15: Double Suicide Attempt Survivor & Pro Golfer in Canada to Mental Health Ambassador // The Story of Andrew Jensen

Background:

Andrew Jensen is a professional golfer and mental health Bell Let’s Talk Ambassador. In his teens, Andrew began to suffer with depression, culminating in a suicide attempt at 16 years old. In those difficult teenage years, golf was his refuge and the one place he felt meaning and purpose. It wasn’t until having to deal with the immense stress and pressure of professional golf that the game became his undoing.

After struggling through an extremely difficult rookie campaign in 2008, being dropped by his sponsors in 2009, and finally an injury in 2010, Andrew’s poor play and off course struggles re-opened the door for his depression and suicidal thoughts to enter his life. His 2011 season was his worst to date, forcing him to retire and give up on the game he loved for so many years. In the fall of 2011, two failed suicide attempts in a 3-week span had Andrew hospitalized. Most importantly, he was finally ready to get help and walk a road of recovery towards better health.

Returning to professional golf in 2013, Andrew gained status PGA Tour Canada. Though his starts were sparse, the Tour took it upon themselves to share Andrew’s story of strength and courage on the PGA Tour Canada TV show and YouTube channel. The response Andrew received helped him fully realize his place as an advocate for mental health across Canada. Andrew now finds himself at the forefront of the dialogue on mental health overall and as a Bell Let’s Talk Ambassador, and the effort to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health as a public speaker traveling the country and sharing his story with charities, schools, associations, and corporate Canada.

This Episode Brought to You By:

The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. With one national office, 11 divisions in all provinces and one territory, and 75 community-based branches/regions, CMHA provides support to over 1.3 million Canadians through the combined efforts of more than 5,000 staff and 11,000 volunteers. To learn more about how you can help the CMHA then please support them by visiting: www.cmha.ca.

Mental Health Colorado engages policymakers, providers, the public, and the press to promote mental wellness, ensure equitable access to mental health and substance use care, and end stigma and discrimination. We ensure compliance with state and federal law – including the guarantee of mental health as an essential benefit, the adequacy of provider networks, and the enforcement of mental health parity. Mental Health Colorado also ensures integration of mental health care into the primary care system; to address the shortage of mental health professionals, especially in rural Colorado; and to disentangle mental health and criminal justice. If you have the financial means to help, please consider making a donation at Mental Health Colorado.

Time-Stamped Show Notes:

3:30 The internal struggle and depression started in his early teens.
5:26 At 16 years old, Andrew tried to commit suicide.
6:50 When the doctor told Andrew that he has depression, he didn’t believe him.
9:33 His passion and love for golf turned into an obsession, which made him hate playing golf.
14:14 As he continues to have internal struggles and physical pain, Andrew kept a positive outward appearance. When he committed suicide, his friends were surprised and didn’t know about his struggles.
21:08 Andrew talks about being an ambassador for the Bell Let’s Talk program.
27:25 In 2017, Andrew created his YouTube channel to share the behind-the-scenes of professional golf and to keep playing golf.
29:56 Today, he is making YouTube videos because he wants to share his love for the game of golf.
37:36 If you’re finding a new way to engage with your passion, Andrew recommends the book entitled The One Thing by Gary Keller.
42:00 Another book that Andrew recommends is Start with Why and Find Your Why by Simon Sinek.
43:38 If he can go back in time and talk to his younger self during those rock-bottom moments, there’s only one thing he would say – “You matter.”
46:38 Andrew and Eric talk about their Gratitude Journal.
50:12 For those people who have anxiety about other people reading their journals or writings, then Eric offers a very useful tip.

This Episode Sponsored By:

13:41 The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is the most extensive community mental health organization in Canada. Through a presence in more than 330 communities across every province and one territory, CMHA provides advocacy, programs and resources that help to prevent mental health problems and illnesses, support recovery and resilience, and enable all Canadians to flourish and thrive. With one national office, 11 divisions in all provinces and one territory, and 75 community-based branches/regions, CMHA provides support to over 1.3 million Canadians through the combined efforts of more than 5,000 staff and 11,000 volunteers. To learn more about how you can help the CMHA then please support them by visiting: www.cmha.ca.

23:34 Mental Health Colorado engages policymakers, providers, the public, and the press to promote mental wellness, ensure equitable access to mental health and substance use care, and end stigma and discrimination. We ensure compliance with state and federal law – including the guarantee of mental health as an essential benefit, the adequacy of provider networks, and the enforcement of mental health parity. Mental Health Colorado also ensures integration of mental health care into the primary care system; to address the shortage of mental health professionals, especially in rural Colorado; and to disentangle mental health and criminal justice. If you have the financial means to help, please consider making a donation at Mental Health Colorado.

42:22 If you like golf, then you need to check out Andrew Jensen’s YouTube channel. His channel has tons of videos to help you increase the quality of your golf game, lower your score, and ace that hole. Just type in his name, Andrew Jensen, to visit his YouTube channel.

Key Points from the Interview:

“There’s no magic formula other than putting in the work and being patient, and being honest with yourself.”
“If I watch older videos or videos from 2017 or 2018, I can tell if I was putting on a face or just saying what I thought I needed to say. Whereas now, I’m making videos and I’m doing exactly what I want to do because I love doing it.”

Resources Mentioned:

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