard as it was slightly different from most I had read before: Being that I am still playing professional sports, & playing at a high level.
 
I felt my path to get here was a hard one, one which many players take, which made me feel there was a good chance others would be struggling like I was.
 
Since sharing, I have never felt so loved. The amount of good wishes I’ve received has been overwhelming. I’ve gotten over 1,100 emails w love & respect. It really drives home the fact that people will help you: all you have to do is open up.”