YouTuber Etika’s passing exposes America

Lack of mental health awarness
YouTube star Daniel Desmond “Etika” Amofah, known as a Nintendo sensation, was found dead in the East River of New York City on June 24. The cause of death was suicide by drowning, but the larger issue here is that the United States still has a glaring problem with mental health awareness.
Amofah admitted he had been battling depression and many mental health issues prior to his death. The issues led to him getting into serious trouble. He had assaulted a police officer, posted suicidal tweets, and uploaded pornography onto his YouTube channel, all prior to his death.
He was admitted to his local hospital on numerous occasions; however, he was only there momentarily without seemingly getting help for his issues. Burning questions arise from there, starting with whether or not the facilities actually helped him overcome his illnesses.
One in five people in America suffer from mental illnesses, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Worldwide, it is the top leading cause of both depression and disease, as reported by NAMI. Additionally, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, claiming over 47,000 people, according to a 2017 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Here at California State University, East Bay, students already have a tough time managing their studies. They get stressed and anxious wondering how they are not only going to pass each of their classes but whether or not they are going to graduate on time. Students also have to balance their schoolwork with their personal lives, be it responsibilities at home or working one or more jobs.
Both CSUEB and the whole country need to do a whole lot more than telling people to “stay positive,” or express their problems, among other things. Hospitals and medical centers need to offer better, longer-term services to individuals suffering from mental health problems. If not, those individuals could end up just like Etika: gone in the river. And it will all thanks to the lack of support from the United States’ mental help.
If you are having suicidal thoughts or struggling with your mental health, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.