What Everyone Gets Wrong About Suicide: An Open Letter From A Survivor
Teen girls and LGBTQ+ youth plagued by violence and trauma, survey says
Could a ‘Happiness Class’ Help Ease the Student Mental Health Crisis?
Mental health: it’s not always good to talk– There are times when talking is not safe or even possible.
More importantly, for those of us trying to advocate for mental health, we need to realize that there is no simple answer. Turning off all of social media is not going to cure the mental health crisis. It won’t change everything that is going on in all of our lives and across the world. Pretending that we’d all have much better mental health if we just killed off Instagram or TikTik isn’t going to make the county’s mental health problems go away.
So why aren’t we discussing the harder problems that have some proven research to show the negative effects on children’s lives? School shootings, violence, racism, oppression of LGTBQ and minorities, poverty, lack of access to mental health care, etc.
Despite their inherent instinct to help each other, many firefighters and first responders feel there is still a vivid stigma that surrounds seeking professional help, specifically from a counselor. Hodgens explains that when he first started coming to FoF, he was “going through some really dark times, some really hard situations in life that I…
There are two things I want you to think about here.
1. Save the things that comfort you to look at, listen to, read, etc. Whatever works for you on a hard day to feel a bit better, save those. Encourage other people to do the same.
2. Send more messages that people can save to make them feel less alone on a hard day. I love that the first response a friend had to hearing Monika saved messages like this, and might have lost them, was to send exactly that kind of message.
So hey, send more of those. Remind people in your life that you appreciate them and care about them. In personal and professional relationships, just say thank you in meaningful ways. You never know who saves those messages to get them through the days they don’t feel good enough.
I do. I bet people around you do too.
ntal Health Is Often A Privilege For BIPOC. Here’s Why That Needs To Change.
African American teens face mental health crisis but are less likely than whites to get treatment
Managing your mental health – why staying connected is so important
Don’t Put Off Taking Care of Yourself
For black men, higher education and incomes don’t lower risks of depression, researchers say
‘No more pictures of someone clutching their head’: The photo competition reimagining images of mental health
Thoughts Of Suicide, Other Mental Health Struggles Still High For LGBTQ Youth
Tiffany and Frank King Talk Suicide Prevention
“When we bring up mental illness and something in your eyes and body language changes, it hurts. When you are suddenly like, “Have you seen the new season of Orange Is The New Black?” it makes is feel like our struggle is something we should hide and be ashamed of. It makes us feel like…
The parents trying to navigate the maze of mental healthcare while also trying to work to help pay for the care that winds up not being covered and be there for their other children as well. It’s a lot. All of that stress isn’t good for anyone’s health, mental and physical. Imagine trying to support a child with getting mental healthcare while also needing your own care, or dealing with illnesses.
It’s a mess. I don’t envy parents who find themselves in this position. If you know any parents in this boat, maybe see what they need. Find some way to take a little stress off. Provide a meal or two, run some errands for them, etc. They need it more than they will probably ever admit.
