Life
Brandon Marshall’s Mental Health Battle and What It Means To African-Americans
The stigma, the suffering and the solutions
Brandon Marshall (pictured above), a star wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins recently revealed in a press conference that he suffers from Borderline Personality Disorder. According to the National Institute of Health, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) can be described as “an illness that causes “pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image and behavior.”
Marshall, no stranger to the media with tales of domestic abuse and driving under the influence; last week decided to go public with his disorder in order to raise awareness and eventually lobby Congress for funding to assist research efforts.
BPD is a lesser known mental disorder compared to Schizophrenia or Bi-Polar Disorder, and it affects over 6 million Americans.
Marshall stated during the press conference,
“Right now, today, I am vulnerable. I am making myself vulnerable. And I want it to be clear that this is the opposite of damage control. The only reason why I’m standing here today is to use my story to help others who may suffer from what I suffer from.”
