It’s not easy, given the pressure to be super-thin and sexy, too

Photo by Victoria Rain on Pexels.com

Writer: Gail Saltz, MD

Clinical Expert: Gail Saltz, MD

- 1. Sympathize

- 2. Model body comfort

- 3. Enlist #Dad

- 4. Avoid sexualizing

- 5. Build resilience

- 6. Move that body

- 7. Set limits on clothing (or lack of same)

Girls coming of age in the 21st century have more opportunities than any of the generations that preceded them. But they also face an array of pressures that are unprecedented. Girls are expected to become corporate executives and brain surgeons and Supreme Court justices, but they’re also expected to be beautiful and sexy — more so than ever before.

Which is why raising healthy, happy daughters has become more challenging, not less.

As #parents, we know that nurturing a positive #bodyimage is crucial to helping our daughters become healthy, well-rounded #adults. But our society seems to be fixated, more than ever, on youth and beauty. And beauty is, more than ever, defined as small. Or, to be more precise, small-plus-hot — so that even someone who’s stunningly thin can feel insecure if she’s not also well endowed where it counts.

I’m not just talking about girls who develop #eatingdisorders, which involve a seriously distorted #bodyimage. I’m talking about a much larger group of girls who feel they can’t be happy and accepted because, while they may have straight A’s in school or terrific talents, they don’t think they have the bodies they’re “supposed to” have. Unfortunately, what they feel they are “supposed to” have is an ideal they see on television and on #socialmedia (retouched and filtered!) that isn’t attainable by 90% of #women.

Of course there are some #girls who — because they’re genetically endowed or because they’re starving themselves — do achieve this super-thin-plus-super-sexy body. But for most of our daughters it’s not a realistic or desirable goal.

#Girls can come to see themselves as a collection of body parts—breasts, lips, legs, thighs, butt—which they judge harshly. And, of course, none of it relates to anything about who they are on the inside and what they do.

So what is a healthy #bodyimage, and how can we nurture one in our daughters?

What we want for them is part realism — a reasonable vision of what’s an attractive and healthy body. And it’s part perspective — a sense that what they look like is just one aspect, and not an overwhelmingly important one, of who they are and what they have to offer as people.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

To put it simply: They need to feel okay about how they look, and not let their looks dominate their sense of #self-worth.

How do we get there? It doesn’t work to try to pretend the pressure to be model-thin and drop-dead gorgeous doesn’t exist, or lecture them on how appearance has nothing to do with who they are. They’ll just conclude that you’re completely out of touch. So what to do?

1. Sympathize

What is effective is to listen to your daughter’s concerns, acknowledge the reality of her feelings, and let her know that you’ve wrestled with feelings about your less-than-perfect body, too — “Yeah, look, I was never in love with my thighs.” You want to convey, implicitly or explicitly, that while you’ve suffered, too, it didn’t take over your life, or get in the way of your being who you wanted to be, or doing what you wanted to do.

2. Model body comfort

Which means, of course, that if you are very, very wrapped up in #anxiety about your own body, it is likely to rub off on your daughter. Girls get much of how they feel about these things from their mothers: If Mom is complaining every time she puts on a piece of clothing that she looks fat, or wondering out loud about which outfit looks sexier, that’s what the daughter is going to absorb. Mothers need to model, to some degree, body comfort, acceptance, and appreciation for what their bodies allow them to do.

This extends to eating—meal times should be about enjoyment, about family time, about nutrition. You can encourage your daughter to eat healthy and be positive about being healthy, but if you talk about how “bad” you’ve been if you eat a cupcake, or declare, “Okay, this is going straight to my butt!”— and I hear women say that all the time — it’s not going to help.

3. Enlist Dad

Girls need to hear positive feedback from their fathers, not only for looking beautiful but for other attributes that they appreciate. And girls need to hear dads supporting their wives, too, for all that they are.

Of course, fathers have a very difficult line to walk at this age, when daughters are developing, and they need to sort of to step back at the same time that they’re being encouraging. So I don’t want to say that any of this is easy. It’s hard, but it most certainly can be done.

4. Avoid sexualizing

Another part of working for a positive body image — and a positive overall image, frankly — is shielding your girls for as long as you can from the most sexualized and body-obsessed parts of pop culture. That includes everything from little girls being sold underwear that says “juicy” on the bottom to watching the Kardashians on TV, shows that are all about your booty, or what you injected into your lips, or what guy you were able to get because of how sexy you look.

I’m not saying “heaven forbid they turn on the Disney Channel,” but if they’re going to watch this stuff, which their friends are watching, you should watch it with them, and let them know how silly — if not sad — it is. “Gosh, this #woman is really obsessed with her behind, or her hair, or whatever. Isn’t that sad? What about her brain?”

5. Build resilience

Life throws everybody curveballs, and sometimes the curveball is in the arena of appearance. Most of us are not going to love every single thing we’ve got, but we deal with it (and not, in most cases, with plastic surgery, at least until your daughter reaches #adulthood and can decide for herself). You can help by being sympathetic, but also confident that whatever she doesn’t like about herself is not insurmountable. You want her to incorporate both of those things in her thinking: “Oh, gosh, this tough. This isn’t fun.” But also “I’m strong and I will figure out a way to cope with this.”

6. Move that body

Since you don’t want your daughter to think of her body principally as a way to attract guys, enjoyable physical activity is key. You want to help her experiment and try different kinds of sports, different kinds of activities, so she can find something that resonates for her, but also so she can recognize that having some stamina and some muscle makes your body a lot more enjoyable, not just because of how it looks but because of how it feels.

Exercise is also wonderful for mood, wonderful for blowing off #stress and #anxiety. So being in a habit of some sort of exercise is a great thing to set up for your #child for life, really. It’s a life skill.

For some kids it will be harder because they won’t be naturally athletic, or they don’t like activity as much. But they don’t have to adore it. #Kids are expected to do other things they don’t adore, from taking out the garbage to calculus homework. A certain amount of activity should be a health thing; it’s not optional. But you need to be a model for that too. If you include your #kid in activities with you, or if you at least model, “I’m going to go to the gym,” or “I’m going to take a run,” you are showing them an essential part of living.

7. Set limits on clothing (or lack of same)

Of course you want to encourage your #daughter’s self-expression, but I think many #parents are erring too far in the direction of letting young #girls dress provocatively. The problem is that it sends a message the #girls might not even intend — and gets them into sexual situations much earlier than they are ready for. I’m not saying you have to make your daughter dress like a nun, but frankly she just shouldn’t be dressing sexy for #school.

When a girl gets a lot of attention for being hot, what she’s processing is that she’s being valued for how big her boobs are, or how long her legs are. So who cares then if I worked hard and really learned a lot in math?

I believe in #women enjoying their sexuality. But until at least the second half of #highschool, #girls aren’t ready. And they need to be focused on other things. So you want to temper the sexualized message they’re getting from peers and pop culture.

So promoting a healthy #bodyimage means helping your daughter feel beautiful overall—the whole person that she is—and at the same time deemphasizing beauty and sexuality as the focus of her identity. #Girls who have confidence, who are sure of themselves as people, not as sexual objects, are not only likely to wait longer to have sex, but are more able to hold their own in the mean-girl environment they, unfortunately, need to survive and thrive in.

