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Why am I and so many other student-athletes involved in the Start a Conversation movement?  First and foremost, because student-athletes are highly visible, and we have a pulpit to get important messages out. But also, because student-athletes are victims of speech, opinion, and performance related pressures that affect our mental health. Student-athletes, just like others our age, struggle with depression, anxiety, and eating disorders but oftentimes we do not seek help. And that’s sometimes the case because athletes in general don’t talk about weakness of any kind, mental or physical, for fear of losing playing time. But that must change. Through our willingness to talk about our struggles, we believe student-athletes can be a role model for all young people to talk about their challenges and to show vulnerability as well.

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And that’s important, as the rate of reported cases of mental illness such as anxiety and depression among students in general is continuing to grow.  And that is most likely one of the contributing factors to the escalating number of suicide attempts and completed suicides among students globally. Because of this, young people are finally starting to understand the importance of talking openly about mental health. And thus, the reason and the timeliness for the initiatives that are driving our Start a Conversation movement.

Behavioral research demonstrates that little things make a big difference when it comes to social interaction. Data indicates, for example, that smiling is contagious. Saying hello has similar effects. Yet all too often, we don't do it.  So, let’s fix that. Let’s support each other by agreeing to say hello to more people, more often. We’re calling on young people across the country and around the world to join the movement.

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