Shot entirely in Jamaica, the series delivers raw authenticity and a powerful showcase of local talent. Share The Sky series Possession has landed with a gravitational pull that’s hard to ignore, and audiences have wasted no time giving their stamp of approval — especially for its unapologetic embrace of Jamaican talent and culture. What makes this series truly seismic is not just its setting on the island, but the way it allows Jamaica to breathe, pulse and speak through its actors. This isn’t a backdrop; it’s a beating heart. And at the centre of that heartbeat are Sheldon Shepherd and Shantol Jackson, two Jamaican performers whose presence elevates the entire production. As one viewer put it online, “This is the first time I’ve seen Jamaica portrayed with this level of authenticity — absolutely gripping.” A commanding force in Jamaican cinema, Sheldon Shepherd has carved out a reputation for performances that feel volcanic in their emotional de...
In Jamaica, mental health isn’t just misunderstood—it’s dismissed. “A mad man dat,” we say, brushing off breakdowns with a shrug and a side-eye. “Low him, him mad.” But what happens when the madness is real, raw, and fatal? Tyra Spaulding, a radiant soul and former Miss Universe Jamaica contestant, died by suicide at just 26.
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She had been pleading for help online, posting videos where she said, “My mind is trying to kill me”. She wasn’t hiding. She was fighting. And still, she died. The Jamaica Defence Force recently released suicide statistics that should shake us: 67 deaths in 2024, the highest in nearly 25 years. Sixty-one of those were men. And yet, the national conversation remains dimmed, drowned in stigma and silence.
Then there’s June Dixon, aka Rosalee—a TikToker whose disturbing comments about harming children sparked outrage. Should someone like her be in mandatory care? Absolutely. But instead of intervention, we get viral views and moral panic. Where is the accountability? Where is the protection?
Mental illness in Jamaica is treated like a spectacle, not a sickness. We watch from the side-lines as people unravel. We whisper, we judge, we laugh. But we don’t help. And when help is available—helplines like 888-NEW-LIFE or Safe Spot—it’s buried beneath shame, fear, and cultural resistance.
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We need to stop dimming the light. We need to stop pretending that therapy is “white people ting” or that suicide is just weakness. We need to stop letting influencers weaponize trauma for clout while vulnerable people slip through the cracks.
This isn’t just a crisis. It’s a cultural reckoning.
So what now?
Mandatory mental health screenings in schools and workplaces.
Public education campaigns that dismantle stigma.
Legal consequences for those who incite harm online.
Accessible, affordable therapy—not just for the elite, but for every Jamaican.
Let’s stop saying “low him, him mad” and start asking “how can we help?”
