Junior Seau. January 19, 1969 - May 2, 2012

In light of the tragic suicide of former NFL linebacker and Hall of Famer Junior Seau, Dr. Teena Shetty and NFL All-Pro and nine-year veteran punter Greg Montgomery, Jr. spoke with Fox News last week about a possible depression epidemic in professional sports.

The two hot topics on the table?

Both the physical and the emotional impacts professional athletes endure.

Dr. Teena Shetty, a neurologist who also works with the New York Mets and the New York Giants, points out that without a clearly documented concussion history, we can’t make a real connection between any concussions Junior Seau had and the state of his mental health.

She does, however, point out that concussions to upset the chemical balance in the brain and that repeated disruptions “may lead to depression.”

On Friday, the White House announced that legendary women’s basketball coach Patricia “Pat” Summitt will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of America’s highest civilian honors.

Summitt, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease in 2011, launched The Pat Summit Foundation Fund to provide grants for nonprofit organizations that provide Alzheimer’s education, support, and research.

Last week, Summitt stepped own from her role as the head coach for the Tennessee Lady Vols last week with 38 seasons and 1,098 wins under her belt. She is now head coach emeritus.

President Obama praised Summitt for her hard work and success, both as a basketball coach and an advocate for curing Alzheimer’s:

Coach Summitt is an inspiration, both as the all-time winningest NCAA coach, and as someone who is willing to speak so openly and courageously about her battle with Alzheimer’s.

Learn more about The Pat Summitt Foundation Fund.

Image Credit | CC

Country singer Carrie Underwood and her hockey playing husband Mike Fisher have teamed up to let teens know they’re “beautiful,” “special,” and “loved.”

The celebrity couple recently filmed a public service announcement (PSA) for Do It For Daron (D.I.F.D), a “youth-driven initiative focused on raising awareness and inspiring conversations about youth mental health.”

Friends and family of Daron Richardson created D.I.F.D. after the 14-year-old girl committed suicide. The program “supports programs and initiatives aimed at transforming youth mental health” and aims to help create a future where young people can seek help without feeling afraid or ashamed.

During the PSA, Underwood tells teens to:

Happy Hump Day, lovely readers!

Remember when I told you about “Touchdown Tommy” Edwards? The former Hokie football star who, after learning how to manage his own substance abuse problems and bipolar disorder, launched the Heart of Virginia Foundation and Music 4 Mental Health?

Well, Music 4 Mental Health currently is trying to raise $100,000 to fund a documentary about substance abuse and mental health in southwestern Virginia. The documentary will be in conjunction with PBS.

Guess who’s going behind the mic for mental health again?

Greg Montgomery, of course!

This morning, the former NFL All-Pro punter’s talking football with The People’s Morning Show hosts Nipsey, Earl, and Jen Shade (it is Super Bowl week, you guys!), but Montgomery will also cover his mental health advocacy work, no doubt including his recent placement on the DBSA Celebrity Honorary Advisory Board with Patty Duke, Jessie Close, and several award-winning authors.

The show airs Friday, February 3 at 7:30 a.m. EST, and you can stream it live via 1057thex.com.

The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) ended 2011 – or began 2012, depending on how you look at it – with a pretty exciting event:

The launch of the organizations new Celebrity Honorary Advisory Board.

According to the official announcement, the goal behind creating the Celebrity Honorary Advisory Board is to connect with and learn from others who live with mental illness.

Says DBSA Board Chair-elect Lucinda Jewel:

All of the members of our Honorary Advisory Board exemplify that people living with mental health conditions can and do live extraordinary lives unlimited by a diagnosis.

The board consists of:

Have an hour to spare tomorrow?

If so, you might want to check out the live telechat with Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) President Allen Doederlein and athlete-turned-advocate All-Pro NFL punter Greg Montgomery (yep – we like Greg pretty well around these parts!).

During the chat, Allen and Greg will discuss Greg’s own personal story of living with bipolar disorder as well as the work he’s doing within the mental health community. A Q&A session will take place, and the DBSA has made available this Telechat Question Submission Form for participants to submit questions for Greg before the call.

Find details about the telechat in the November 2011 DBSA e-Update, but in short the telechat will take place tomorrow, Novmber 22, 2011, between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. EST and you can access the call by dialing (866) 679-8068 and entering the conference code 1188276976.

Can’t wait for the call to learn more about Greg? Check out the November 2011 issue of efieldHouse.

My good friend Michael Corbin recently shared this story of near suicide with me, and I’d like to share it with you.

(If Michael’s name sounds familiar, it is; I’ve talked about him a lot here at Celebrity Psychings, as he’s the mastermind behind the nonprofit organization everyminute.org and currently working with “Touchdown Tommy” Edwards and his The Heart of Virginia Foundation.)

The idea behind sharing such a story is that others who are contemplating suicide might read the story (or, hear it, depending on the venue) and be touched in some positive way. The Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) program even dedicates a section of its website to sharing stories about suicide.

Please note that, for some, stories of suicidal thoughts, plans, or actual attempts act as suicide triggers. Please consider such a possibility before clicking the link.

Whether you’re into Dancing With the Stars, Jersey Shore, Glee, Modern Family, or Parks and Recreation, chances are one of your favorite celebrities is involved with the recently launched Amplify Your Voice campaign.

Working with the the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) launched Amplify Your Voice earlier this month to provide youth with tips on how to stand up against bullying, ways to stay safe on social media sites like Facebook, and information about teen suicide.

The GLAAD website provides an Amplify Your Voice Resource Kit that offers teachers, parents, and LGBT students and youths with anti-bullying literature, ideas for promoting transgender equality, and tips for using the Internet to speak out against discrimination and provide hope and encouragement for those who’re suffering from bullying.

Celebs like Chaz Bono, Vinny Guadagnino, Naya Rivera, Ariel Winter, and Amy Poehler starred in the campaign’s several PSAs. You can also see athletes like Shaquille O’Neal, couples like Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott, and hosts like Mario Lopez.

Want to learn more about Amplify Your Voice? Check out some of the PSAs and find out how you can get help – or help someone else? Visit the Amplify Your Voice Resource Kit today.

Image Source: Wikipedia

Back during Mental Health Month, we talked about how you can advocate like a celebrity, but…

…what about the charities and organizations through which the celebrities are advocating? What are they DOING with these organizations to really spread the word about mental health awareness?

From working with existing mental health organizations to launching their own mental health charities, these five celebrities (and their respective groups!) are working hard to raise mental health awareness, teach people about mental health resources, and eradicate the stigma that surrounds mental illness.