Suicide is 100% Preventable

We were recently asked to supply some resources to families of suicide victims. So I thought I would share it in this blog. Suicide accounts for about 2% of the deaths per year. It’s common to assume that suicides occur mostly in teenagers, aged 15 – 24, but this is not the case. Most suicides occur in males over the age of 69!

Before I get into the resources, I would like to point out some Suicide Warning Signs that the APA has compiled. If you or anyone you know displays these warning signs, look for help. There is a National Hotline Suicide Prevention Lifeline number to call, 800-273-TALK (8255). 

“Suicide warning signs

Learn how to recognize the danger signals.

Be concerned if someone you know:

• Talks about committing suicide
• Has trouble eating or sleeping
• Exhibits drastic changes in behavior
• Withdraws from friends or social activities
• Loses interest in school, work or hobbies
• Prepares for death by writing a will and making final arrangements
• Gives away prized possessions
• Has attempted suicide before
• Takes unnecessary risks
• Has recently experienced serious losses
• Seems preoccupied with death and dying
• Loses interest in his or her personal appearance
• Increases alcohol or drug use.”

Furthermore, the APA has information on getting help, articles, and recommended books for dealing with the loss of a loved one due to suicide. http://www.apa.org/topics/suicide/index.aspx

I did come across this website a few weeks ago for Teens, and I wrote a blog specifically on this resource. It’s a teen health community! I know that this doesn’t directly apply to the families, but maybe if this resource and others like it were more commonplace, there could be fewer suicides. http://www.bodimojo.com/about.htm

Another resource is the National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml

Group and individual counseling for family members is powerful in the healing process. It is recommended to seek professional counseling during the grieving process.  

Local support centers are another great avenue for support as well as reaching out to other families that have gone through the same unfortunate tragedy. The Surviving Project is a new website set up by a family who has been through this tragic ordeal:

"The Surviving Project hopes to increase awareness about suicide and provide support, comfort, love, and hope to those whose lives have been forever changed by the loss of a loved one by suicide.  We are survivors of what is sometimes described as the most debilitating and complicated grief known.  The Surviving Project was created within one family’s journey through this grief as a way to give back to others and provide support and understanding in the days, weeks, months, and years following the loss of someone so special in their lives."

Please visit their site @ www.thesurvivingproject.com

Please comment or ask questions via the comment box!

- Mindy Perry, Marketer

Citations:

American Psychological Association. Suicide. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/suicide/index.aspx

American Psychological Association.  Suicide Warning Signs. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/suicide/signs.aspx

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Teen Health Community Website

In the spirit of National Mental Health Month, I’d like to share with you an online resource for teens. 

The website is Bodimojo, and it’s an online health and wellness community for teenagers.  They have a great catchy slogan: “Warning: Health can be Habit Forming”. This website features information all about teen health issues from body image, dating, eating disorders, nutrition and fitness.

Their mission is clear and simple: “Give all teens a place, a voice, and a chance to take control of their health and feel good about it.” Bodimojo’s goal “is to build a community of teenagers that allows youth to connect, motivate, and inspire one another in healthy decision making.

Information for teens, especially health related information, is especially important to ensure that they grow up as happy, healthy adults. 

Not only is information presented in the form of articles and blogs, the website includes music, games, quizzes, videos, and contests. Plus, this website is a place for teens to do what they do best, share information with their friends. Information can be shared with the major social media sites! What can be better than that?

Teens model their behaviors and boundaries in relation to what their friends are doing. So if a teen is tweeting or posting health related information, their friends will listen, adapt, and pass along the information to their friends.

If you have a teen or pre-teen, check out this website as a resource. 

by: Mindy Perry, Marketer

Citations:

Bodimojo. (2011). Home Page. Retrieved from http://www.bodimojo.com/

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Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental Health American has been creating awareness of mental health issues since 1949 and is still going strong.

Mental Health America has two campaigns this year. The first is Do More for 1 in 4. What does this mean? It’s a call to action! 1 in 4 American adults live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition & can live full and productive lives.  The second campaign is Live Well! It's Essential for Your Potential. This focuses on educating the public about mental wellness and the ways people can improve their mental state. 

To do our part this month, we want to share you a few ways of finding a mental health provider and what some of the different specialties of mental health professionals mean.

How does one even know where to start when looking for a mental health provider? There are a few ways:

1.      Call our office, Benchmark Psychiatric Services, if you are in the Orland Park & Chicago area to schedule an appointment. We have 2 locations.

