Mental Health

A person’s teenage years are a primetime of potential influences. A supportive teacher can inspire students to achieve their dreams. Participating in a sport or extracurricular program can foster a needed sense of teamwork. A life-changing experience could occur at any moment. Unfortunately, this significant situation could be the invitation to experiment with drinking or using drugs.

Although mental health and addiction both require recovery, their attitudes toward using medication are strictly distinct. While addressing addiction calls for an element of abstinence, more severe psychological conditions require pharmaceutical practices in order to ensure stability. However, if people struggling with mental illness become too reliant on their prescription use, treating their disorder can unintentionally lead to a substance use disorder.

We all know that energy is transferable – that’s why it’s typically easy for us to tell when someone is upset or very agitated with us – their energy shifts. When we feel an energy shift, we can either ward off the energy or take it on as our own and become upset or agitated as well. The same can happen with anxiety - Dr. Jim Harter and Sangeeta Agrawal from Gallup News, a website aimed at providing businesses and organizations with analytics and advice, found distinct links between the well-being among team members and amongst their managers. In their study, they evaluated 105 teams with 1,740 people whose well-being was measured among three 6-month intervals. With this, they found that the well-being levels among team members were significantly connected to and dependent on the well-being of others on the team. Although the study conducted was in a workplace situation, anxiety can be transferred from anyone within any context. The key is to remember not to allow yourself to take on others’ anxiety. Anxiety.org, a website that provides information on the several types of anxiety disorders, states that unlike anxiety disorders, natural responses of anxiety and stress can easily be taken on by others simply due to exposure. By remaining actively aware of the stress responses of others, we can better manage our own energy levels to ensure that we don’t adopt a response that isn’t beneficial for us. Judith Orloff, MD and author of a book titled The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People, wrote in a 2011 article for The Huffington Post provided a compelling step-by-step guide to avoid absorbing negative energy and anxiety from others:

With movies, phrases, and common misconceptions, mental illnesses often get a bad reputation. Many people see a major event or upsetting situation that involves a mental illness and they believe that all people with that mental illness act a certain way or they develop negative views of a certain mental illness – causing an unbalance in societal views and perpetuating negativity. Stigmas often lead people to believe that mental illnesses are dangerous, unpredictable, that a person is responsible for their mental illness, or that a person is generally incompetent, and these views promote discrimination. For those of us who suffer from a mental illness, stigmas surrounding our disorder can be debilitating and can perpetuate the negative symptoms of the illness itself. If we can gain a better understanding of how stigmas impact people, we can change the conversation of mental illness to a more hopeful, positive, and realistic one – that each person, circumstance, and disorder is different and should be treated as such. Stigmas surrounding mental illnesses often exclude people from job opportunities, social events, educational opportunities, can cause people to be excluded from receiving patient-focused treatment and care, and even causes internalization. When a person experiences internalization, they believe the negative thoughts of others and think of themselves as unable to recover, undeserving of love and care, dangerous, unpredictable, and responsible for their illness. A 2015 review conducted by Clement and colleagues seen in Cambridge University Press found that of 90,189 participants identified in numerous studies, internalization and treatment stigma were most associated with reduced help-seeking. Disclosure concerns were the most prevalent reason for why people didn’t want to seek treatment. These are perpetuated by stigma and cause us to feel badly about ourselves or others. Stigmas perpetuate fear, and in turn cause people to be treated poorly for no reason. Author Samantha Gluck from Healthy Place identified in 2015 that prejudice, mistrust, and violence on those with mental disorders as mechanisms that further damage us as a society. They cause people to turn from their loved ones, create distance, and delay seeking help when it’s truly needed. On a basic level, stigmas provide no benefit to anyone because they are based on assumptions without knowing the facts. To reduce stigmas surrounding mental illness, we need to share our stories. Telling others about the reality of our symptoms will show that each person is different. Continue researching and providing facts to others. If we hear someone making an incorrect assumption about mental illness, and it is safe to do so, we should stand up for those who suffer from that mental illness and gently correct our loved ones. We should begin conversations surrounding mental illness to educate and inform others. Joining organizations that support mental illnesses is a fantastic way to get involved and to meet others who also suffer. Lastly, we should continue believing in ourselves and embracing who we are, no matter what anyone says.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States – approximately 40 million people aged 18 or older suffer from one. Anxiety attacks are an unfortunate yet common aspect of anxiety disorders – people often experience chest pain, chills or heat sensations, trembling, sweating, heart palpitations, fear of “going crazy”, nausea, fear of dying, and more. In 2016, Medical Today accurately defined anxiety as nervousness, fear, apprehension, and worry. When we feel extremely anxious or nervous about something, our body activates its stress response, which causes the body to secrete stress hormones into the body where they travel to targeted areas that bring about physiological, psychological, and emotional changes that enhance the body’s ability to perform “fight or flight”. Our stress response triggers energy to help us deal with a threat – and the degree of our stress response is directly related to the degree of our perceived threat. This is incredibly important for us to remember because this explains why we may “suddenly” experience anxiety attacks.   Anxiety can make us feel debilitated and helpless, and can significantly impact all aspects of life. If we experience an anxiety attack, it may feel like the world is falling apart. However, anxiety attacks alone are not deadly and there are several steps that we can take if we are experiencing an anxiety attack to help relieve the symptoms:

