Adam Hanger, Associated Press
New York Jets defensive end Solomon Thomas, 94, smiles after an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Dec. 10, 2023, in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Everyone needs to talk about their feelings, even big and strong soccer players.
And that’s exactly what happened this week.
Intermountain Health CEO Rob Allen spoke alongside several current and former NFL players at a panel discussion event, “The Greatest Plays Need Help,” held this week in Las Vegas. , highlighted the mental health crisis affecting millions of Americans. He even called it an “epidemic.”
The panel also included Solomon Thomas, co-founder of the New York Jets defensive line. Brandon Bolden, former Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots. Darren Waller of the New York Giants. Retired NFL player Carl Nassib. Alec Ingold of the Miami Dolphins. Cedric Tillman of the Cleveland Browns. and retired NFL player Marcus Smith.
These current and former athletes spoke to a diverse audience that included city and community leaders and youth from the Clark County School District. All participating athletes work off the football field to advocate for community health issues that are personally important to them, such as equity, suicide prevention, and other issues that need to be addressed, especially mental illness.
“We are truly grateful to our community collaborators, partners, and influential athletes who have donated their time, resources, and abilities to raise awareness of mental health and suicide prevention,” Allen said. Ta.
Thomas said strength is allowing yourself to be vulnerable.
“We as men are defined as having to be tough, and we define strength in completely the wrong way,” he said. “But through my own grief journey, my own mental health journey, and everything I’ve been through, I’ve learned that being tough is not strength. Strength is vulnerability.”
Waller, who has struggled with drug use and alcohol disorders, talked about turning his life and mental health around and the importance of seeking help.
“For me, it started to be honest and say, ‘I don’t understand all this,'” he said. “We have the physical skills and we have the mental skills. But when it comes to the emotional side, we don’t necessarily have it and we need to teach the younger generation that skill.”
Throughout the month of May, Intermountain Health will share more content from our panels and continue the conversation about mental health within our community.
“Money and status do not lead to happiness,” Nassib says.
Tillman said everyone has their own issues and it’s important to talk about them.
“Just because you’re playing on TV doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong with it,” he says. “It’s important that everyone talks about it and raises awareness.”
According to The Defensive Line, the risk of suicidal ideation among Black women increased by 182% between 2001 and 2017. Black men are also at higher risk, with 80% of suicides in that population being men. The most common of these are men in their early 20s. Defense Line was founded by Thomas after his sister Ella died by suicide in 2018.
At the end of the discussion, players participated in a service project to create 1,000 “Find Your Anchor” boxes filled with a variety of mental health-related materials and resource information.
Since 2019, Intermountain Health has distributed approximately 67,000 free gun locks and trained more than 57,000 people in access to lethal means counseling, an organization committed to zero suicide.
If you or someone you know needs help, call the Suicide Hotline at 988.
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