In 2000 Michael Landsberg found himself somewhere he never thought he would be. It wasn’t at a party or award show or interviewing world-class athletes. It was in a deep, dark hole of depression.
Now the Canadian sports journalist and former host of TSN’s Off the Record is on a crusade to end the stigma surrounding mental illness, as he works to create a community of hope, honesty and understanding through his not-for profit, SickNotWeak. He visited Ivey to share his story at the third annual Break the Silence event on mental health on January 22, organized by the student group myHBA.
He described 2008 as the worst year of his life, when his depression became more than he could handle. “It had taken me down so far that I had given up looking forward to anything in my life because it was just too painful. For a year virtually nothing brought me joy.”
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A year later, after seeking treatment, Michael spoke publicly on-air for the first time about his mental illness, alongside former NHLer Stéphane Richer. The conversation resonated with viewers who had been affected by mental illness in their own lives. As emails flooded Michael’s inbox, he knew he needed to keep sharing his story any way he could.
Today Michael connects with people from across the world who are struggling with mental illness through SickNotWeak. With daily vlogs, tweets, blog posts and more, he is working to end the silence and stigma surrounding mental illness and inspire those who have struggled or are struggling to share their stories, too.
