Emma Benoit was a popular cheerleader with a supportive family and friends, but on the inside she was hiding severe depression and anxiety. In 2017, the summer before her senior year in high school, she attempted suicide – which resulted in a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed. Now she works to bring awareness to the epidemic of youth suicide through writing and documentaries, including 2021's "My Ascension." The new 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a US-based, toll-free hotline available 24/7 to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. Greg Dicharry was introduced to the world of mental health while living in Hollywood pursuing his dream of working in the entertainment industry. In that time, he was hospitalized and diagnosed with co-occurring bipolar and substance use disorders. Now Greg is a youth empowerment expert, mental health advocate, and filmmaker who served as Magellan Health’s national youth empowerment director from 2007 - 2022. In 2008, he developed the MY LIFE program, which is one of the nation's leading programs for youth who experience challenged with mental health or substance use. Greg also produces and directs mental health related films including the documentary "My Ascension" with Emma Benoit. Learn more about Emma and Greg's film at https://MyAscension.us Ask Dr. Drew is produced by Kaleb Nation (https://kalebnation.com) and Susan Pinsky (http://twitter.com/firstladyoflove). This show is for entertainment and/or informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. SPONSORED BY • GENUCEL - Using a proprietary base formulated by a pharmacist, Genucel has created skincare that can dramatically improve the appearance of facial redness and under-eye puffiness. Genucel uses clinical levels of botanical extracts in their cruelty-free, natural, made-in-the-USA line of products. Get 10% off with promo code DREW at https://genucel.com/drew GEAR PROVIDED BY • BLUE MICS - After more than 30 years in broadcasting, Dr. Drew's iconic voice has reached pristine clarity through Blue Microphones. But you don't need a fancy studio to sound great with Blue's lineup: ranging from high-quality USB mics like the Yeti, to studio-grade XLR mics like Dr. Drew's Blueberry. Find your best sound at https://drdrew.com/blue • ELGATO - Every week, Dr. Drew broadcasts live shows from his home studio under soft, clean lighting from Elgato's Key Lights. From the control room, the producers manage Dr. Drew's streams with a Stream Deck XL, and ingest HD video with a Camlink 4K. Add a professional touch to your streams or Zoom calls with Elgato. See how Elgato's lights transformed Dr. Drew's set: https://drdrew.com/sponsors/elgato/ For over 30 years, Dr. Drew has answered questions and offered guidance to millions through popular shows like Celebrity Rehab (VH1), Dr. Drew On Call (HLN), Teen Mom OG (MTV), and the iconic radio show Loveline. Now, Dr. Drew is opening his phone lines to the world by streaming LIVE from his home studio. Watch all of Dr. Drew's latest shows at https://drdrew.tv. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.