Photo by Victoria Rain on Pexels.com
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-how-to-help-your-daughter-have-a-healthy-bodyimage/

#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – How To Help Your #Daughter Have A Healthy #BodyImage

It’s not easy, given the pressure to be super-thin and sexy, too

Photo by Victoria Rain on Pexels.com

Writer: Gail Saltz, MD

Clinical Expert: Gail Saltz, MD

- 1. Sympathize

- 2. Model body comfort

- 3. Enlist #Dad

- 4. Avoid sexualizing

- 5. Build resilience

- 6. Move that body

- 7. Set limits on clothing (or lack of same)

Girls coming of age in the 21st century have more opportunities than any of the generations that preceded them. But they also face an array of pressures that are unprecedented. Girls are expected to become corporate executives and brain surgeons and Supreme Court justices, but they’re also expected to be beautiful and sexy — more so than ever before.

Which is why raising healthy, happy daughters has become more challenging, not less.

As #parents, we know that nurturing a positive #bodyimage is crucial to helping our daughters become healthy, well-rounded #adults. But our society seems to be fixated, more than ever, on youth and beauty. And beauty is, more than ever, defined as small. Or, to be more precise, small-plus-hot — so that even someone who’s stunningly thin can feel insecure if she’s not also well endowed where it counts.

I’m not just talking about girls who develop #eatingdisorders, which involve a seriously distorted #bodyimage. I’m talking about a much larger group of girls who feel they can’t be happy and accepted because, while they may have straight A’s in school or terrific talents, they don’t think they have the bodies they’re “supposed to” have. Unfortunately, what they feel they are “supposed to” have is an ideal they see on television and on #socialmedia (retouched and filtered!) that isn’t attainable by 90% of #women.

Of course there are some #girls who — because they’re genetically endowed or because they’re starving themselves — do achieve this super-thin-plus-super-sexy body. But for most of our daughters it’s not a realistic or desirable goal.

#Girls can come to see themselves as a collection of body parts—breasts, lips, legs, thighs, butt—which they judge harshly. And, of course, none of it relates to anything about who they are on the inside and what they do.

So what is a healthy #bodyimage, and how can we nurture one in our daughters?

What we want for them is part realism — a reasonable vision of what’s an attractive and healthy body. And it’s part perspective — a sense that what they look like is just one aspect, and not an overwhelmingly important one, of who they are and what they have to offer as people.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation
website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy



www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

To put it simply: They need to feel okay about how they look, and not let their looks dominate their sense of #self-worth.

How do we get there? It doesn’t work to try to pretend the pressure to be model-thin and drop-dead gorgeous doesn’t exist, or lecture them on how appearance has nothing to do with who they are. They’ll just conclude that you’re completely out of touch. So what to do?

1. Sympathize

What is effective is to listen to your daughter’s concerns, acknowledge the reality of her feelings, and let her know that you’ve wrestled with feelings about your less-than-perfect body, too — “Yeah, look, I was never in love with my thighs.” You want to convey, implicitly or explicitly, that while you’ve suffered, too, it didn’t take over your life, or get in the way of your being who you wanted to be, or doing what you wanted to do.

2. Model body comfort

Which means, of course, that if you are very, very wrapped up in #anxiety about your own body, it is likely to rub off on your daughter. Girls get much of how they feel about these things from their mothers: If Mom is complaining every time she puts on a piece of clothing that she looks fat, or wondering out loud about which outfit looks sexier, that’s what the daughter is going to absorb. Mothers need to model, to some degree, body comfort, acceptance, and appreciation for what their bodies allow them to do.

This extends to eating—meal times should be about enjoyment, about family time, about nutrition. You can encourage your daughter to eat healthy and be positive about being healthy, but if you talk about how “bad” you’ve been if you eat a cupcake, or declare, “Okay, this is going straight to my butt!”— and I hear women say that all the time — it’s not going to help.

3. Enlist Dad

Girls need to hear positive feedback from their fathers, not only for looking beautiful but for other attributes that they appreciate. And girls need to hear dads supporting their wives, too, for all that they are.

Of course, fathers have a very difficult line to walk at this age, when daughters are developing, and they need to sort of to step back at the same time that they’re being encouraging. So I don’t want to say that any of this is easy. It’s hard, but it most certainly can be done.

4. Avoid sexualizing

Another part of working for a positive body image — and a positive overall image, frankly — is shielding your girls for as long as you can from the most sexualized and body-obsessed parts of pop culture. That includes everything from little girls being sold underwear that says “juicy” on the bottom to watching the Kardashians on TV, shows that are all about your booty, or what you injected into your lips, or what guy you were able to get because of how sexy you look.

I’m not saying “heaven forbid they turn on the Disney Channel,” but if they’re going to watch this stuff, which their friends are watching, you should watch it with them, and let them know how silly — if not sad — it is. “Gosh, this #woman is really obsessed with her behind, or her hair, or whatever. Isn’t that sad? What about her brain?”

5. Build resilience

Life throws everybody curveballs, and sometimes the curveball is in the arena of appearance. Most of us are not going to love every single thing we’ve got, but we deal with it (and not, in most cases, with plastic surgery, at least until your daughter reaches #adulthood and can decide for herself). You can help by being sympathetic, but also confident that whatever she doesn’t like about herself is not insurmountable. You want her to incorporate both of those things in her thinking: “Oh, gosh, this tough. This isn’t fun.” But also “I’m strong and I will figure out a way to cope with this.”

6. Move that body

Since you don’t want your daughter to think of her body principally as a way to attract guys, enjoyable physical activity is key. You want to help her experiment and try different kinds of sports, different kinds of activities, so she can find something that resonates for her, but also so she can recognize that having some stamina and some muscle makes your body a lot more enjoyable, not just because of how it looks but because of how it feels.

Exercise is also wonderful for mood, wonderful for blowing off #stress and #anxiety. So being in a habit of some sort of exercise is a great thing to set up for your #child for life, really. It’s a life skill.

For some kids it will be harder because they won’t be naturally athletic, or they don’t like activity as much. But they don’t have to adore it. #Kids are expected to do other things they don’t adore, from taking out the garbage to calculus homework. A certain amount of activity should be a health thing; it’s not optional. But you need to be a model for that too. If you include your #kid in activities with you, or if you at least model, “I’m going to go to the gym,” or “I’m going to take a run,” you are showing them an essential part of living.

7. Set limits on clothing (or lack of same)

Of course you want to encourage your #daughter’s self-expression, but I think many #parents are erring too far in the direction of letting young #girls dress provocatively. The problem is that it sends a message the #girls might not even intend — and gets them into sexual situations much earlier than they are ready for. I’m not saying you have to make your daughter dress like a nun, but frankly she just shouldn’t be dressing sexy for #school.

When a girl gets a lot of attention for being hot, what she’s processing is that she’s being valued for how big her boobs are, or how long her legs are. So who cares then if I worked hard and really learned a lot in math?

I believe in #women enjoying their sexuality. But until at least the second half of #highschool, #girls aren’t ready. And they need to be focused on other things. So you want to temper the sexualized message they’re getting from peers and pop culture.

So promoting a healthy #bodyimage means helping your daughter feel beautiful overall—the whole person that she is—and at the same time deemphasizing beauty and sexuality as the focus of her identity. #Girls who have confidence, who are sure of themselves as people, not as sexual objects, are not only likely to wait longer to have sex, but are more able to hold their own in the mean-girl environment they, unfortunately, need to survive and thrive in.

Photo by Victoria Rain on Pexels.com
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-how-to-help-your-daughter-have-a-healthy-bodyimage/

#JamesDonaldson Available for Speaking Engagements Pertaining to #MentalHealth Awareness and #SuicidePrevention

https://www.speakermatch.com/profile/jamesdonaldson/

https://youtu.be/dEdI8UwrM7U

Happy Holidays everyone!