2.      Out of area? That’s Ok! Ask your primary physician for a referral. 

3.      Contact a crisis center in your area.

4.      Your insurance directory provides a list of providers.

5.      Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Visit http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/databases/

6.      Some communities have a mental health center.

7.      Medicare offers a list of participating doctors on its website, www.medicare.gov. (Click on “Find a Doctor”).

Now you have ways to find a mental health provider, now the question becomes what is the right type of provider for you. We have touched upon the differences between psychiatrists (Dr. Kulik) and psychologists in past blogs, but here are some other professionals that may surprise you. 

A Child/Adolescent Psychologist has special training in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional and behavioral problems in children. Our staff: Dr. Alexandria Laris.

Clinical Social Worker is a counselor with a master’s degree in social work trained to make diagnoses and provide individual and group counseling. Our staff: Charles Preyar and Trudi Lewis.

Licensed Professional Counselor is a counselor with a master’s degree in psychology, counseling or a related field trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling. Our staff: Lauren Pac, Sheryl Ankrom, Maureen Sanderson, and Jill Hughes.

Marital and Family Therapist is a counselor with a master’s degree, with special education and training in marital and family therapy trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling. Our staff member: Michelle Mannino Purkey.

Neuropsychology studies the structure and function of the brain related to specific psychological processes and behaviors. Neuropsychological assessment involves the evaluation of various cognitive domains using standardized assessment procedures. Our staff: Michelle Pagoria and Amy Swier-Vosnos.

Nurse Practitioners are an advanced practice nurse. They have completed graduate-level education, either with a Master's or a Doctoral degree, and are trained in medical conditions. Unlike physicians, Nurse Practitioners are licensed through nursing boards instead of medical boards. Nurse Practitioners perform many jobs, such as counseling and educating patients on health behaviors, perform physical exams, physical therapy, and order tests. Nurse Practitioners can also be a person's primary healthcare provider depending upon the state. Our staff: Nathan Jaisingh, Dalia Garrett, Amber Gross, Kathryn Cavitt, Elizabeth Wengel, Lucinda Clark.

Pastoral Counselor is a member of clergy with training in clinical pastoral education trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling. You can find Pastoral Counselors in your church.

Certified Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor is a counselor with specific clinical training in alcohol and drug abuse trained to diagnose and provide individual and group counseling.

Mental Health America. (2011). Getting Help for your 1 in 4. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/files/Getting_Help_1in4.pdf

Mental Health America. (2011). May is Mental Health Month 2011. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may

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Temper! Temper!

Anger is a primary emotion that all humans have. How one deals with anger depends on the person’s personality, coping skills, and mental health.

Anger can be a good and bad thing. A small amount of anger can lead a person to change or find solutions to the problem that is making one mad. On the other hand, large amounts of anger for long periods of time are not good. Anger can be the gateway to fighting, verbal abuse, health related risks, and poor relationships.

What can one do when they are about to lose their temper?

• Stop what one is doing, take a deep breath, and count to 10. Think calming thoughts.
• If angry at someone in particular, put yourself in their shoes. What is causing that person to behave or act accordingly?
• Instead of yelling in anger, calmly have a conversation with the person about whatever situation is angering you.
• If a conversation just isn’t in the cards, walk away and calm down. Exercising helps to relieve stress and anger by clearing the mind.
• Practice stress management. Get enough sleep, eat properly, and relax.

These 5 techniques may not be enough for some. Anger can be all consuming. Psychologists and therapists help people overcome anger issues that have been embedded for years into one’s daily life. In therapy, people are taught strategies on how to control anger. There are three basic strategies that are used:

• Relaxation – I touched upon this in the quick strategy section above although therapists take this to a whole new level. Think about something that makes you mad. For argument’s sake, let’s use the neighbor’s dog that just doesn’t stop barking in the middle of the night. Once you are thinking about that situation and you are angry, a therapist will tell you to think about a calming image or word, maybe an image of a cute kitty. This sequence gets practiced over and over!
• Cognitive therapy – The power of positive thoughts! This pertains to thinking positive thoughts versus negative thoughts in a situation that makes one angry. Instead of wallowing in the negative, which makes one madder, taking the glass is half full approach negates the anger.
• Skill Development – We learn something new everyday. No one knows it all! Some people need help with developing the skills to overcome anger and therapists have coping mechanisms for overcoming anger issues.

If you are having trouble with anger, please contact our office to schedule an appointment.

Written by: Mindy Perry, Marketer
 

Citations:

American Psychological Association. (2011). How a psychologist can help you manage anger. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/help.aspx

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