Dismissing people who are genuinely suffering, and implying that they’d be fine if they’d simply stop worrying, is a costly error in judgment. It’s time to retire condescending stereotypes like “the worried well.” Mental illness doesn’t always take forms as dramatic as a broken leg or a harsh cough, but it deserves proper treatment as…
“Talking about suicide is one of the best ways to prevent it. But how we talk about it is critically important. When addressing the topic of suicide, it is essential to convey messages of hope, healing and help. “ It is so important to stay hopeful in the face of depression and suicidal thoughts. Depression…
“Depression also often comes with a sense of hopelessness, or a belief that things won’t change no matter what you do, which doesn’t help when it comes to deciding to get treatment, Clark says. But unfortunately, not getting care can make things even worse. “This hopelessness, if left unchecked, can feed a vicious cycle of…
I’ve never forgotten the lesson my math teacher taught me: that we need to learn how to talk about suicide. Here are a few numbers he probably didn’t know, but should: suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and claims more than 41,000 lives every year. I was not the only…
“The reality is that my life was infected with the burden of depression and anxiety, and the only places I could find reliable information from were not churches in my local area. Why? Because mental illness wasn’t really talked about. I felt as if all the “Christian” resources were outdated and really didn’t address the…
Whether or not you have a history of mental illness, talk to your children. Let them know that, while feelings like hopelessness, ennui, and irrational anger are normal in small doses, if they feel that way a lot of the time, they can get help. Let them know they never have to be ashamed of…
