Death of famous DJ, Stephen 'tWitch' Boss, puts renewed spotlight on suicide prevention

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The entertainment world is mourning. Stephen 'tWitch' Boss passed away this week at the age of 40.

The Los Angeles coroner determined he died by suicide. Boss was a beloved dancer and was well-known for being the long time DJ for the Ellen Degeneres Show. Most recently he appeared on Disney's Hip Hop Nutcracker. Boss was a dad and husband.

"To see this, I'm like, whoa," said Karla Noland. She's a certified life coach and author. She has her own practice, Reveal Heal Thrive based in Durham.

"I've been depressed, so it was never like, 'Oh, how could that happen?' I get it. Because it gets to a point where whatever's going on internally is so heavy, that the only way out is taking--it's sad to say taking your life because it builds up," Noland shared Wednesday night as she took a brief break between her client sessions.

She doesn't know Boss' back story, but she has her own that also led to deep dark depression.

"That was me. I'm known for my laugh. I'm known for always having a good time when a party is around. But when those doors closed, there was a point in my life where it was sadness and depression taking over," she said.

Through healing and therapy Noland is in a better space. She's also creating safe spaces for others as well. She shared her story with a group of people at the Durham Public Library earlier this month.

"That person that's telling you their story, they don't want you to fix it. They just want to be able to have a safe place to be able to share and have someone who understands them without judgment," she continued.

Licensed Psychologist Dr. Anthony J. Smith with Alase Center for Enrichment in Durham said its power in sharing your story.

Smith also shared signs you should look out for or questions you can ask if you have concerns about a loved one.

"Has their mood decreased to a place where they're not interacting like they normally would? Are they being sluggish, sad, or displaying tendencies to just withdraw and not want to be involved. Whereas they previously would be a person that was very extroverted, life of the party," explained Smith.

Smith and Noland both encourage us all to be supportive of others around us as everyone is facing a battle that you may not be aware of.

"We got to be able to show other people, compassion, but it starts with ourselves first," Noland said.