During these busy holiday days, please remember to think, and to check in, on those in your life who you might suspect being all alone, or struggling with depression and the Holiday Blues.

It's a difficult time for so many, including myself.

I know, that from the outside it looks like my life is filled with excitement and activity, but in reality, I have struggles as well.

I've set my next "chapter of life", for me being an advocate and voice for mental health awareness, and suicide prevention. I'm scheduling my upcoming speaking engagements now, and I wanted to send you my #SpeakerMatch bio, to pass along to groups and organizations that you know of, that I might be able to speak on this topic with them.

You can see a video clip of one of my speaking presentations recently by clicking here.

Thanks so much and Happy Holidays!

James Donaldson

https://youtu.be/uzk82QbNAX8
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-available-for-speaking-engagements-pertaining-to-mentalhealth-awareness-and-suicideprevention-4/

By Jen Christensen, CNN

"It's life or death": #Teen #mentalhealth in crisis

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with #suicidalthoughts or #mentalhealthmatters, please call the 988 #SuicideandCrisisLifeline, or visit the hotline’s website.CNN — 

There has been a steady increase in the number of #children who are seen in emergency rooms for #suicidalthoughts, according to a new study – and the increase started even before the #Covid-19 #pandemic, which brought record high demand for psychological services for #children.

The pandemic’s effects drew renewed attention to #suicide in #teens and young #children. In June, the Biden administration called the recent rise in rates of #depression, #anxiety and #suicidalthoughts among #kids an “unprecedented #mentalhealthcrisis.”

2021 US firearm homicide and #suicide rates were highest since the 1990s, #CDC data shows

The study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, used data from hospitals in Illinois. The researchers looked at the number of #children ages 5 to 19 who sought help for #suicide in emergency departments between January 2016 and June 2021.

In that period, there were 81,051 emergency department visits by young people that were coded for #suicidalideation. About a quarter of those visits turned into hospital stays.

The study found that visits to the ER with #suicidalthoughts increased 59% from 2016-17 to 2019-21. There was a corresponding increase in cases in which #suicidalideation was the principal diagnosis, which rose from 34.6% to 44.3%.

Hospitalizations for #suicidalthoughts increased 57% between fall 2019 and fall 2020.

#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

US #suicide rates rose in 2021, reversing two years of decline

“It just really highlights how #mentalhealthconcerns were really a problem before the #pandemic. I mean, we saw this huge increase in visits for #kids of all ages, honestly, in 2019, and it’s very concerning,” said study co-author Dr. Audrey Brewer, an attending #physician in advanced general pediatrics and primary care at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and a researcher in the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We saw more #kids than we typically do that we … wouldn’t necessarily have thought would have problems about #suicidalideation. We saw 5-year-olds.

“To see them presenting to emergency departments for #mentalhealth or for #suicideideation-related visits is very concerning.”

Calls to #suicidepreventionlifeline rose 45% after changeover to 988 number

Brewer thinks the true numbers are probably much higher than what the study found, because not all #children who struggle with thoughts of #suicide go to the emergency room.

Experts say it’s not a problem unique to any one state.

Dr. Nicholas Holmes, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, said the increase in the number of #kids seeking help in his #healthcare system has been “profound.”

HOW TO GET HELP

Help is there if you or someone you know is struggling with #suicidalthoughts or #mentalhealthmatters.

In the US: Call or text 988, the #Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Globally: The International Association for #SuicidePrevention and Befrienders Worldwide have contact information for crisis centers around the world.

-

“Over the last nine years, where we would see about anywhere from one to two #patients a day that were having a #behavioralhealth crisis, now we’re seeing 20-plus a day,” said Holmes, who was not involved in the new research.

He said Rady, the largest pediatric hospital on the West Coast, is fortunate to have an inpatient #child and #adolescent psychiatric unit.

To help more of these #children, Holmes’ hospital system is working with county health and human services to help create a pediatric-focused #mental and #behavioralhealth campus. It will double the size of Rady’s inpatient #behavioralhealth unit, in addition to beefing up services for #children who need therapy but don’t need to be hospitalized.

Other places in the US aren’t so lucky. There is a nationwide shortage of beds for #kids who need #mentalhealth help, research shows. A 2020 federal survey found that the number of residential treatment facilities for kids had fallen 30% from where it was in 2012.

The care shortage has come alongside a significant increase in the prevalence of #mentalhealthchallenges that can lead to #suicide. In 2019, 1 in 3 #highschoolstudents and half of all #female #students reported persistent feelings of #hopelessness and sadness, up from 40% in 2009. And there was a 36% increase in #students who reported considering #suicide, according to the US #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.

Debunking myths about #suicide helps encourage compassion and understanding

The new study cannot determine exactly why so many more young people are going to a hospital with thoughts of #suicide, but Brewer thinks it may be a combination of factors.

Many of the #children who were hospitalized with #suicidalthoughts had other #mentalhealthproblems like #anxiety, #depression and #substanceuse, she said.

#Children also are responding to #trauma in their lives and social influences on their health like poverty, historical #trauma and marginalization, trouble at #school, online #bullying and the pressures brought by #socialmedia, in addition to a lack of access to counseling and therapy.

Brewer said #adults can intervene when a #child is thinking about #suicide. She advises caregivers to be on the lookout for problems at #school or among friends and to watch for a #child who is isolating themselves or showing signs of more #anxiety or aggression than usual.

“They may act out or have problems sleeping. Irritability and being more withdrawn and isolating themselves are a lot of things that we oftentimes will think about,” Brewer said.

-

It never hurts to seek help from a #pediatrician about how to help a #child who’s struggling.

“It’s important for #parents to feel empowered to really sit back and listen to their kids and talk to them. Really try to relate and understand what is going on with them and help promote positive relationships,” Brewer said.

She said she hopes #mentalhealthcare will become less stigmatized and more available to #children.

“We really need to develop more of a strategy to help support all kinds in different ways and really focus on some of those traumas and social influences of health,” Brewer said. “We need to make sure more #children will have safe places to grow and thrive.”
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-study-finds-huge-increase-in-children-going-to-the-emergency-room-with-suicidalthoughts/

#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – Study Finds ‘Huge’ Increase In #Children Going To The Emergency Room With #SuicidalThoughts

By Jen Christensen, CNN

"It's life or death": #Teen #mentalhealth in crisis

Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know is struggling with #suicidalthoughts or #mentalhealthmatters, please call the 988 #SuicideandCrisisLifeline, or visit the hotline’s website.CNN — 

There has been a steady increase in the number of #children who are seen in emergency rooms for #suicidalthoughts, according to a new study – and the increase started even before the #Covid-19 #pandemic, which brought record high demand for psychological services for #children.

The pandemic’s effects drew renewed attention to #suicide in #teens and young #children. In June, the Biden administration called the recent rise in rates of #depression, #anxiety and #suicidalthoughts among #kids an “unprecedented #mentalhealthcrisis.”

2021 US firearm homicide and #suicide rates were highest since the 1990s, #CDC data shows

The study, published Monday in the journal Pediatrics, used data from hospitals in Illinois. The researchers looked at the number of #children ages 5 to 19 who sought help for #suicide in emergency departments between January 2016 and June 2021.

In that period, there were 81,051 emergency department visits by young people that were coded for #suicidalideation. About a quarter of those visits turned into hospital stays.

The study found that visits to the ER with #suicidalthoughts increased 59% from 2016-17 to 2019-21. There was a corresponding increase in cases in which #suicidalideation was the principal diagnosis, which rose from 34.6% to 44.3%.

