World Mental Health Day is October 10, and as our collective mental health crisis continues to worsen, members of the entertainment and media community are marking the day by speaking out, organizing events, and sharing resources.
More than 50 million American adults, or 21% of the population, have a mental illness, according to Mental Health America’s 2023 State of Mental Health in America report. This figure is up 2% from last year’s survey. Additionally, 16% of youth report having suffered from at least one major depressive episode in the past year, and more than 2.7 million youth suffer from severe major depression.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 50,000 people died by suicide in the US in 2022, up about 2.6% from the previous year, and suicide is now the second leading cause of death in USA among people aged 10 years. -34. The impact is disproportionately on disadvantaged communities, including racial and ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQ+, those living in rural areas, and older adults.
Here’s how some celebrities are trying to shed light on mental health care:
· Selena Gomez, one of Hollywood’s biggest advocates for mental health, will host the first Rare Impact Fund Benefit in Los Angeles on October 4th. Talent at the gala and auction includes Gomez’s Only Murders in the Building co-star Martin Short, multi-Grammy Award-winning music artist HER and Grammy-nominated music producer Marshmello.
Funds raised will support The Rare Impact Fund’s mission to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and increase access to mental health services and education for young people. “There is nothing more important to me than providing young people with access to the resources they need to support their mental health,” Gomez said. “This is a personal mission.”
· Rapper Megan Thee Stallion encourages young people to check in with their friends and talk to them about their mental health in a new public service announcement from Seize the Awkward in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Jed Foundation.
“I was always told that I had to be strong,” she said in a campaign video. “But being everything to everyone is exhausting… Reach out to a friend if you see them going through this. No matter who you are, vulnerability is what makes us whole.” Part of the artist’s website also contains various mental health resources.
· Radio and television personality Charlamagne Tha God, his organization Mental Wealth Alliance and iHeartMediaIHRT will host the third annual Mental Wealth Expo on October 7th. The free event will feature panel discussions, live podcasts and breakout rooms to discuss topics such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, child and adolescent mental health, and issues related to Black maternal health. Speakers include MWA Chief Mental Health Officer and AAKOMA Project Founder Dr Alfie Breland-Noble, TV Presenter Carson Daly and Clinical Psychologist Dr Rida Walker.
“The Psychic Wealth Expo was created for anyone who knows they need to start on the path to healing but doesn’t know where to start,” said Charlamagne Tha God. “This is a day where people can connect with mental health experts and resources that can get them on the right path, and they can get this information for free! It’s truly a blessing to be able to do this for the third year in a row.”
· Ryan Reynolds will receive the Robin Williams Legacy of Laughter Award at the 11th annual awards ceremony.th annual “Bring a Change of Mind” gala on Monday, October 9, in New York City. BC2M is a mental health nonprofit founded by Glenn Close. The program will also include performances by Reba McEntire and Amy Schumer, as well as an auction with items such as a tour of Ina Garten’s garden and a Taylor Swift autographed guitar.
· Project Healthy Minds, a nonprofit focused on mental health technology for millennials and Gen Z, is hosting its second annual World Mental Health Day festival on October 10 in New York City. “Today” co-anchor and “The Voice” host Carson Daly, CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, “CNN This Morning” anchor Poppy Harlow, former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, former senior adviser to President Obama David Axelrod and Indianapolis Colts owner and Among Speakers: Vice Chairman Kalen Irsai Jackson. The festival will also include benefit SoulCycle rides, sound bath meditation and a community run. The festival will be followed by a gala headlined by Logic, the Grammy-nominated hip-hop star whose hit single “1-800-273-8255” references the phone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
“When I first spoke publicly about my generalized anxiety and panic disorder on the Today show in March 2018, I hoped for the day when everyone could speak honestly about their experiences with mental health, including celebrities, business leaders and public figures. It’s a shared, universal experience,” Daley said.
· Music events startup company Sofar Sounds is partnering with Nettwerk Music Group to host a series of concerts in select cities to promote and raise awareness about mental health. Artists from Austin, Los Angeles, London, New York, Portland, Toronto and Vancouver will participate and speak about the healing powers of music during their performances. Nettwerk artists including Lily Kershaw, The Collection and Six Missing will perform. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go to the charity project “Write Love on Her Arms.”, a non-profit organization dedicated to finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-harm and suicide.
· Music artist Marcus King held an online auction in September to raise funds for MusiCares, the charitable arm of the Recording Academy, and The Onsite Foundation. In an auction held through Charity Buzz, the highest bidder received a signed Gibson ES-335 guitar, as well as a personal guitar lesson with King. King has spoken openly about his personal struggles with mental health, which is the subject of his recent album. Young blood.
World Mental Health Day is an international day dedicated to global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. It was first recognized in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.
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