1 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: Hey, everybody. My name is Lindsay Young and I am 2 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,360 Speaker 1: a writer and assistant editor here with the Minnesota Vikings. 3 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us for our fourth installment of 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:19,959 Speaker 1: the Getting Open series that focuses on all things mental health. 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 1: So far, we've talked with Jalen Holmes, We've talked with 6 00:00:23,640 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: All Pro linebacker Eric Kendricks and his fiance Ali Cortnall, 7 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: and last week we sat down with tight end Tyler 8 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,160 Speaker 1: Conklin to hear about the ways that his family has 9 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:37,960 Speaker 1: turned a personal tragedy into community outreach and suicide prevention. 10 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:42,320 Speaker 1: Over the coming weeks, you will continue to hear personal stories, 11 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 1: organizational initiatives, and more about foundations that support this area 12 00:00:46,680 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: of mental health. Today, we're sitting down with Vikings cornerback 13 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,760 Speaker 1: Harrison Hand, who was a rookie for Minnesota in twenty 14 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: twenty and contributed both on special teams and on defense. 15 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 1: Although Harrison acknowledges the difficulty of being invulnerable, he's passionate 16 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 1: about the area of mental health and self care. The 17 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,800 Speaker 1: NFL did their Micause My Cleats campaign this year with 18 00:01:16,880 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: you being a rookie, what did it mean to you 19 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: to be able to participate in the MICUs my Cleats initiative. UM, 20 00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: it was very important to me just because I thought 21 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: it was opportunity to bring light and attention to um, 22 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,959 Speaker 1: you know, mental health and you know it's awareness and everything. 23 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:36,600 Speaker 1: You were one of two players on the Vikings Rafter 24 00:01:36,800 --> 00:01:39,119 Speaker 1: who had NAMI on your cleats. Can you just tell 25 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 1: us a little bit about why you chose NAMI specifically, 26 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: why that organization is important for you, and why you 27 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: wanted to raise awareness. I chose that specific organization because 28 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:53,520 Speaker 1: I believe they do a great job in helping, you know, 29 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: the youth, you know, coping find ways to um, you know, 30 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: go through life and hope with their problems, and I 31 00:02:01,760 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: just believe that that's really important. So you and I 32 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: talked a little bit offline just about the importance of 33 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,360 Speaker 1: talking about mental health and taking care of one's mental health. 34 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:11,960 Speaker 1: Can you share a little bit of your story, as 35 00:02:12,040 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: much or as little as you'd like, just sort of 36 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: around the area of mental health. UM. Yeah, UM, you know, 37 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: just like about everyone else in this world, I went 38 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: through some tough things growing up, and you know, at 39 00:02:25,160 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: a young age, you really don't know um fully or 40 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: understand what you're going through to an extent, you just 41 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: find ways to cope and um, you know, do what 42 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: whatever makes you feel happy, I guess. And you're not 43 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: taught how to cope with your feelings and everything else. 44 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 1: You're really just told really to you know that they're 45 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: not real or suppressed them. And you know as a 46 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,360 Speaker 1: on the male side, as be a man and on 47 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:57,520 Speaker 1: the female side, that you're being too sensitive. And that's 48 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: just something small. But I just feel like that, see, 49 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: that's something that needs to change because you were kind 50 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: of being fed that messaging in society. What did you 51 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: do to sort of cope with the things that you 52 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,120 Speaker 1: were feeling or experiencing? You know, you know a lot 53 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:18,359 Speaker 1: of people have, you know, different ways, but my specific way, 54 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: I tend to know I had a lot of things, 55 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: had a lot of different ways, but one specific way 56 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 1: that you know, whether it's may be positive, maybe negative, 57 00:03:26,720 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: or however you see it. But I tend to forget 58 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: the past. I'm more so than I live in the now, 59 00:03:33,120 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: and I look just like the float. And I think 60 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,160 Speaker 1: that's kind of because of what not been through and 61 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,840 Speaker 1: how you tend to just forget and put everything by 62 00:03:42,960 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: the experiences that you had