If you’ve seen the YouTube star Logan Paul’s horrific video from Aokigahara, a wooded area in Japan also known as the “Japanese Suicide Forest”, you saw the aftermath of a life lost. The disturbing footage left many distraught, traumatized, saddened and upset – understandably, considering the video footage should not have been filmed in the first place. Paul insensitively filmed parts of the victim’s body, shouted insensitive comments, and ultimately proceeded to publish all of the disturbing content. We can’t take back the images seen, but we can bring to light an important conversation of how suicide should be discussed, how we can best honor those that have become victims to suicide, and how we can prevent our loved ones, our communities, and our world from going through this. First, we must focus on the language that we use surrounding the topic. Much of the words used further perpetuate the stigma that suicide is a crime. Instead of saying “committed suicide”, “successful suicide”, “completed suicide”, “failed attempt at suicide”, or “unsuccessful suicide”, we must say “died by suicide”, “ended his/her life”, “took his/her life”, or “attempted to end his/her life”. When discussing suicide, it’s more important that we focus on the life lived rather than how the person took their life. By focusing on the life they lived, we place the focus in a more positive place that recognizes the contribution they made while they were alive. This brings respect and honor to the person. Second, we must discuss this topic directly with those whom display symptoms of suicidal thoughts. If there is someone you are concerned about, make sure that you have suicide resources available, such as the National Suicide Prevention Hotline number, 1-800-273-8255. Instead of asking the person a question that will elicit a “no” answer, such as “You’re not thinking about killing yourself, are you?” ask the person, “Are you thinking about ending your life?” This type of question is direct and will inform your loved one that you are open to talking about this with them without judgment. Lastly, we must recognize the symptoms that could lead to suicide. Warning signs of suicide include feelings of hopelessness and despair, anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, mood swings, feeling as though there is no reason to live, rage or anger, engaging in risky activities, increasing substance abuse, withdrawing from friends/family, and more. Immediate attention is needed if a person is thinking about or seeking ways to hurt/take their life, talking about death, dying, or suicide, and taking part in destructive behavior whether it’s through substance abuse, weapons, etc.

Depression affects a lot of us – 350 million of us, to be exact. The symptoms of depression can leave us feeling hopeless, lonely, empty, and fatigued, to name a few. During those times where we feel depressed, it’s incredibly important to take steps towards easing that depression so that we can feel more calm, relaxed, and content. Thankfully, there are several activities that one can do to help alleviate the symptoms of depression:

So many things happen on New Year’s Eve. Parties, dancing, food, music, games – you name it. While New Year’s Eve can be a wonderful time to spend with friends and family, there are many things that can set you up for failure both psychologically and physically that night. Taking care of both your physical and mental health can ensure that you will have a safe and successful evening with those you love. Implement the following things on NYE to optimize your mental and physical health:

What most people do not realize is that the diet you consume does have an impact on your brain and how you process information and regulate your emotions. With fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Taco Bell, we tend to miss out on important nutrition that our body needs to function optimally. Learning about how food impacts us means that we can make smarter, healthier choices to potentially avoid unnecessary mental anguish such as depression and anxiety.

This article discusses matter of suicide. If you are seriously considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Line at 1-800-273-8255. Your life matters. Call now. People are experiencing depression more than ever before, and this draws concern to our neighbors, friends, and loved ones. Depression can be hidden, as many people do not seek out help or rely on their close friends and family to help them through troubling times. Feelings of doubt, hopelessness, unworthiness, guilt, and self-hatred means that our loved ones may be suffering without us knowing. As scary as this sounds, it’s important to recognize the signs of suicidal thoughts so that we can try to save our loved ones before it’s too late. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the following are signs your loved one may need help immediately: If your loved one is talking about:

A well-known and perpetuated myth is that holidays are meant to be spent in a well-decorated home with a table filled with home-cooked meals and a large group of friends and family who all love and care about each other. This myth brings about much stress and anxiety, as people all over the world strive to make this mystical picture a reality and feel depressed when they cannot. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) defines the feelings of fatigue, tension, frustration, loneliness or isolation, sadness, or sense of loss as “the holiday blues”. A NAMI survey found that 64% of people say they are affected by this, and 24% say the holidays affect them a lot. NAMI notes that the holiday blues are different from clinical anxiety or depression because the feelings are temporary – however, these feelings can lead to long-term mental health conditions if not taken care of properly. While some families can have some form of the mystical holiday picture, not everyone’s story is like that, and that’s okay. There are millions of people out there who, by societal standards, spend their holidays “alone” – but they’re not alone. Many choose to do other things that make the holidays special for them, even if it’s not specifically with friends or family. For example, many people volunteer by serving food at a homeless shelter or visiting the elderly in residential centers. Many senior citizens feel depressed during the holidays because they’ve lost a loved one or they do not have the health or finances to do something for the holidays. This provides them with wonderful company, they can support a cause, and their heart grows bigger by being with others. In the simplest form, treat the holiday as a typical day and have a detailed list of activity scheduled for the day. NAMI states that sticking to a routine is best because it allows you to stay focused on what you must do rather than wondering what you may be missing. Make the decision to get up, make breakfast, do some cleaning, exercise, do something creative, etc. Before you know it, a full day will go by and it will be time for bed – your day will not have been wasted, and you will feel pleasure in knowing that you had a good day without feeling upset. A few other activities you can do:

While many of us are aware of the damaging effects that stigma can have, unfortunately there are many people that do not yet understand. Common misconceptions surrounding mental illness can easily take on the perceptions of heavy television viewers and hearsay, often making it more difficult to combat. The following are several reliable ways to cope with stigmatization if you experience it: