Emmy-award winning sports filmmaker, Brett Rapkin, director of The Weight of Gold , and World Champion and Olympic medalist skier Bode Miller join to talk about their new film, The "Paradise Paradox." This documentary is the definitive film on why mountain towns across the country experience rates of suicide and mental health challenges at much higher than the national average.
"The Paradise Paradox" unravels the stark realities leading to disproportionately high suicide rates in America’s mountain towns and across the snow sports industry, including isolation, the lack of behavioral health services, stigma, and systemic issues in the healthcare and insurance systems. A “party culture” can exacerbate and complicate existing mental health issues, driving a cycle of unhealthy self-medication. And the stark economic gap among both visitors and local residents elevates mental health stress, as rising living costs and income disparity take a toll on the community’s well-being.