growing up and also the 63 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:47,880 Speaker 1: ways that you kind of cope with things, you know, 64 00:03:47,960 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 1: kind of moved on from the past. How has that 65 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: shaped you as a person and the man that you 66 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: are today? Oh yeah, definitely shaped me because no matter 67 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,880 Speaker 1: what you react to certain things, on how well I 68 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: react to certain things, on how I know, you know 69 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:05,840 Speaker 1: I've chose to grow up and how I chose to 70 00:04:05,880 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 1: reacting things, and you know, it's still shaping me because 71 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 1: I like to get deep and know why I'm acting 72 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:13,520 Speaker 1: like that, and then I like to know the why why. 73 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: I want to know that, and I know it's still 74 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: shaping me into this being that I want to be. 75 00:04:19,960 --> 00:04:24,080 Speaker 1: Why do you think that it's important for everybody, regardless 76 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: of their background, of their experiences, or their current situation. 77 00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:29,120 Speaker 1: Why do you think it's important for everybody to pay 78 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 1: attention to their mental health and to take care of 79 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: their mental health. Um. I think it's very important for 80 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 1: everyone to prioritize their mental health and their alive because 81 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: it affects the way we think, feel and act. No 82 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 1: matter whether you know it or not, you're you react 83 00:04:48,040 --> 00:04:50,760 Speaker 1: to certain things because of you know, what you've been 84 00:04:50,800 --> 00:04:53,680 Speaker 1: through or what happened in your past life. So I 85 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,119 Speaker 1: feel like that's a very important thing to know. People 86 00:04:56,200 --> 00:04:59,320 Speaker 1: use the word self care a lot, right to kind 87 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:02,240 Speaker 1: of make sure that they're taking care of their emotions, 88 00:05:02,279 --> 00:05:04,840 Speaker 1: their mental health. What does that look like for you? 89 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: I wouldn't say it's a no consistent route every day. 90 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 1: But for one, I don't not a huge technology person, 91 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: so I just tend to flow, go away, and I 92 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: just like to live in the now or either you know, 93 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,479 Speaker 1: watch the TV shows or music, But mainly I like 94 00:05:24,520 --> 00:05:26,960 Speaker 1: to be alone, um, you know, just quiet time. I 95 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: really think whether that's you know, going for a walk 96 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,280 Speaker 1: or you know, just going down sitting in nature, or um, 97 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: you know, meditating or yoga, reading a book, there's you know, 98 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 1: things of that nature. They're really you're just either locking 99 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: into something or you really find another reality to go to. 100 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: What types of books do you like to read. Do 101 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:49,720 Speaker 1: you like to read like fiction novels, or do you 102 00:05:49,720 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 1: like to read kind of like nonfiction self help type 103 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: of stuff. I'm all over the board. Um right now, 104 00:05:55,839 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 1: I'm actually reading scripts of movies, different movie in place. 105 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,760 Speaker 1: But I like to also research, like you said about 106 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: you know, self care and different things in the world. 107 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: I feel like this past year obviously we've had to 108 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: navigate the pandemic. There's been increased emphasis or awareness of 109 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,120 Speaker 1: the social injustices that are going on. And but then 110 00:06:20,120 --> 00:06:22,560 Speaker 1: on top of all of that, it's your rookie season, 111 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: You're with a new team, you're in a new city. 112 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 1: How important was it this past year to put that 113 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:33,599 Speaker 1: focus on your mental health? I say it was not 114 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:36,799 Speaker 1: so difficult because, as you know, mental health is something 115 00:06:36,839 --> 00:06:39,479 Speaker 1: that I really live by. It's not something that I 116 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: kind of, you know, think of or every here and there. 117 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: It's really a lifestyle. You know, it's a lot going 118 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 1: through this pandemic, you know, coming through them, you know, 119 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: combine coming to the season, different things, testing of fans. 120 00:06:54,839 --> 00:06:56,279 Speaker 1: There was just a lot of different stuff. And that 121 00:06:56,360 --> 00:06:59,520 Speaker 1: doesn't even play into the actual learning of the playbook, 122 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,120 Speaker 1: in the tech me that you're going through. So um, 123 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:05,599 Speaker 1: I say, it's a lot. It caused me to do 124 00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 1: a lot of learning about myself. Now. I learned something 125 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,240 Speaker 1: new about myself every day. And I say it was crazy, 126 00:07:12,640 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: just because trying to juggle everything that you're going through. 