Hospitalizations for #suicidalthoughts increased 57% between fall 2019 and fall 2020.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticle

Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife:
From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

US #suicide rates rose in 2021, reversing two years of decline

“It just really highlights how #mentalhealthconcerns were really a problem before the #pandemic. I mean, we saw this huge increase in visits for #kids of all ages, honestly, in 2019, and it’s very concerning,” said study co-author Dr. Audrey Brewer, an attending #physician in advanced general pediatrics and primary care at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and a researcher in the Department of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “We saw more #kids than we typically do that we … wouldn’t necessarily have thought would have problems about #suicidalideation. We saw 5-year-olds.

“To see them presenting to emergency departments for #mentalhealth or for #suicideideation-related visits is very concerning.”

Calls to #suicidepreventionlifeline rose 45% after changeover to 988 number

Brewer thinks the true numbers are probably much higher than what the study found, because not all #children who struggle with thoughts of #suicide go to the emergency room.

Experts say it’s not a problem unique to any one state.

Dr. Nicholas Holmes, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego, said the increase in the number of #kids seeking help in his #healthcare system has been “profound.”

HOW TO GET HELP

Help is there if you or someone you know is struggling with #suicidalthoughts or #mentalhealthmatters.

In the US: Call or text 988, the #Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.Globally: The International Association for #SuicidePrevention and Befrienders Worldwide have contact information for crisis centers around the world.

-

“Over the last nine years, where we would see about anywhere from one to two #patients a day that were having a #behavioralhealth crisis, now we’re seeing 20-plus a day,” said Holmes, who was not involved in the new research.

He said Rady, the largest pediatric hospital on the West Coast, is fortunate to have an inpatient #child and #adolescent psychiatric unit.

To help more of these #children, Holmes’ hospital system is working with county health and human services to help create a pediatric-focused #mental and #behavioralhealth campus. It will double the size of Rady’s inpatient #behavioralhealth unit, in addition to beefing up services for #children who need therapy but don’t need to be hospitalized.

Other places in the US aren’t so lucky. There is a nationwide shortage of beds for #kids who need #mentalhealth help, research shows. A 2020 federal survey found that the number of residential treatment facilities for kids had fallen 30% from where it was in 2012.

The care shortage has come alongside a significant increase in the prevalence of #mentalhealthchallenges that can lead to #suicide. In 2019, 1 in 3 #highschoolstudents and half of all #female #students reported persistent feelings of #hopelessness and sadness, up from 40% in 2009. And there was a 36% increase in #students who reported considering #suicide, according to the US #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention.

Debunking myths about #suicide helps encourage compassion and understanding

The new study cannot determine exactly why so many more young people are going to a hospital with thoughts of #suicide, but Brewer thinks it may be a combination of factors.

Many of the #children who were hospitalized with #suicidalthoughts had other #mentalhealthproblems like #anxiety, #depression and #substanceuse, she said.

#Children also are responding to #trauma in their lives and social influences on their health like poverty, historical #trauma and marginalization, trouble at #school, online #bullying and the pressures brought by #socialmedia, in addition to a lack of access to counseling and therapy.

Brewer said #adults can intervene when a #child is thinking about #suicide. She advises caregivers to be on the lookout for problems at #school or among friends and to watch for a #child who is isolating themselves or showing signs of more #anxiety or aggression than usual.

“They may act out or have problems sleeping. Irritability and being more withdrawn and isolating themselves are a lot of things that we oftentimes will think about,” Brewer said.

-

It never hurts to seek help from a #pediatrician about how to help a #child who’s struggling.

“It’s important for #parents to feel empowered to really sit back and listen to their kids and talk to them. Really try to relate and understand what is going on with them and help promote positive relationships,” Brewer said.

She said she hopes #mentalhealthcare will become less stigmatized and more available to #children.

“We really need to develop more of a strategy to help support all kinds in different ways and really focus on some of those traumas and social influences of health,” Brewer said. “We need to make sure more #children will have safe places to grow and thrive.”

https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-study-finds-huge-increase-in-children-going-to-the-emergency-room-with-suicidalthoughts/

#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – #Parents See Own Health Spiral As Their Kids’ #MentalIllnesses Worsen

by Megan Craig, M.Sc.

If you or someone you know may be experiencing a #mentalhealthcrisis, contact the #988Suicide&CrisisLifeline by dialing "#988," or the #CrisisTextLine by texting "HOME" to 741741.

After her #teenage daughter attempted #suicide and began to cycle through emergency rooms and #mentalhealthprograms during the past three years, Sarah Delarosa noticed her own health also declined.

She suffered from mini strokes and stomach bleeding, the mother of four in Corpus Christi, Texas, said. To make things worse, her daughter's failing behavioral and #mentalhealth caused Delarosa to miss hours from her job as a home health aide, losing out on income needed to support her family.

"Access to help, when it's needed, it's not available," said Delarosa, about the #hopelessness she felt as she sought support for Amanda, 16, who has been diagnosed with #bipolardisorder, oppositional defiant disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Amanda has at times lashed out in anger or shattered light bulbs and used the broken glass to cut herself.

Delarosa often feels overwhelmed, and she has noticed her youngest son acting out. "Now we have a whole family that needs help," she said.

A national shortage of #mentalhealthcareproviders, and the search for affordable care, has exacerbated strain on parents, often the primary caregivers who maintain the health and well-being of their children. Their day-to-day struggle has led to its own health crisis, say #psychologists, researchers, and advocates for families.

As #parents navigate the #mentalhealth care system's shortcomings, #stress can start to take a physical and #mentalhealth toll that disrupts their ability to continue providing care, said Christine Crawford, the associate medical director at the #NationalAllianceonMentalIllness, an advocacy group that helps families find care. #Parents pour their energy into helping their #kids, often at the expense of their own health, Crawford said.

"When you are worrying about whether or not your #child is going to survive the day, you are constantly living on edge," she said. "Your fight-or-flight is constantly activated."

And the number of parents in crisis is greater than it seems.

Recent reports from the #CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention, the surgeon general's office, and medical providers all show an alarming number of #kids in the U.S. are experiencing severe #mentalhealthchallenges. About 40% of U.S. #parents with #children younger than 18 say they are extremely or very worried their #children might struggle with #anxiety or #depression at some point, according to a January study from the Pew Research Center.

Evidence-based therapies to address a child's #mentalhealth should include the #parents, say researchers and #pediatric #mentalhealthspecialists. But the focus on the adult caregivers and their anxiety and stress too often falls short. For example, parent-child interaction therapy coaches parents to manage their young child's #behavior to prevent more severe problems in the child later on. While this may help the #child, it doesn't directly support the parent's health.

"I have so many parents sit across from me on the couch and cry," said Danielle Martinez, a #behavioralhealthspecialist at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi. The hospital is creating peer support groups, to launch by the fall, for family members whose #children are under the facility's care.

"They felt so alone, felt like bad parents, felt like giving up," Martinez said, "and then felt guilty for wanting to give up."

When the parent's mental and physical health deteriorates, it complicates their ability to prevent the child's condition from getting worse, said Mary Ann McCabe, a member of the board of directors at the #AmericanPsychologicalAssociation, an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine, and a psychologist in independent clinical practice. Parents are a kid's most important resource and need to be a concern, she said.

Delarosa said many residential treatment centers cited a shortage of providers in refusing to admit her daughter. Amanda, who is covered through Medicaid, would be on weeks-long waiting lists while she "spiraled out of control," running away from home and disappearing for days, said her mom.

