As a film enthusiast who has spent countless hours poring over biographical documentaries and memoirs of those in the limelight, I find Kendis Gibson‘s story to be both harrowing and inspiring. His life journey, as depicted in “Five Trips,” resonates deeply with me due to its raw honesty and unapologetic exploration of mental health struggles that are often overlooked or swept under the rug within the cutthroat world of television news.
To viewers at home, Kendis Gibson seemed to have it all. Off-camera, he felt like he didn’t.
2018 saw Gibson serving regularly as co-anchor for ABC News’ overnight program, “ABC News Now.” He was determinedly striving to advance, managing to appear 212 times on “Good Morning America” within the first two years at the Disney-supported network. Behind the scenes, though, he was dealing with personal turmoil – some stemming from his past experiences and some arising from a sense of being sidelined as he endeavored to showcase his work to viewers and management.
Following several years at “ABC News Now,” Gibson was unable to find another path at ABC News and started experiencing increasingly severe thoughts of suicide, a struggle he had faced before. Fortunately, five friends managed to prevent him from jumping out of his high-rise Manhattan apartment by finding that he had consumed alcohol and sleeping pills which impaired his ability to carry out the attempt.
Titled “Five Trips,” Gibson’s latest book, set for release on Tuesday, serves as a means for him to process his experiences. This narrative delves into not only his haunting childhood memories that have lingered, but also his personal exploration with different drugs aimed at managing his mental health. Spanning across 206 pages, Gibson undergoes drug trials with MDMA in Hawaii and Arizona, LSD in Big Sur, psilocybin in Belize, and ayahuasca in Peru.
He has good reasons to find comfort. The initial sections of Gibson’s memoir describe a traumatic childhood in Belize, where he is repeatedly sexually abused as a child. Additionally, he has to cope with the enigma surrounding the death of a childhood friend, who was his first and newly discovered same-sex crush. Despite finding success in the TV-news industry, Gibson continues to battle feelings of depression, PTSD, and thoughts of suicide.
“To go back and relive all of it is emotional and cathartic at the same time,” says Gibson.
His memories could potentially aid numerous colleagues within the television news industry as well. This sector often demands extended work hours, tight deadlines under pressure, and high-profile broadcasts, which can all negatively impact one’s self-esteem.
Gibson isn’t the only person who has suffered declines in mental well-being over the course of a career in the medium. Dan Harris, a former ABC News anchor who has since moved on to launch his own mental wellness company called “10% Happier,” told a oft-remembered story of having an on-air panic attack while filling in on “Good Morning America” in 2004. He subsequently discovered he had become depressed after a long stint covering wars in Afghanistan and Palestine, among other places, and had begun to self-medicate. He soon began to try mediation.
Additionally, Gibson has narratives that could captivate those in journalism. He spearheaded a team of diverse journalists at ABC News, aiming to improve the diversity in their hiring practices. However, as this endeavor progressed, he noticed a significant decrease in his appearances on prominent shows like “GMA.” Previously appearing often on “GMA” during his early years at ABC, Gibson’s screen time was reduced drastically, leaving him with only a few appearances.
A glimpse into the less-public side of the Disney-supported division provides fresh insights into a challenging incident that surfaced in 2020, when it was uncovered that a high-ranking executive overseeing talent development had been making racially insensitive remarks for an extended period. According to him, his time there played a role in his deteriorating mental health.
In the book, Gibson shares that some of his experiments played a significant role in helping him deal with personal burdens. After an experience with psychedelics in Peru, he expressed feeling deeply connected to the universe. This connection alleviated a lifetime’s worth of burden he carried, which stemmed from feelings of embarrassment about his humble upbringing. Through this journey, he came to understand that escaping poverty was something to be proud of, rather than ashamed.
The host clarifies that he’s not urging others to adopt his routine, which includes psychedelics. Instead, he explains, “I’m simply sharing my experience.” However, he expresses a hope that readers might gain a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by television news workers, acknowledging that they are, like everyone else, dealing with personal struggles, stress, and anxiety.
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2024-12-03 19:17