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Struggling with suicidal thoughts is something that often happens when people have mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder. Some-times people act on those thoughts and have a suicide attempt. Other times, people just continue to struggle with the suicidal thoughts but never act on them. With teenagers, you have to worry about the issue of impulsivity when they are having these thoughts. Teenagers who are in an emotional state of mind and will not be looking at the "bigger picture" of what is making them upset therefore tend to act on their emotion and possibly do something to harm themselves. When teenagers have a suicide attempt, they often do not actually mean for it to be successful but unfortunately, sometimes it is.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month
 
Yes, we have made great progress in decreasing the stigma that exists regarding mental health issues and related treatment. However, we still have a long way to go. Several role models have recently “come out” in the media in an attempt to normalize mental health issues and to encourage open, honest discussion and treatment. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and Lady Gaga for example, recently have shared their own struggles and emphasized that it is time to stop hiding mental health struggles and to discuss these issues in the same manner that we would discuss physical health issues. We all need to do our part!

For many parents, the biggest stressor of our kids going to college is paying for it. There are others such as, “How will they stay safe?” and “Will they adjust OK?”. But the finances are, typically, the bulk of the concern. Like you, I started a college savings account (a great idea, by the way) when my daughter was born. 20 years later, I now have two kids, one in college and one going in 2018. As time was progressing, I was watching my account grow and thinking, “Why is everyone worrying so much?” “This is going to be just fine.” Until, I started watching the cost of tuitions EVERYWHERE increase at a dramatic rate. Then, I joined everyone else in worrying.

Some of us have had a friend, co-worker, or loved one complete suicide. Some of us know someone who knows someone who has completed suicide. We hear about it on the news at times or we hear about it from a friend. Dealing with the aftermath of a suicide is a terribly painful ex-perience and there are many myths about suicide that leave this topic taboo. So much so that we just don’t talk about it. Or when it is discussed, there is some misinformation being spread around. This article is to bring awareness about suicide and what you can do to stop those myths.

‘Something happened…’
 
1 in 6 women, 1 in 33 men, and 21% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have experienced sexual violence (RAINN, 2016). These startling statistics reveal the likelihood of a friend, co-worker, or family member possibly opening up to you with the statement above when reaching out for help regarding their sexual assault. Below are some tips to assist you in providing a healing response to a survivor of sexual assault.

All too often, I hear complaints of “I can’t do that”, “nothing will help me”, or “they will never understand”. Our minds bombard us with these messages of insufficiency and negativity. It’s not uncommon though, and it’s easy to fall into this trap of having a negative mindset toward our situation and our lives in general. Isn’t it true though that the way we speak to ourselves has a great influence on our outcomes? I’ve seen it firsthand with some of the clients that I’ve worked with. In my experience, we are certainly more likely to fall short when we tell ourselves that we can’t do something. If I truly believe that this won’t work out, then I’m almost setting myself up for that exact outcome, because I already introduced the idea of “failing” into my mind.

There has been a lot of hype and discussion about the Netflix series “Thirteen Reasons Why”. I had to watch it to see what it was all about, to be able to discuss it with client and so I was not the only person on the planet who has not viewed it. My purpose for this blog is not to critique the series, there are movie critics who do that for a living, but to discuss how to manage the series from a psychological, social, emotional and paren-tal perspective. The main thing that I will say personally is I chose not to view very much of the scene with Hanna at the end, or with her mother’s discovery. I muted the sound and only watched a second or two of it all. I know from having a specialty in treat-ing Post-traumatic stress disorder you can’t un-do what you see or hear so easily if it affects you. So, for myself I know I made the right decision, and then as I thought about it, I wondered how younger folks or someone with no knowledge of how trauma affects a person, could process it all. So, I hope some tips on this important subject may help.

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Have you ever forgotten your cell phone at home? Was it challenging to make it through the day without checking your social media accounts to keep up with friends, relatives and celebrities? Although social media appears to be the ideal way to stay connected with people in today’s busy world, there can be adverse effects. Researchers from the University of Missouri conducted a study in 2015 that found that regular Facebook use can impact mental health and lead to depression if the site triggers envy in the user. (Psychology Today, 2017). If you are already experiencing a low mood, it can be important to be aware of the media you are consuming which can add layers of intensity to the emotions you are already feeling.

  1. Effective Communication
  2. When To Be Concerned About College Related Stress
  3. Tips On Preventing The Cold Weather Blues
  4. CARF Accreditation Fall 2015

Full Article Index

The Behavioral Wellness Group is a counseling center providing therapy and behavioral health services and assessment including chemical dependency/drug addiction treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) and other therapies. We also provide mental health or psychological assessments, and psychological,educational and bariatric testing. Providing services to the following communities in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake County: Cleveland, Ashtabula, Beachwood, Chardon, Concord, Eastlake, Euclid, Fairport, Geneva, Grand River, Highland Heights, Kirtland, Leroy, Lyndhurst, Madison, Mayfield, Mayfield Heights, Painesville, Pepper Pike, Perry, Russell, Solon, South Euclid, Thompson, Wickliffe, Willoughby, Willoughby Hills, and Willowick, from our offices in Mentor, Ohio.