In April, Amanda was admitted to an inpatient residential treatment facility nearly 200 miles away, in San Marcos, Texas. With Amanda away, Delarosa said, she had a "chance to breathe," but the reprieve would be temporary. She wants to see a #therapist but hasn't had time amid the demands of caring for Amanda and her youngest #child, a son. Before Amanda left for treatment, her 7-year-old brother started cussing, throwing and breaking objects in the home, and saying things like he wished he weren’t alive, though his #behaviors settled down while his sister was away.

Other #parents also said they are feeling the strain on their mental and physical health.

"The #children are in crisis. But the families are also in crisis," said Robin Gurwitch, a professor in psychiatry and #behavioral sciences at Duke University. "They are struggling to figure out how best to help their #children in a system that doesn't come with a manual."

Brandon Masters, a #middleschool principal in San Antonio, developed a rash on the back of his arms and neck last year that he says his #doctor told him was connected to #stress.

Even though he is insured through his job, Masters estimates he paid about $22,000 last year on care for his #teenage son Braylon, who spent 60 days in residential treatment centers in Texas and California following a diagnosis of #bipolardisorder. Braylon spent an additional month in juvenile detention later in 2022 after he bit his dad and brandished a knife. So far this year, Braylon, now 17, has attempted #suicide twice, but Masters has been unable to find a residential treatment center he can afford and that will admit Braylon.

"There is this huge wave of #anxiety that comes over me that makes it difficult to be around him," Masters said.

Anne Grady's 20-year-old son has autism, severe #mooddisorder, developmental delays, and other conditions. For nearly 17 years he has been on a Texas waiting list to receive full-time care.

Grady, who lives in a suburb of Austin, Texas, developed a tumor in her salivary glands and temporary facial paralysis, which added to the #stress she faced navigating care for her son.

"It's mentally exhausting for families," Grady said. The lack of care is "punishing the #kids and punishing for families," she said.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation
website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy



www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Medicaid is the state-federal program that pays medical and other health-related bills for low-income and disabled people. Yet while many state Medicaid programs pay for family therapy and parenting programs, they don't address the #parent as an individual #patient affected by their child's health under a child's plan, said Elisabeth Burak, a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families. #Parents who live in one of the 10 states that haven't expanded Medicaid, including Texas, face an additional challenge getting care for their own #mentalhealth.

Still, states are starting to recognize that caregivers need more support. Many states allow Medicaid to cover services from certified family peer specialists or navigators, who have experience raising a #child with #mentalillness and additional training to guide other families. In July, California awarded money to support #parents as part of a #child #mentalhealth initiative.

"The most important thing that we should give families is a sense of hope that things will get better," said Gurwitch. Instead, the lack of quality #mentalhealthcare services for #youth exacerbates their risk for illnesses. Without appropriate help, these conditions follow a #child — and their #parents — for years, she said.

With Amanda returning home from the residential treatment program this month, Delarosa worries she won't be equipped to manage her daughter's bouts of #depression.

"It's the same thing over and over, nonstop," Delarosa said. "I have driven myself crazy."

When Grady's son turned 18, she acquired continued guardianship so she could continue arranging his care outside their home. "I love him more than anything in the world, but I can't protect him," she said.

Masters, whose skin conditions have worsened, is just trying to get Braylon through his final year of #highschool, which starts this month. He's also renewing his search for a residential treatment center, because Braylon's negative #behaviors have escalated.

"When they are born, you have all these dreams for your #kids," said Masters. Instead, health professionals who have cared for Braylon told Masters, he needs to be prepared to look after his son even after he finishes high #school. "No #parent wants to hear that," he said.

This article was reprinted from khn.org with permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent news service, is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health care policy research organization unaffiliated with Kaiser Permanente.


https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-parents-see-own-health-spiral-as-their-kids-mentalillnesses-worsen/

Photo by Mental Health America (MHA) on Pexels.com

Here is a short series of Self-Care assessments that I wanted to share with everyone. Today's assessment is about #mental #self-care. Enjoy!

Taking care of yourself better is not only important to you but also to everyone around you. When you aren’t practicing self-care every day, you are not as healthy as you could be. This means you aren’t at your best and you aren’t able help others much.

To help you optimize or increase your self-care fill in each section of this self-care assessment sheet to give you an idea of what you need to work on, to feel better yourself and to be there for others.

For each of the following, rate how well you rate on each item. Use the number-system with 1 being poor and 5 being the best. Write your score in the line by the item. Then total up the numbers in each section and put it on the total score line by the section title.

Do not be discouraged by low numbers. Even if some area totals are no more than 10, at least you are doing something and now you are aware of areas you need to work a bit more on.

#Mental #Self-Care - Total Score ________

___ I write in a journal regularly.

___ I keep up with current news & events.

___ I play cognitive games that challenge me.

___ I engage in at least one hobby a week.

___ I listen to relaxing music.

___ I call or write to keep in touch with people I care for.

___ I volunteer regularly.

___ I visit places that I enjoy at least twice a week.

___ I learn to do something new each week.

___ I practice self-compassion and acceptance.

I want/need to build/enhance these qualities:

___________________________________    ___________________________________

___________________________________    ___________________________________

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Photo by Mental Health America (MHA) on Pexels.com
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-self-care-assessment-sheet-mental-self-care/

#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – #Self-Care Assessment Sheet - #Mental #Self-Care

Photo by Mental Health America (MHA) on Pexels.com

Here is a short series of Self-Care assessments that I wanted to share with everyone. Today's assessment is about #mental #self-care. Enjoy!

Taking care of yourself better is not only important to you but also to everyone around you. When you aren’t practicing self-care every day, you are not as healthy as you could be. This means you aren’t at your best and you aren’t able help others much.

To help you optimize or increase your self-care fill in each section of this self-care assessment sheet to give you an idea of what you need to work on, to feel better yourself and to be there for others.

For each of the following, rate how well you rate on each item. Use the number-system with 1 being poor and 5 being the best. Write your score in the line by the item. Then total up the numbers in each section and put it on the total score line by the section title.

Do not be discouraged by low numbers. Even if some area totals are no more than 10, at least you are doing something and now you are aware of areas you need to work a bit more on.

#Mental #Self-Care - Total Score ________

___ I write in a journal regularly.

___ I keep up with current news & events.

___ I play cognitive games that challenge me.

___ I engage in at least one hobby a week.

___ I listen to relaxing music.

___ I call or write to keep in touch with people I care for.

___ I volunteer regularly.

___ I visit places that I enjoy at least twice a week.

___ I learn to do something new each week.

___ I practice self-compassion and acceptance.

I want/need to build/enhance these qualities:

___________________________________    ___________________________________

___________________________________    ___________________________________

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation
website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy



www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Photo by Mental Health America (MHA) on Pexels.com
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-self-care-assessment-sheet-mental-self-care/

By: Ryan Gamboa

GREAT FALLS — In Montana’s #VeteransAffairs 2020 Biennial Report, 92,244 Montanans served in the #UnitedStates Military. Of those 92,000, 9,000 are #women and 83,000 are #male, 45,000 of those #veterans are 65 years of age or older. Nationwide, 40% of the #veteran population is struggling with some sort of #mentalhealthissue.

“Montana in particular, it's known that Montana has a high rate of #suicide,” explained Dr. Robert Connell, Associate Chief of Staff for #MentalHealth for Montana Veterans Affairs Division.

A major point of emphasis for the Montana #VeteransAffairs #MentalHealth Team is to diminish the rate of completed #suicides in the Treasure State.

