Ellen Degeneres reacts to the death of Stephen "tWitch" Boss 1:59
Editor's Note:
If you or someone you know is dealing with suicidal thoughts or mental health issues, call or text 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to connect with a trained counselor or visit the Lifeline site.
(CNN) --
Tyler Perry has opened up about his mental health history after the death of Stephen "tWitch" Boss.
Boss, a professional dancer, actor and former DJ and co-executive producer of the "Ellen DeGeneres Show," committed suicide Tuesday at age 40.
Perry paid tribute to Boss in a moving Instagram video on Thursday, titled "Life."
“I like that the rest of the world is shocked by the death of Stephen Boss, tWitch,” Perry said.
“I only saw him a couple of times.
He was always full of life, he seemed like a light ”.
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Tyler Perry and Stephen "tWitch" Boss
The director talked about his own battles in the past.
“I just want to take you back to a time in my life where I tried to kill myself, a couple of times, because I was so gloomy I didn't think it would get better.
I had endured so much pain, so much abuse, sexual abuse, it was all so hard to get over that I thought the only way to make this better was to end my life," Perry said.
“If it had happened on any of those attempts, I would have missed the best part of my life,” he continued.
Perry encouraged those struggling to seek help.
“I know it may seem hopeless, but reach out to someone.
Call, ask for help if you are dealing with anything, anything that is taking you emotionally to a place where you think you want to end your life,” she said.
Perry explained how she overcame her own pain, saying: “What I realize now, looking back on all those dark times, is that sometimes pain is an acceptance.
I know it's hard to understand.
Not all the time, sometimes pain is an acceptance.
That's the way I had to learn to look at it to get over it.
What I mean by that is, all that pain, all that hell, all that fighting, if I had given up, if I had stopped, I would not have seen the best part of my life.
So, I was buying something, I was paying for something."
He added: "I know that doesn't make sense to a lot of people, but for me, it was the way that I was able to rationalize it, to be able to get through the pain, knowing that if I could get through this moment, get through this moment, there has to be something better."
Perry said she is now "happier than ever."
"I'm telling you, if you are a person who is considering committing suicide, ending his life and has already been through a lot of hell, please, please, please, think about what you could be on the other side," he said.
“It could be amazing.
And you'd miss the best part going through the dark.
Don't let the darkness stop you from reaching this incredible place of life."
Perry shared resource information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
“My hope is that if you need help, that you reach out.
Call that number.
God bless you.
I'm with you," Perry said.
"I am a living witness that you can overcome it."
See here the suicide care and prevention lines in Latin America and Spain.
How to get help for someone who might commit suicide
Call 1-800-273-8255 in the United States to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Provides free and confidential assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people in suicidal or distressed crises. You can learn more about their services here, including their guide on what to do if you see suicidal signs on social media. You can also call 1-800-273-8255 to talk to someone about how you can help someone in crisis. Call 1-866-488-7386 for TrevorLifeline, a suicide prevention counseling service for the LGBTQ community.
For assistance outside the US, the International Association for Suicide Prevention provides a global directory of international resources and hotlines. You can also turn to Befrienders Worldwide.
