Slightly O/T but very important

[Rich Klein]

I don't know how many of you know (or care) whom Jarren Duran is but he is a major league baseball player who was suffering from some very serious mental health issues recently. We came close to having another Willard Hershberger suicide during a baseball season.

If you don't know whom Hershberger is, his name is pre-war related.

Having done hundreds of hours on a crisis line I can assure you there is nothing like dealing with a caller with a suicide in progress and I'm personally grateful Mr. Duran got through his crisis situation. Playing major league baseball is not all fun and games

I do not have Netflix but here is a free Sporting News article link

https://www.sportingnews.com/us/mlb/...ca81ddab010566

[bk400]

Thanks for sharing. I think that mental health struggles have become much more common with today's youth.

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by bk400

Thanks for sharing. I think that mental health struggles have become much more common with today's youth.

Or people today have the tools to address it and get treatment. In the old days it was "buck up kid. . .what do you have to complain about." Life is a lot more complicated that that.

[Mark17]

I picked up a Tony Horton GU bat earlier this year. To me he's an inspiration - quitting baseball completely to save his life after a suicide attempt.

I only have one bat display with 10 bats from the 1960s. The Tigers (Cash, Willie Horton, McAuliffe,) some Twins (Rollins, Versalles, Zimmerman, Tovar, Kralick,) Ken Berry (because my Dad and I once saw a game on TV when Ken flipped over the centerfield fence chasing a Twins home run,) and now Horton replaces Rico Carty.

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Or people today have the tools to address it and get treatment. In the old days it was "buck up kid. . .what do you have to complain about." Life is a lot more complicated that that.

Having joined the Navy in the 70's as an 18 year old, things were much more strict and difficult. As you clearly stated "buck up kid." Having retired 30 years later from the military, I was surprised to see such a high rate of mental issues with so many young Sailors.

[bk400]

Social media, the permanence of the internet, the rise of video games, school shootings. More pressure to succeed (in sports and in school) at a younger age. More income inequality, and a lot of young people who feel that they won't achieve the American dream of a decent house, a decent job, and rising prospects.

I'm not a sociologist, but I think there's more mental health issues because society has changed in a way that creates more mental health issues.

[packs]

I personally think mental health has always been something human beings need help with. But for a long time there weren't words for what people were going through and because you weren't exactly encouraged to talk about these kinds of problems, nobody did. That also meant nobody got help.

[vintagesportscollector]

There may be more tools, treatment and help today, but Mental Health therapy is still incredibly underfunded and underserved. It needs much more support.

[SyrNy1960]

Originally Posted by bk400

Social media, the permanence of the internet, the rise of video games, school shootings. More pressure to succeed (in sports and in school) at a younger age. More income inequality, and a lot of young people who feel that they won't achieve the American dream of a decent house, a decent job, and rising prospects.

I'm not a sociologist, but I think there's more mental health issues because society has changed in a way that creates more mental health issues.

Well said!