Montana has a population of nearly 100,000 #veterans.

“We had a spike in 2022 of #veteran #suicides (death by #suicide) in Montana… we expect to see a continued decline over time.”

Dr. Connell says that the first way to eliminate #suicide #stigma in Montana is the begin talking about #suicide.

“We want our #healthcareproviders, our friends, and our family to ask about #suicide. There is a misconception out there, that if I ask someone if they’re having thoughts of #suicide, that it might put the thought of #suicide in their minds, and that is not true.” Dr. Connell went on to add, “If we ask about it then we can direct the individual where to get treatment for that.”

Last summer, Montana and national #healthcareproviders implemented a universal #suicideprevention hotline, 9-8-8. The #988 #SuicideHotline is a free service to those in crisis and each certified provider on the other end is stationed at service centers throughout the state. The service is anonymous, the providers on the other line keep track of the phone numbers, take notes, and implement in a database so if there is a call from an individual in the future, their past crises are available to the specialist.

“They can then provide the information with the Montana VA, and we can provide them with the proper care they need.” Connell shared.

Dial #988 for immediate crisis care. Anonymous. Compassionate. Life-saving.

In 2016, the State of Montana reported that 47,000 of the state #veteran population are VA members. As Montanans are aware, health care can be few and far between in #ruralareas, sometimes an hour's drive to and from. With the new virtual work #patients live in access to virtual healthcare has become a reality.

That’s where the USAA comes into play.

“We serve 13 million military families every single day. We help build military family resilience. We work on their financial security, and we hear from our members about how else we can help. This problem has been one they've said to us like there's something we need to lean in and go try to make a difference with,” explained President and CEO of USAA, Wayne Peacock.

Peacock has been with USAA since 1988 and was named CEO in 2020, he’s been a strong advocate for military families in more ways than one. A new collaborative effort of corporations, foundations, and non-profit and #veteran-focused organizations is raising awareness of #veteran #suicide.

The national initiative is called, Face The Fight, founded by the USAA, in partnership with The Humana Foundation and Reach Resilience, and Endeavors Foundation, which has committed an initial $40 million dollars to the #mentalhealth initiative. The funds are going to support programs that align with public health best practices for #suicideprevention and data from the #DepartmentofVeteransAffairs. Face the Fight will join alongside, amplify, and complement the substantial efforts of the VA, Department of Defense, White House, and other departments.

“Through some of the work that we're doing, extend the care, through a virtual setting or through, physical, I think that can make a really big difference,” said Peacock.

When #mentalhealth becomes a problem for an individual, they tend to feel alone and lack the hope to carry on. The most important thing for someone to remember is that you’re not alone.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

You are not alone, #veteran or not.

Andre Rush, a former Master Sergeant in the US Army, is a former White House Chef, serving during the Clinton and Trump administrations. He is a longtime advocate for #veteran #mentalhealth and acknowledges that he too struggles with #PTSD.

Rush is not the typical face of #mentalhealthstruggles. He is a #man that appears strong on the cover but remains human beneath. Large biceps and a bench press don’t outweigh the burden the mind can impose on an individual. Recognizing that even for himself, tomorrow may never come.

“It is a #pandemic on an astronomical account then we must take accountability for, and it starts with us. We must take accountability for ourselves and not just think we're okay or look at a person and shun them. Because how many times have you had a call where you just say, ‘You know what, you'll be all right. Don't worry about it until tomorrow.’ Sometimes tomorrow never comes and that's one thing we’ve got to always remember.”

If you or someone is struggling with the thought of #suicide, the #NationalCrisisHotline is available to you at no cost. Dial 9-8-8 and an operator will be with you in 90 seconds.

For more information regarding Face the Fight, visit the We Face The Fight website.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-the-fight-to-stop-veteran-suicides-in-montana/

#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – The Fight To Stop #Veteran #Suicides in Montana

By: Ryan Gamboa

GREAT FALLS — In Montana’s #VeteransAffairs 2020 Biennial Report, 92,244 Montanans served in the #UnitedStates Military. Of those 92,000, 9,000 are #women and 83,000 are #male, 45,000 of those #veterans are 65 years of age or older. Nationwide, 40% of the #veteran population is struggling with some sort of #mentalhealthissue.

“Montana in particular, it's known that Montana has a high rate of #suicide,” explained Dr. Robert Connell, Associate Chief of Staff for #MentalHealth for Montana Veterans Affairs Division.

A major point of emphasis for the Montana #VeteransAffairs #MentalHealth Team is to diminish the rate of completed #suicides in the Treasure State.

Montana has a population of nearly 100,000 #veterans.

“We had a spike in 2022 of #veteran #suicides (death by #suicide) in Montana… we expect to see a continued decline over time.”

Dr. Connell says that the first way to eliminate #suicide #stigma in Montana is the begin talking about #suicide.

“We want our #healthcareproviders, our friends, and our family to ask about #suicide. There is a misconception out there, that if I ask someone if they’re having thoughts of #suicide, that it might put the thought of #suicide in their minds, and that is not true.” Dr. Connell went on to add, “If we ask about it then we can direct the individual where to get treatment for that.”

Last summer, Montana and national #healthcareproviders implemented a universal #suicideprevention hotline, 9-8-8. The #988 #SuicideHotline is a free service to those in crisis and each certified provider on the other end is stationed at service centers throughout the state. The service is anonymous, the providers on the other line keep track of the phone numbers, take notes, and implement in a database so if there is a call from an individual in the future, their past crises are available to the specialist.

“They can then provide the information with the Montana VA, and we can provide them with the proper care they need.” Connell shared.

Dial #988 for immediate crisis care. Anonymous. Compassionate. Life-saving.

In 2016, the State of Montana reported that 47,000 of the state #veteran population are VA members. As Montanans are aware, health care can be few and far between in #ruralareas, sometimes an hour's drive to and from. With the new virtual work #patients live in access to virtual healthcare has become a reality.

That’s where the USAA comes into play.

“We serve 13 million military families every single day. We help build military family resilience. We work on their financial security, and we hear from our members about how else we can help. This problem has been one they've said to us like there's something we need to lean in and go try to make a difference with,” explained President and CEO of USAA, Wayne Peacock.

Peacock has been with USAA since 1988 and was named CEO in 2020, he’s been a strong advocate for military families in more ways than one. A new collaborative effort of corporations, foundations, and non-profit and #veteran-focused organizations is raising awareness of #veteran #suicide.

The national initiative is called, Face The Fight, founded by the USAA, in partnership with The Humana Foundation and Reach Resilience, and Endeavors Foundation, which has committed an initial $40 million dollars to the #mentalhealth initiative. The funds are going to support programs that align with public health best practices for #suicideprevention and data from the #DepartmentofVeteransAffairs. Face the Fight will join alongside, amplify, and complement the substantial efforts of the VA, Department of Defense, White House, and other departments.

“Through some of the work that we're doing, extend the care, through a virtual setting or through, physical, I think that can make a really big difference,” said Peacock.

When #mentalhealth becomes a problem for an individual, they tend to feel alone and lack the hope to carry on. The most important thing for someone to remember is that you’re not alone.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation
website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy



www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

You are not alone, #veteran or not.

Andre Rush, a former Master Sergeant in the US Army, is a former White House Chef, serving during the Clinton and Trump administrations. He is a longtime advocate for #veteran #mentalhealth and acknowledges that he too struggles with #PTSD.

Rush is not the typical face of #mentalhealthstruggles. He is a #man that appears strong on the cover but remains human beneath. Large biceps and a bench press don’t outweigh the burden the mind can impose on an individual. Recognizing that even for himself, tomorrow may never come.

