Patrick J. Kennedyis emphasizing a need for more attention to mental health in the wake ofSaoirse Kennedy Hill‘s death.
Nearly three months after his cousin, whospoke candidly about her battle with depression, died from an apparent overdose, Patrick, 52, appeared on Monday’s episode ofThe Dr. Oz Show,where he urged for a “comprehensive” plan to address the nation-wide “mental health crisis.”
The former Rhode Island Congressman made the demand as he was discussing theemotionally-raw essay Saoirse wrotefor her high school’s student newspaper, where the then 19-year-old candidly described her own mental health struggles, including her time in a treatment facility after a suicide attempt.
“She was speaking to her friends in high school,” Patrick told Dr. Oz of the importance of Saoirse’s essay. “We’re seeing a giant leap in the number of suicide attempts and rates of depression and anxiety amongst kids and amongst college-age, young people.”
“So this is not a crisis that’s going to go away simply after Purdue Pharma stopped selling oxycodone,” he continued. “We have an underlying disease of addiction and we have an underlying mental health crisis in this country that we need to address and it’s not as simple as cutting off the supply of Pharma, it has to be more comprehensive than that.”
Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images; Kerry Kennedy/Twitter
One of the ways that Patrick felt progress could be made was through an idea called “check-up from the neck-up,” which calls on the nation’s doctors to consider other hereditary illnesses during their annual examinations.
“When you go to your physician’s office and they take a family history of whether you’ve had stroke or cancer in the family, they ought to take a family history of whether you have alcoholism, or addiction, or mental illness in your family,” Patrick explained.
“Because the chances are, you’re going to be at high risk yourself if any other family members also suffer from one of those illnesses,” he added.
Patrick J. Kennedy.Aaron Davidson/Getty Images
Saoirse, 22, was found dead on Aug. 1 at her grandmotherEthel Kennedy‘s home in Hyannis Port after an apparent overdose. Her cause and manner of death are still pending the toxicology report, according to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office.
In a statement to PEOPLE, the famous political family confirmed the news of Saoirse’s untimely death.
Shortly after the tragedy, Patrick, who is the son of Ted Kennedy, posted a photo of his younger cousin andwrote on Twitter, “Saoirse will always remain in our hearts. She is loved and will be deeply missed.”
“Saoirse’s sincere account of her depression is a powerful reminder of how so many people suffer alone and feel isolated,”he wrote. “I am proud Saoirse was able to be open and tell her story. I encourage everyone to read her words.”
“Feel what she felt. Do whatever you can from your position in life to stop the isolation, the stigma, and the devastating lack of acknowledgment that often leads to tragedy,”he continued.
“Families across the nation, including ours, are suffering,” Patrick finished. “We must come out of the shadows.”
Saoirse Kennedy
Later that day, Patrickspoke out onNBC Nightly Newsand praised Saoirse as a “hero” for being open about her struggles, continuing to push the conversation forward, and getting professional help when she needed it.
“And we mourn her loss but her memory will live on as someone who wasn’t going to keep silent and wasn’t going to be feeling as if she had something shameful, but rather something medical that she sought treatment for,” he continued.
“This affects every single family in America,” Patrick added. “It’s way past time that we deal with this in a way that we would deal with any other public health crisis.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go tosuicidepreventionlifeline.org.
If you are struggling with addiction issues, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
source: people.com
