Derek Hough breaks down while discussing mental health. Image Source: GMA
Derek Hough breaks down while discussing mental health.
American professional dancer Derek Hough recently decided to discuss how essential a direction towards mental health and suicide is for everyone, especially after Stephen "tWitch" Boss’ untimely death.
Derek Hough shared in a video that he was going to talk about this a couple of weeks ago when he found out that a man he knew had passed away by suicide on Thanksgiving morning. The news came as a shock to Derek because the man who passed away was the most positive, optimistic, and beautiful person one could imagine, and he added that it was jolting, to say the least.
The Dancing With the Stars judge added that the news came as a harsh reminder of the time of year, seasonal depression, and just the circumstances of the time of year when people feel like it’s too much. Derek shared that after mourning the passing of the person, he decided to revisit his initial plans to share the video, especially after the news of Stephen "tWitch" Boss’ untimely death.
Derek said that the fact that Stephen "tWitch" Boss went the same way as his friend within a few weeks is heartbreaking, confusing, and shocking for him. He added that there are so many feelings that he is simply trying to figure out, and he just wants to express and share that for anybody out there who is feeling these thoughts and these feelings, he urges everyone to allow someone to be there for them.
The judge shared on Wednesday that his heart is aching for Stephen "tWitch" Boss’ wife, Allison Holker, and their beautiful family during such a difficult time. He added that his mind is clinging to memories of the dear friend they have lost and mentioned that when he thinks of Stephen "tWitch" Boss, he thinks of only wisdom, laughter, love, and light.
Derek Hough continues to mourn a dear friend whom he lost on Thanksgiving morning, and now Stephen "tWitch" Boss has offered a message of support for his fans and followers via video. He stated that he understands how someone feels when they are in a dark hole and believe that things will never get better, but he is here to tell them that it does, and he promises that it will. It gets better. Derek asserted before mentioning that if someone out there is having suicidal thoughts, or someone they know is having suicidal thoughts, they should just know that they are not alone.
The six-time mirror ball champion continued that when he says that people are not alone, what he means is that other people are having those same thoughts and feelings just like them, and they are also going through the same anxiety and thoughts, once again adding that they are not alone. He added that people are not meant to go through this alone, but they are meant to figure it all out together. He wrote in the caption of the video that there is one thing that he knows: it does get better, along with mentioning the number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Derek Hough is struggling to accept the loss of his dear friends and said that it’s so hard to process whatever is happening, like two extraordinary men leaving them in the same way within a few weeks. He further said that it’s heartbreaking and feels too much, and the truth is that it’s not slowing down or getting better anytime soon. He urged his followers to be there for each other and to feel safe reaching out to someone if they thought they needed help.
This is not the first time Derek has been advocating for mental health but the former World of Dance judge has long been a mental health advocate, He wrote "Hold On" as a suicide prevention song in 2017 and told US Weekly in 2017 that he was motivated to document it and create a video so so that he could talk about this issue because it's close to his heart. Derek continued that he understands that individuals are having difficulties with their mental health adding that there's a shame associated with that, but the more people speak about it, the less stigmatized that becomes. The judge added that people can encourage each other, particularly men, to talk about it. Three out of every four suicides are committed by men adding that it may surprise everyone but there is a link between how high that number is and the attitude of keeping things to yourself and carrying this burden is strong. He just wanted to talk about it.
Derek Hough told Us at the time that he had previously been touched by suicide before, but the deaths of musicians Chris Cornell and Chester Bennington brought those feelings back. He continued by stating that although these are the ones that people hear about, one happens every moment and it's extremely damaging. Derek stated that not all wounds are visible because people are prone to keeping a large number of things hidden, and it is crucial to talk about them. A lot is happening around the world right now. More now than ever, folks must be there for one another.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