“It is a #pandemic on an astronomical account then we must take accountability for, and it starts with us. We must take accountability for ourselves and not just think we're okay or look at a person and shun them. Because how many times have you had a call where you just say, ‘You know what, you'll be all right. Don't worry about it until tomorrow.’ Sometimes tomorrow never comes and that's one thing we’ve got to always remember.”

If you or someone is struggling with the thought of #suicide, the #NationalCrisisHotline is available to you at no cost. Dial 9-8-8 and an operator will be with you in 90 seconds.

For more information regarding Face the Fight, visit the We Face The Fight website.

https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-the-fight-to-stop-veteran-suicides-in-montana/

Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com

Here is a short series of #Self-Care assessments that I wanted to share with everyone. Today is about physical self-care. Enjoy!

Taking care of yourself better is not only important to you but also to everyone around you. When you aren’t practicing #self-care every day, you are not as healthy as you could be. This means you aren’t at your best and you aren’t able help others much.

To help you optimize or increase your #self-care fill in each section of this #self-care assessment sheet to give you an idea of what you need to work on, to feel better yourself and to be there for others.

For each of the following, rate how well you rate on each item. Use the number-system with 1 being poor and 5 being the best. Write your score in the line by the item. Then total up the numbers in each section and put it on the total score line by the section title.

Do not be discouraged by low numbers. Even if some area totals are no more than 10, at least you are doing something and now you are aware of areas you need to work a bit more on.

Physical Self-Care - Total Score ________

___ I exercise 3-5 times a week.

___ I eat 3 healthy meals daily.

___ I eat healthy snacks.

___ I follow a healthy #sleep routine.

___ I avoid eating at fast food restaurants.

___ I visit my family #doctor regularly.

___ I visit my #dentist regularly.

___ I drink water for better hydration.

___ I incorporate weights in my exercises.

___ I take medications as prescribed.

I want/need to build/enhance these qualities:

___________________________________    ___________________________________

___________________________________    ___________________________________

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-self-care-assessment-sheet-physical-self-care/

#JamesDonaldson On #MentalHealth – #Self-Care Assessment Sheet - Physical #Self-Care

Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com

Here is a short series of #Self-Care assessments that I wanted to share with everyone. Today is about physical self-care. Enjoy!

Taking care of yourself better is not only important to you but also to everyone around you. When you aren’t practicing #self-care every day, you are not as healthy as you could be. This means you aren’t at your best and you aren’t able help others much.

To help you optimize or increase your #self-care fill in each section of this #self-care assessment sheet to give you an idea of what you need to work on, to feel better yourself and to be there for others.

For each of the following, rate how well you rate on each item. Use the number-system with 1 being poor and 5 being the best. Write your score in the line by the item. Then total up the numbers in each section and put it on the total score line by the section title.

Do not be discouraged by low numbers. Even if some area totals are no more than 10, at least you are doing something and now you are aware of areas you need to work a bit more on.

Physical Self-Care - Total Score ________

___ I exercise 3-5 times a week.

___ I eat 3 healthy meals daily.

___ I eat healthy snacks.

___ I follow a healthy #sleep routine.

___ I avoid eating at fast food restaurants.

___ I visit my family #doctor regularly.

___ I visit my #dentist regularly.

___ I drink water for better hydration.

___ I incorporate weights in my exercises.

___ I take medications as prescribed.

I want/need to build/enhance these qualities:

___________________________________    ___________________________________

___________________________________    ___________________________________

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticle
Find out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundation
website www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,
#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy



www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Photo by Monstera on Pexels.com
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-self-care-assessment-sheet-physical-self-care/

Experts say #kids are growing up with more #anxiety and less #self-esteem

Writer: Rachel Ehmke

Clinical Experts: Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD , Donna Wick, Ed.D

What You'll Learn

- How is socializing online different?

- How does #socialmedia affect #self-esteem?

- How can #parents help?

- Quick Read

- Full Article

- Indirect communication

- Lowering the risks

- #Cyberbullying and the imposter syndrome

- Stalking (and being ignored)

- What should #parents do?

Some experts worry that #teens are more anxious and have lower #self-esteem because of #socialmedia and texting. There are key differences to socializing online. Teens miss out on things like body language and facial expressions. This can lead to misunderstandings and hurt feelings. It can also make talking in person feel more intimidating.

It is also common for kids to feel bad about themselves when they see everyone online looking perfect. #Teens often try to compensate by sharing pictures that make them look perfect, too. Then, when their #socialmedia identity doesn’t match how they actually feel, they can end up feeling worse.

#Parents can help by setting a good example of how to use tech. Try to give kids your full attention when you are with them, and establish tech-free zones in in the house and tech-free hours when no one is on their phones.

To help build #self-esteem, get kids involved in something they’re interested in. When kids learn to feel good about what they can do instead of how they look and what they own, they’re happier.

Many parents worry about how exposure to technology might affect toddlers developmentally. We know our preschoolers are picking up new social and cognitive skills at a stunning pace, and we don’t want hours spent glued to an #iPad to impede that. But #adolescence is an equally important period of rapid development, and too few of us are paying attention to how our #teenagers’ use of technology—much more intense and intimate than a 3-year-old playing with dad’s #iPhone—is affecting them. In fact, experts worry that the #socialmedia and text messages that have become so integral to #teenage life are promoting #anxiety and lowering #self-esteem.

Young people report that there might be good reason to worry. A survey conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health asked 14-24 year olds in the UK how #socialmedia platforms impacted their health and wellbeing. The survey results found that #Snapchat, #Facebook, #Twitter and #Instagram all led to increased feelings of #depression, #anxiety, poor #bodyimage and #loneliness.

#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/JamesMentalHealthArticleFind out more about the work I do on my 501c3 non-profit foundationwebsite www.yourgiftoflife.org Order your copy of James Donaldson's latest book,#CelebratingYourGiftofLife: From The Verge of Suicide to a Life of Purpose and Joy

www.celebratingyourgiftoflife.com

Indirect communication

#Teens are masters at keeping themselves occupied in the hours after school until way past bedtime. When they’re not doing their homework (and when they are) they’re online and on their phones, texting, sharing, trolling, scrolling, you name it. Of course before everyone had an #Instagram account #teens kept themselves busy, too, but they were more likely to do their chatting on the phone, or in person when hanging out at the mall. It may have looked like a lot of aimless hanging around, but what they were doing was experimenting, trying out skills, and succeeding and failing in tons of tiny real-time interactions that kids today are missing out on. For one thing, modern teens are learning to do most of their communication while looking at a screen, not another person.

“As a species we are very highly attuned to reading social cues,” says Catherine Steiner-Adair, EdD, a clinical #psychologist and author of The Big Disconnect. “There’s no question kids are missing out on very critical social skills. In a way, texting and online communicating—it’s not like it creates a nonverbal learning disability, but it puts everybody in a nonverbal disabled context, where body language, facial expression, and even the smallest kinds of vocal reactions are rendered invisible.”

Lowering the risks

Certainly speaking indirectly creates a barrier to clear communication, but that’s not all. Learning how to make friends is a major part of growing up, and friendship requires a certain amount of risk-taking. This is true for making a new friend, but it’s also true for maintaining friendships. When there are problems that need to be faced—big ones or small ones—it takes courage to be honest about your feelings and then hear what the other person has to say. Learning to effectively cross these bridges is part of what makes friendship fun and exciting, and also scary. “Part of healthy self-esteem is knowing how to say what you think and feel even when you’re in disagreement with other people or it feels emotionally risky,” notes Dr. Steiner-Adair.

