“Letting loved ones know that depression isn’t their fault is crucial to the healing process, Dalack says. “Sometimes folks with depression feel that it happens because there is something wrong with them,” he explains. “When you have the flu, you can’t remember what it feels like to feel good. Well, when your brain is the[…]
“As a survivor of suicide I feel that it is our time to lead the conversation around suicide prevention. Those of us who have been impacted by suicide have a unique perspective, to put it mildly. We have information we need to share. We hope that even a small part of our experience will be[…]
“The WHO wants all countries to have a national suicide prevention strategy, which must include reducing access to the means of suicide. Also important are responsible reporting of suicides by the media to avoid the risk of inspiring copycat attempts, alcohol policies, care for people suffering from mental and substance use disorders, chronic pain and[…]
“Currently only Washington state and Kentucky have adopted laws that require suicide prevention training be included in mental health education programs. It’s too soon to tell how effective those laws have been, but smaller scale efforts have shown great results. The Henry Ford Health System, a Detroit-based health care organization,found that suicide rates among its patients dropped by 75 percent[…]
“When it comes to symptoms of depression, the code of masculinity complicates matters. Usually, the result is what’s called male-type or masked depression. For a man, the traditional symptoms of depression are deemed atypical. Men often “externalize” their symptoms — anger or irritability, risk-taking (such as gambling) and substance abuse.” Read the Full Story Source:[…]
“Since suicide is the ultimate act of disconnection — from society, from community, from friends and family — it’s not surprising that connection is a powerful roadblock to suicide. We’re creatures of connection. We’re hardwired for it. It’s a fundamental human need. So it’s worth noting that this deadly phenomenon that we know is caused,[…]
“If I had to name one thing a person (or persons) said to me when I was severely depressed that made me feel better, it would be this: “You won’t always feel this way.” It is a simple statement of truth that holds the most powerful healing element of all: hope. As a friend or[…]
“I say that it is our collective responsibility to advocate for mental health because those that suffer from a mental illness may not have the ability to understand what is happening to them nor do they have the ability to think in a “rational” manner. Additionally, doctors do not always know how to properly diagnose[…]
“People who say that suicide is selfish always reference the survivors. It’s selfish to leave children, spouses and other family members behind, so they say. They’re not thinking about the survivors, or so they would have us believe. What they don’t know is that those very loved ones are the reason many people hang on[…]
“The alarming part, say researchers, is that suicide remains an untamed cause of death. Heart disease, cancer, HIV, most infectious diseases, almost every kind of accident: they’re all in relatively steep decline, while suicide floats along, or even rises.” Read the Full Article Source: NBC News
