Wentworth Miller has released a powerful new video to coincide with Suicide Prevention Week.
Posted through The Mighty, an online community aimed at people “facing disability and mental illness together,” the 2 minute video shows what it can be like in the mind of someone who is living with depression. Miller narrates throughout the amplified clip and explains that depression currently affects 350 million people worldwide.
“Don’t be afraid to take the first step,” Miller says. “Someone cares, and they’re waiting to hear from you.” Miller urges people in need of help to contact a support group in their area, and to visit the Anxiety and Depression Association of American for more information, reassuring viewers that “there is hope.”
The 44-year-old actor has been a vocal advocate for mental health in the past, having opened up about living with depression after being confronted with a painful image – an Internet meme. The meme featured two side by side photos of Miller, one a shirtless promo picture for Prison Break from 2006 when he was in peak shape, and one from 2010, when he had semi-retired from acting and had gained weight. The caption read, “When you break out of prison and find out about the McDonald’s Monopoly.”
The fat-shamming meme struck such an emotional chord and the actor decided to open up for the first time about the depression he’d battled his entire life in a courageous open letter posted to Facebook.
In the post Miller candidly stated how he avoided the public eye in 2010 because “first and foremost, I was suicidal.” Miller explains how he “suffered in silence” and battled voices in his head that were encouraging him to take drastic measures.
“I’ve struggled with depression since childhood,” he wrote. “It’s a battle that’s cost me time, opportunities, relationships, and a thousand sleepless nights.”
Miller said that he first attempted suicide at the age of 15, adding, “[W]hen someone asks me if that was a cry for help, I’d say, ‘No.’ You only cry for help if you believe there’s help to cry for. And I didn’t need it, I wanted out.”
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Visit the Anxiety and Depression Association of American.