But when friendship is conducted online and through texts, kids are doing this in a context stripped of many of the most personal—and sometimes intimidating—aspects of communication. It’s easier to keep your guard up when you’re texting, so less is at stake. You aren’t hearing or seeing the effect that your words are having on the other person. Because the conversation isn’t happening in real time, each party can take more time to consider a response. No wonder kids say calling someone on the phone is “too intense”—it requires more direct communication, and if you aren’t used to that it may well feel scary.

If kids aren’t getting enough practice relating to people and getting their needs met in person and in real time, many of them will grow up to be #adults who are anxious about our species’ primary means of communication—talking. And of course social negotiations only get riskier as people get older and begin navigating romantic relationships and employment.

#Cyberbullying and the imposter syndrome

The other big danger that comes from kids communicating more indirectly is that it has gotten easier to be cruel. “#Kids text all sorts of things that you would never in a million years contemplate saying to anyone’s face,” says Donna Wick, EdD, a clinical and developmental #psychologist. She notes that this seems to be especially true of girls, who typically don’t like to disagree with each other in “real life.”

“You hope to teach them that they can disagree without jeopardizing the relationship, but what #socialmedia is teaching them to do is disagree in ways that are more extreme and do jeopardize the relationship. It’s exactly what you don’t want to have happen,” she says.

Dr. Steiner-Adair agrees that girls are particularly at risk. “Girls are socialized more to compare themselves to other people, #girls in particular, to develop their identities, so it makes them more vulnerable to the downside of all this.” She warns that a lack of solid #self-esteem is often to blame. “We forget that relational aggression comes from insecurity and feeling awful about yourself, and wanting to put other people down so you feel better.”

Peer acceptance is a big thing for #adolescents, and many of them care about their image as much as a politician running for office, and to them it can feel as serious. Add to that the fact that kids today are getting actual polling data on how much people like them or their appearance via things like “likes.” It’s enough to turn anyone’s head. Who wouldn’t want to make herself look cooler if she can? So kids can spend hours pruning their online identities, trying to project an idealized image. #Teenage #girls sort through hundreds of photos, agonizing over which ones to post online. #Boys compete for attention by trying to out-gross one other, pushing the envelope as much as they can in the already disinhibited atmosphere online. Kids gang up on each other.

#Adolescents have always been doing this, but with the advent of #socialmedia they are faced with more opportunities—and more traps—than ever before. When kids scroll through their feeds and see how great everyone seems, it only adds to the pressure. We’re used to worrying about the impractical ideals that photoshopped magazine models give to our kids, but what happens with the kid next door is photoshopped, too? Even more confusing, what about when your own profile doesn’t really represent the person that you feel like you are on the inside?

“#Adolescence and the early twenties in particular are the years in which you are acutely aware of the contrasts between who you appear to be and who you think you are,” says Dr. Wick. “It’s similar to the ‘imposter syndrome’ in psychology. As you get older and acquire more mastery, you begin to realize that you actually are good at some things, and then you feel that gap hopefully narrow. But imagine having your deepest darkest fear be that you aren’t as good as you look, and then imagine needing to look that good all the time! It’s exhausting.”

As Dr. Steiner-Adair explains, “Self-esteem comes from consolidating who you are.” The more identities you have, and the more time you spend pretending to be someone you aren’t, the harder it’s going to be to feel good about yourself.

Stalking (and being ignored)

Another big change that has come with new technology and especially #smartphones is that we are never really alone. Kids update their status, share what they’re watching, listening to, and reading, and have apps that let their friends know their specific location on a map at all times. Even if a person isn’t trying to keep his friends updated, he’s still never out of reach of a text message. The result is that kids feel hyperconnected with each other. The conversation never needs to stop, and it feels like there’s always something new happening.

“Whatever we think of the ‘relationships’ maintained and in some cases initiated on #socialmedia, kids never get a break from them,” notes Dr. Wick. “And that, in and of itself, can produce #anxiety. Everyone needs a respite from the demands of intimacy and connection; time alone to regroup, replenish and just chill out. When you don’t have that, it’s easy to become emotionally depleted, fertile ground for anxiety to breed.”

It’s also surprisingly easy to feel lonely in the middle of all that hyperconnection. For one thing, kids now know with depressing certainty when they’re being ignored. We all have phones and we all respond to things pretty quickly, so when you’re waiting for a response that doesn’t come, the silence can be deafening. The silent treatment might be a strategic insult or just the unfortunate side effect of an online adolescent relationship that starts out intensely but then fades away.

“In the old days when a boy was going to break up with you, he had to have a conversation with you. Or at least he had to call,” says Dr. Wick. “These days he might just disappear from your screen, and you never get to have the ‘What did I do?’ conversation.” Kids are often left imagining the worst about themselves.

But even when the conversation doesn’t end, being in a constant state of waiting can still provoke anxiety. We can feel ourselves being put on the back burner, we put others back there, and our very human need to communicate is effectively delegated there, too.

What should #parents do?

Both experts interviewed for this article agreed that the best thing parents can do to minimize the risks associated with technology is to curtail their own consumption first. It’s up to parents to set a good example of what healthy computer usage looks like. Most of us check our phones or our email too much, out of either real interest or nervous habit. Kids should be used to seeing our faces, not our heads bent over a screen. Establish technology-free zones in the house and technology-free hours when no one uses the phone, including mom and dad. “Don’t walk in the door after work in the middle of a conversation,” Dr. Steiner-Adair advises. “Don’t walk in the door after work, say ‘hi’ quickly, and then ‘just check your email.’ In the morning, get up a half hour earlier than your kids and check your email then. Give them your full attention until they’re out the door. And neither of you should be using phones in the car to or from #school because that’s an important time to talk.”

Not only does limiting the amount of time you spend plugged in to computers provide a healthy counterpoint to the tech-obsessed world, it also strengthens the parent-child bond and makes kids feel more secure. Kids need to know that you are available to help them with their problems, talk about their day, or give them a reality check.

“It is the mini-moments of disconnection, when parents are too focused on their own devices and screens, that dilute the parent-child relationship,” Dr. Steiner-Adair warns. And when kids start turning to the Internet for help or to process whatever happened during the day, you might not like what happens. “Tech can give your children more information that you can, and it doesn’t have your values,” notes Dr. Steiner-Adair. “It won’t be sensitive to your child’s personality, and it won’t answer his question in a developmentally appropriate way.”

In addition Dr. Wick advises delaying the age of first use as much as possible. “I use the same advice here that I use when talking about kids and #alcohol—try to get as far as you can without anything at all.” If your child is on #Facebook, Dr. Wick says that you should be your child’s friend and monitor her page. But she advises against going through text messages unless there is cause for concern. “If you have a reason to be worried then okay, but it better be a good reason. I see parents who are just plain old spying on their kids. Parents should begin by trusting their #children. To not even give your kid the benefit of the doubt is incredibly damaging to the relationship. You have to feel like your #parents think you’re a good kid.”

Offline, the gold standard advice for helping kids build healthy #self-esteem is to get them involved in something that they’re interested in. It could be sports or music or taking apart computers or volunteering—anything that sparks an interest and gives them confidence. When #kids learn to feel good about what they can do instead of how they look and what they own, they’re happier and better prepared for success in real life. That most of these activities also involve spending time interacting with peers face-to-face is just the icing on the cake.
https://standingabovethecrowd.com/jamesdonaldson-on-mentalhealth-how-using-socialmedia-affects-teenagers/