Mississippi State women's basketball's Jessika Carter details mental health battle in Instagram post

STARKVILLE —  In an Instagram post Tuesday, Mississippi State women's basketball forward Jessika Carter detailed her battle with depression, opening up about two suicide attempts in a five-month span this year.

After the second attempt, which occurred Nov. 26, Carter was sent to "a facility," she wrote.

"I made friends there that i will cherish the rest of my life," Carter wrote. "You guys helped me get out of a very dark space. You showed me that people care. That i will always have people there even when they don’t know me. I AM HAPPY. I AM BLESSED. AND I AM LOVED. Most importantly I AM HERE TO STAY."

Carter was named to the 2020 All-SEC second team, and she averaged 14.3 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks across 19 games for Mississippi State last season. Carter hasn't played for the Bulldogs this year.

The first suicide attempt came July 24, she wrote. 

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"the day i decided that i couldn’t take it anymore," Carter wrote. "It was the day i decided to take my own life."

She suffered liver damage from the attempt, taking a bottle of NyQuil and more than 30 Tylenol Extra Strength PM tablets.

"It’s pretty scary if you think about it but when you’re in the moment you’ll do anything to escape," Carter wrote. "After staying in the hospital for a week i thought i had it together. I promised i would never take life or anything for granted. That’s was a lie. I hid my depression until i started making bad decisions."

Carter was arrested Sept. 8 and charged with simple assault after an incident on Aug. 28, when she was accused of striking a woman in the face at a party.

"After that i lost myself," Carter wrote. "I felt as the world was against me and would never see the REAL Jessika."

So on Nov. 26, Carter attempted suicide again. She took "25 codeine Tylenol," she wrote, and wound up in the hospital again. She wrote that she argued against going to a treatment facility, but that's where she met friends who helped her overcome her second attempt.

On Tuesday, Carter turned 22. She's glad she was here to celebrate it.

"CHEERS to more life," Carter wrote.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) any time day or night, or chat online.

Crisis Text Line also provides free, 24/7, confidential support via text message to people in crisis when they dial 741741.