Celebs and rock stars will join mental health experts for the live radio broadcast airing on September 9th at 7am.
Artists, athletes, and mental health experts will come together for a two-hour radio special “I’m Listening,” to help raise awareness of the growing trend of depression and suicide—airing in time for National Suicide Prevention Week (September 9-15).
Listeners can call in to the program to share stories about how mental health issues and suicide affected their lives. They can also share their stories via ImListening.org or through social media using the hashtag #ImListening.
The Alternative Press reports that Mike Shinoda (of the band Linkin Park) and Jared Leto (30 Seconds to Mars) will join the live broadcast—which airs Sunday, September 9 at 7 a.m.
While on the road, Shinoda has been paying tribute to his former bandmate and friend, Linkin Park vocalist Chester Bennington, who died by suicide in 2017, shocking family and fans.
Michael Phelps will also be a part of the “I’m Listening” broadcast. The celebrated Olympian, who’s won 23 gold medals, has become a vocal advocate of mental health—promoting mental wellness and the importance of seeking help by sharing his own battles with depression, suicidal thoughts and problem drinking.
Singer Alessia Cara will also appear on the broadcast. The singer and songwriter appeared on the song “1-800-273-8255” (named after the National Suicide Prevention Hotline) alongside rapper Logic and singer Khalid. The song was Grammy-nominated for Song of the Year.
Actor and musician Jared Leto, the lead singer of 30 Seconds to Mars, and members of Pearl Jam, the Stone Temple Pilots and Third Eye Blind will also be featured on the live special.
Mental health professionals will also join the broadcast, like Dr. Christopher Nowinski. The former WWE wrestler co-founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation in 2007, and wrote the book Head Games: Football’s Concussion Crisis, which addresses the long-term effects of head trauma in sports.
Another is Dr. Ursula Whiteside, a clinical psychologist and CEO of NowMattersNow.org, a website dedicated to teaching research-based tools for how to help manage suicidal thoughts and mental health issues.
Dr. Whiteside, who is certified for group and individual Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), works with high-risk suicidal clients in her Seattle-based practice.
“Hearing stories about people’s lives helps us understand suicide so we can approach this topic with people we care about,” she said. “I look forward to answering questions via phone and providing resources even after the on-air broadcast has concluded. This is critical given that suicide is something that 4% of Americans seriously consider.”
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of nearly 45,000 Americans each year, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Depression is also widespread. According to WebMD, nearly 18.8 Americans over the age of 18 suffer from major depression. The majority will not seek treatment.