This past Saturday (March 24), the school where I was a rower (Marietta College) dedicated a new boat in honor of one of my boatmates, Tim Grubert, who committed suicide in November 2016.
Tim was an amazing oarsman and a super-cool person – but he suffered bouts of depression for as long as I knew him. The thing is, he could have picked up the phone and called any of his boatmates to say that he was struggling – and any of us would have been on the next plane to lend a listening ear – or a shoulder to cry on – or a friend to vent to.
But, that’s not what you do when you’re fighting depression – or anxiety – or stress – or any of the various “flavors” of mental wellness challenges. You shut down – and the situation gets worse rather than better.
I’ve written many books and articles about the “epidemic” we’re facing I’ve educated online about depression and addiction and a variety of different mental wellness challenges – and yet, the problem seems to keep getting worse – and quickly. It’s important for people to understand that these are tough issues that are not just “in your head” (but also in your gut) – and that there are LOTS of effective natural approaches to help all of us feel better.
There are dozens of “awareness” days and numerous “organizations” (and a lot of these are doing amazing work) – so we don’t need “more” of the same – we need something different.
For example, just this past couple of weeks, we had World Sleep Day on March 16 (sleep is a huge aspect of mental wellness) and United Nations International Day of Happiness on March 20 (who doesn’t want to be happier?) – and a friend’s brother committed suicide.
March 20 would have also been the 42nd birthday of Chester Bennington, the lead singer of one of my favorite bands, Linkin Park (I have all their albums and my workout mix is full of their tunes). Chester’s widow, Talinda Bennington, watched Chester struggle with depression and substance abuse for years – so she started “320 Changes Direction” (3/20 is the date of Chester’s birthday) to help “streamline access to the help that IS available” (because she also realizes that there are lots of great programs out there doing amazing work – but people often don’t know where to turn to find help).
Information is starting to get out in the mainstream press, such as the Los Angeles Times article about rappers talking openly about mental wellness; the Players Tribune article about Kevin Love and the Men’s Health article about Michael Phelps and other professional athletes who struggle with mental wellness challenges; and the SELF magazine article on Demi Lovato and her struggles with mental wellness.
Amare Global, the Mental Wellness Company, (of which I am a Founder and Chief Science Officer) is changing the way that people think about (and improve) mental wellness. Our flagship FundaMentals Pack was named “2018 Product of the Year” for its revolutionary approach to optimizing gut-brain-axis and improving mental wellness. Our nutraceutical products are just one part of our overall “platform” of mental wellness solutions that will eventually encompass mindfulness, meditation, gratitude, breathe work, yoga, stress/sleep management, exercise, nutrition plans, and a range of science-based microbiome and mental wellness evaluations.
One of my favorite writers, Seth Godin, recently blogged about how important it is to “Find the others” – because “tribes build sideways” and today’s “connection economy” grows because somebody cares enough about something to start the process of connecting the people who are waiting to be connected. At Amare, we care – and we hope that you care enough to take a look at what we’re up to. Whether for yourself – or someone you know – there are literally millions of people who are waiting to be connected to an answer to their mental wellness challenges.
As Godin ends his blog, “ten by ten by ten is a thousand. Do it twice and you’re at a million.”
Thanks for reading,
Shawn
About the Author:
Dr. Shawn Talbott is a Psycho-Nutritionist who studies natural approaches to help people feel their best.
He received dual Bachelor’s degrees in Sports Medicine (B.S.) and Fitness Management (B.A.) from Marietta College, his Master’s degree (M.S.) in Exercise Science from UMASS, and his Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry from Rutgers. His research is focused on natural approaches to integrating physiology/biochemistry/psychology to improve human performance and optimize psychological vigor (physical energy, mental acuity, and emotional well-being).
Dr. Talbott’s recent projects include two academic textbooks, an award-winning documentary film, and several best-selling books translated into multiple languages. His work has been featured on The Dr. Oz Show, the TED stage, and the White House.
Thats one of the hardest parts of being an ER nurse. You see it, you know how to lead them to the answer, but its not a pharmaceutical. We are not allowed to share what we know, especially if its connected to NWM.
Kelly Clement, RN, Old Dominion Run
[…] I really writing about this topic again? Suicide? As I’ve done so many times in the last couple of […]