Jeff Elhart

Community columnist Jeff Elhart is a resident of Holland, Michigan, and is an advocate for #mentalhealthawareness and #suicideprevention education. He serves on several organizations dedicated to equip people to recognize #depression and prevent #suicidethrough a trade-mark action plan called Be Nice, founded by the #MentalHealthFoundation of West Michigan.

This action plan is a scientific evidence-based program proven to raise awareness and equip people to recognize #depression in others and act on their knowledge with action that can be life-saving. This news publication will carry his monthly articles to share best practices and practical ways to help improve lives before it’s too late.

Consider the members in your family. Think of the people that you work with. Consider most any group of people and then imagine that one out of five of you are currently suffering from #depression or will sometime in their #adult lifetime. Now think of this scary fact. Fifty percent of the five of you will never receive professional treatment to address your #depression. Untreated #depression increases the likelihood of a #suicideattempt by 50 percent. It’s no wonder that 90% of deaths by #suicide are those people struggling with #depression.

Allow me to share a short letter with you addressed to my family and my brother’s friends.

“Family and friends, I love you all. This #depression has got the best of me. Please don’t blame yourself as it was not you. Please help others overcome this illness of #depression. #God, please use me to help others. Wayne.” This was my brother’s message to his family and friends found 16 months after his death on March 27, 2015, after struggling with #depression to #suicide.

So consider these three simple questions:

- Why are people suffering from #depression and some killing themselves?

- How do you feel about that?

- What are you going to do about it?

So what’s next?

You’re about to learn the most simple and easy tool to potentially save a life. Further, when shared with a community you will see how this tool has an impact on how people think, act and feel. This tool when used, has a positive impact on the question of why people kill themselves. I like to equate this tool to the “stop, drop and roll” to #mentalillness.

#James Donaldson notes:Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space.  #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticleOrder your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

The tool is called “Be Nice. (period).” Be #NICE is an acronym for #notice, #invite, #challenge and #empower. The rest of this column will provide you a lifeline that can save yourself or someone else from being hurt or worse yet dying from #depression just like “stop, drop and roll” does for saving yourself from a house fire.

Notice the changes in someone. When someone you know exhibits visible changes in his/her #behavior it’s time to take notice. You can categorize the warning signs of #depression in five buckets:

- #behavior changes

- agitation

- #isolation

- poor self-care

- #hopelessness

When one exhibits one of these changes in mood, care and #behavior for a period of two weeks or more, this is a warning sign of #depression. When someone exhibits three, four or five of these warning signs for two weeks or more, this causes serious consideration that the person may have #suicideideation.

The next step is to invite yourself to have a loving and caring conversation with the person. Stating that you have noticed these changes in #behavior with the person opens up the opportunity to let him/her know that you have noticed a change in him/her.

Challenging the person why he/she is exhibiting the noticeable changes in #behavior is the next step in attempting to help the person. Ask why the person is exhibiting the changes in #behavior.

With the information received you are now ready to empower yourself to get the person professional help. Professional help may include a #counselor, #psychologist, emergency room or primary care #physician. It might include a call to the #nationalsuicidehotline by dialing 988 staffed 24/7.

There is a lot more to cover in upcoming segments in this monthly column.

#Depression is treatable. #Suicide is preventable. Be Nice. Learn more at benice.org.

— Jeff Elhart is an executive board member of the #NationalActionAllianceforSuicidePrevention and a West Michigan board member of the #MentalHealth Foundation. He resides in Holland. Contact: benice@elhart.com.
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