I really gotta say - I am beyond grateful for PBS. I think it's wonderful how they bring us such fascinating content. You don't see that anywhere else on regular network channels. TV is filled with annoying and fake people talking about celebrity gossip and other meaningless topics by day, and sensationalized news coverage by night. You don't get an in-depth analysis of societal issues, and you walk away feeling kind of empty, because you didn't hear anything else besides people's opinions. Anybody can have an opinion. No actual solutions are given. Thankfully, having access to PBS opens your eyes to the human race from more of a multidimensional perspective, instead of just watching the worst of people. We all have different experiences and lifestyles, and that deserves to be explored.
As a crisis counselor, I was so glad to see the issue of suicide among youth being highlighted. My Ascension is a well-crafted, inspirational, and poignant documentary about 16-year-old Emma Benoit, a varsity cheerleader who had a happy life on the outside - decent neighborhood, loving family, lots of friends - but was suffering psychologically. She attempted suicide by jumping off of a bridge, survived, and unfortunately became paralyzed. Now she travels the US giving presentations at school assemblies about mental illness and suicide prevention. I commend her for sharing the unpleasant thoughts and feelings from her past, because that is not easy to do. Especially when you're young. After decades of being told to "suck it up" or "get over it" by the adults in their life, it's created a population of teenagers who are ashamed to be vulnerable and honest when they're struggling with negative emotions. I know Gen Z gets a ton of criticism, but I'm so proud of them for changing the narrative around suicide. When I was a teen in the mid 2000s there were kids who self-harmed and/or had suicidal ideation, but it wasn't discussed publicly, so while we've still got a ways to go, we have made progress. I also feel like Emma being open with her story debunks what people generally think of when a suicidal teen comes to mind. It's not always the emo kid who has alcoholic parents. Some high school students don't "look" or "act" sad, and they might not have problems at home. Which can make it hard to recognize signs of depression. Even if you're not a mental health professional, I still suggest watching My Ascension. It's really eye-opening.
As a crisis counselor, I was so glad to see the issue of suicide among youth being highlighted. My Ascension is a well-crafted, inspirational, and poignant documentary about 16-year-old Emma Benoit, a varsity cheerleader who had a happy life on the outside - decent neighborhood, loving family, lots of friends - but was suffering psychologically. She attempted suicide by jumping off of a bridge, survived, and unfortunately became paralyzed. Now she travels the US giving presentations at school assemblies about mental illness and suicide prevention. I commend her for sharing the unpleasant thoughts and feelings from her past, because that is not easy to do. Especially when you're young. After decades of being told to "suck it up" or "get over it" by the adults in their life, it's created a population of teenagers who are ashamed to be vulnerable and honest when they're struggling with negative emotions. I know Gen Z gets a ton of criticism, but I'm so proud of them for changing the narrative around suicide. When I was a teen in the mid 2000s there were kids who self-harmed and/or had suicidal ideation, but it wasn't discussed publicly, so while we've still got a ways to go, we have made progress. I also feel like Emma being open with her story debunks what people generally think of when a suicidal teen comes to mind. It's not always the emo kid who has alcoholic parents. Some high school students don't "look" or "act" sad, and they might not have problems at home. Which can make it hard to recognize signs of depression. Even if you're not a mental health professional, I still suggest watching My Ascension. It's really eye-opening.