NFL Star Brandon Marshall, Wife Michi Using His Diagnosis For Project Aimed At Ending Stigma About Mental Health
BURBANK (CBSLA) — Tragedies such as the mass school shooting at a Florida high school this week can prompt people to start looking at mental health as a possible avenue for prevention.
NFL star Brandon Marshall, however, is on a mission to make talking about mental health an everyday thing.
The New York Giants wide receiver and his wife Michi were at Providence High School in Burbank Friday to talk about Project 375, an initiative which tries to bring conversations about mental health to the forefront in order to create support for those affected.
Brandon, who was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder in 2011, told CBS2 News the couple is trying to "break down the stigma and raise awareness about mental health." He said mental health was a "taboo" subject at the time of his diagnosis.
Their goal is "to teach people and students how to support one another through a possible mental health crisis," Michi said. She has a degree in psychology and works as a mental health technician.
The conversation seemed to have an immediate effect Friday, at least for one Providence High junior.
"In the beginning I thought, like, "How can I relate to a football player?" Olivia Hope told CBS2. After hearing Brandon's story, Olivia said she found she had things in common with the NFL star.
"He's dealt with a lot of things that we as students deal with," Olivia said.
Michi said one in five youth have a mental health disorder or diagnosis, but she remains hopeful.
"This is the generation that's gonna break the stigma of mental health," Michi said.
People can go to project375.org for more information.
