Stephen “tWitch” Boss, a longtime DJ and co-executive producer on the talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres … [+]
2022 Invision
Another reminder that mental health issues, suicide and addiction are heightened during the holidays, with the passing of Stephen “tWitch” Boss—best known as the former DJ bringing light and laughter to the “Ellen” show—via gunshot wound to the head. This tragic event follows on the suicide of country singer, Naomi Judd, earlier this year also from a gunshot wound.
Every 40 seconds, someone in this country dies from suicide. “In recent years, the workplace environment has significantly changed,” says Jennifer Covarrubias, clinical director at Healthy life Recovery. “I think that 2020 helped us understand our mental health and how our workplace can directly impact our mental health hygiene.” According statistics, work stress such as long hours and job strain are leading causes of suicide among Americans. Suicide has become a global health crisis and the 10th leading cause of death in the United States—a rate that has risen 30% since 2020 and 53% among black Americans. Winter brings on seasonal depression and an increased rate of suicide. “The holidays can be a triggering season for many who have dealt with a loss (death, divorce, financial challenges) or don’t have a healthy support system,” Covarrubias told me.
Know The Signs
During the holidays, it’s important to know how to recognize the signs of suicide and appropriate ways to intervene with colleagues, friends and loved ones when you have no idea where to start. We can never know what others are going through. Suicide can happen to people we work alongside of or celebrities like tWitch, who was the personification of joy, or Naomi Judd, who appeared to be happy and have it all on the…