127 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: But no, it's possible. Why do you think there is 128 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: so much stigma around mental health? I think people are 129 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: being more and more willing to talk about it, but 130 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,560 Speaker 1: there still tends to be kind of that stigma. Why 131 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: do you think that is? I want to feel like 132 00:07:32,440 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 1: they're willing to talk about it more now is because 133 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 1: more people are coming out and explaining themselves of who 134 00:07:39,800 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: they are and why they are. But I feel like 135 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 1: there's a stigma because when people hear mental health, they 136 00:07:45,640 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 1: tend to think of somebody being crazy, or you know, 137 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 1: they have anxiety or depression, they just want to kill themselves, 138 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: and you know, to an extent, it may be all 139 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:03,960 Speaker 1: of that, but it's understanding that the feel you know, 140 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 1: feeble minded and weak if they feel or have empathy 141 00:08:08,680 --> 00:08:12,880 Speaker 1: towards something or at a young age where taught we're 142 00:08:12,880 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 1: not taught how to deal with things. We're told to 143 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:20,400 Speaker 1: suppress them, and that really no one cares, and reality, 144 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 1: to an extent, majority of the world really doesn't. You 145 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,480 Speaker 1: have to find the ones that you know really do, 146 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:30,320 Speaker 1: so you just have to really throw out everyone's opinions. 147 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: But the stigma is there. You mentioned like finding the 148 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,440 Speaker 1: ones who are there in your life who do care. 149 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 1: How have you been able to kind of find those 150 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: people in your life that are in your corner who 151 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:42,440 Speaker 1: are that support system, whether it's family, friends, teammates. What 152 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: does that look like for you? Um, let's start off 153 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: by saying that I want to say everyone gets a 154 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:55,240 Speaker 1: different part of you and you can't you. I guess 155 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: in some situation there are some people that feel you 156 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 1: can't tell everything too. But it's hard just because I 157 00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: truthfully don't have a lot of people that I know 158 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: really confide and I can talk to people about things, 159 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:18,440 Speaker 1: but when it comes down to fully understanding me, I still, 160 00:09:18,480 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: to this day, I still keep things to myself just 161 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: because you know, I've been doing it since I was born. 162 00:09:24,160 --> 00:09:28,679 Speaker 1: Finding the person and the people it's really about the 163 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: energy and the feeling that you have towards that person 164 00:09:32,440 --> 00:09:37,080 Speaker 1: in the relationship that you you know that whatever you 165 00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,760 Speaker 1: say will stay between you and the other person, and 166 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 1: also that when you're telling them everything that you feel, 167 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,480 Speaker 1: it's more so they listen and they're not telling you 168 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: how to feel. They're more so just there for you 169 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,440 Speaker 1: to listen and you know, explain how you feel and 170 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:54,360 Speaker 1: they also may feel the same way they don't, but 171 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: to an extent, they're going to know how you feel. 172 00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 1: The last question I had written down is just what 173 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:02,360 Speaker 1: do you hope that people get out of this, whether 174 00:10:02,400 --> 00:10:06,840 Speaker 1: it's specifically from your message or maybe someone else who's speaking. 175 00:10:08,000 --> 00:10:12,920 Speaker 1: What kind of impact do you hope that this series makes? Truthfully, 176 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 1: I hope that everyone that watches this or or sees this, 177 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 1: that they either find ways to cope and find ways 178 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,959 Speaker 1: to somebody to talk to, or really just understand themselves 179 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:30,480 Speaker 1: of how to be free. And there's either always somebody 180 00:10:30,480 --> 00:10:32,600 Speaker 1: else that's been through that, and there's always somebody as 181 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 1: willing to listen, no matter who it is, And I'd 182 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:37,920 Speaker 1: be a person that for me they can talk to. 183 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: And that's just something that I believe that no people 184 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: should learn. Big thank you, of course to Harrison for 185 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,600 Speaker 1: sharing his thoughts with us and for being a champion 186 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:59,760 Speaker 1: for such a great organization like NAMI. Thanks for tuning 187 00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:01,679 Speaker 1: in again, and we invite you to keep an eye 188 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: on all of Vikings digital platforms for upcoming features and 189 00:11:05,160 --> 00:11:06,440 Speaker 1: are getting an open series