It’s Never Too Early To Discuss Mental Health

We know that mental health can be an uncomfortable subject, especially when it comes to pre-teens and young people. But, as many states are beginning to realize, starting the conversation early can be extremely beneficial. Just this past month, in fact, New York and Virginia have required mental health education at the elementary school level.

The key here is early intervention and letting students know that they are not alone if they’re struggling. One of the reasons that state legislators have gotten involved is because of the growing number of suicides happening among Americans aged 15 to 24. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), there has been a 30 percent increase in young people who take their own life over the past 18 years.

Virginia Senator Creigh Deeds made this a personal mission for his state, following the suicide death of his 24-year-old son Austin in 2013. He believes (along with many other mental health advocates) that early intervention is the key to lowering this statistic.

“The system failed my son” Deeds explained on TheFix.com. “[Mental health] is an integral part of our overall health and should be an integral part of health education in schools. [We need to] tear down the stigma and provide some equality with those that struggle with mental health.”

New York legislators feel just as passionate about the issue. The research they put forth for their mandate showed that 90 percent of young people who commit suicide suffer from depression or some other diagnosable and treatable mental illness at the time of their death.

The two key words there are “diagnosable” and “treatable.” Both of those play into the idea of adding mental health education to the elementary classrooms. The simple math is; if you bring the conversations to the forefront, that will help you diagnose and treat young people who are suffering.

Interestingly enough, many students themselves are helping to advocate for these changes. Over in Virginia, it was the high schoolers of Albemarle County who helped present the proposal to get the initiative passed. Many testified that they, themselves, had seen fellow classmates suffer and die because of mental illness.

This is something we at inneractions firmly believe in as well. Truth be told, half of lifetime mental health issues develop before the age of 14. So we advise any parent or young person to open up the dialogue and not let these problems go untreated.

Depression Becoming More Common At Work

Truth be told, most people don’t enjoy going to work Monday through Friday. But if the daily grind is causing you real depression, then that is a reason to be concerned. According to a new article on the business site Inc.com; unhappiness on the job is becoming much more common, even leading to issues like suicide and addiction. We thought they did a great job of outlining some of these new concerns and wanted to share a few points below.

One interesting phenomenon to come out of the modern working world is the concept of telecommuting. Just two decades ago, the idea of doing a 9 to 5 from home was much more rare. But now (thanks to the internet), millions of Americans conduct business from their personal laptops. And while that idea certainly sounds exciting, it is also creating more isolation and loneliness. Believe it or not, losing that daily human interaction can create real feelings of depression and leads many people into deep despair.

Former Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy discussed the topic at length with Inc and felt there were real causes for concern.

“New models of working — such as telecommuting and some on-demand ‘gig economy’ contracting arrangements — have created flexibility but often reduce the opportunities for in-person interaction and relationships,” he explained. “And even working at an office doesn’t guarantee meaningful connections: People sit in an office full of coworkers, even in open-plan workspaces, but everyone is staring at a computer or attending task-oriented meetings where opportunities to connect on a human level are scarce.”

The gig economy, as he mentioned above, is also a modern employment component that impacts emotional levels. Rather than having the stability of a corporate job, many Americans are forced to work odd hours, take lower wages and continuously “hustle” to get work. That not only adds a lot of stress to a person’s life, it also creates depression if basic needs are not being met.

And honestly, people in Corporate America are facing these issues too. Inc’s research showed that many office workers are despondent over controlling management and limited choices in their work environment. As the article writer put it, “losing control of one’s destiny is a hit to our basic fundamental needs and could have serious emotional repercussions.”

We certainly understand the stressors that modern life and the workplace can have. Just know that these feelings are shared and there are always to overcome them. If you feel depression or anxiety creeping into your daily life, please reach out and get the help you deserve.

  If you’ve been following our blogs, then you may recall our piece a few weeks back about films that are offering inspiration for addiction survivors. Well for every ying there is a yang, and this week there are a handful of movies being called out for just the opposite. Over on Netflix, two films in particular have been singled out for being insensitive about the topic of mental illness.   Interestingly, the two movies in question happen to be the most popular offerings on the platform right now. Bird Box stars Oscar winner Sandra Bullock and received roughly 45 million views over this holiday month. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (the other film in question) has been dominating social media as well, but both cover very dark subject matter.   Bird Box has been criticized for “demonizing” mental illness. The plot concerns invisible monsters who encourage victims to take their own lives. That alone is a very touchy subject and it has been said that the way these suicides are handled leave a lot to be desired. What’s worse though, is that people suffering from mental illness become the villains in this movie and actually contribute to the killings.   The website Popbuzz did an admirable job of summarizing the Twitter backlash (posted below).       Black Mirror isn’t faring much better with fans. The website The Mighty focused on that film, saying the plot features insensitive call outs to psychosis, delusions, paranoia and trauma (not to mention lots of blood and gore).   Though the Black Mirror backlash isn’t quite as intense as the Sandra Bullock movie, site writer Elizabeth Cassidy did mention that a warning should be issued before viewers click “Play.” And to her point…Despite the fact that these may be “trendy” films of the moment, you have every right to turn them away and encourage others to do the same.   “It’s OK to skip Bandersnatch if you’re sensitive to these topics,” Cassidy wrote. “Your health and safety are more important than the latest trendy show or movie. If you want to watch the movie but are concerned it might be too much, try watching it with someone you trust.”  
  If you’ve been following our blogs, then you may recall our piece a few weeks back about films that are offering inspiration for addiction survivors. Well for every ying there is a yang, and this week there are a handful of movies being called out for just the opposite. Over on Netflix, two films in particular have been singled out for being insensitive about the topic of mental illness.   Interestingly, the two movies in question happen to be the most popular offerings on the platform right now. Bird Box stars Oscar winner Sandra Bullock and received roughly 45 million views over this holiday month. Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (the other film in question) has been dominating social media as well, but both cover very dark subject matter.   Bird Box has been criticized for “demonizing” mental illness. The plot concerns invisible monsters who encourage victims to take their own lives. That alone is a very touchy subject and it has been said that the way these suicides are handled leave a lot to be desired. What’s worse though, is that people suffering from mental illness become the villains in this movie and actually contribute to the killings.   The website Popbuzz did an admirable job of summarizing the Twitter backlash (posted below).       Black Mirror isn’t faring much better with fans. The website The Mighty focused on that film, saying the plot features insensitive call outs to psychosis, delusions, paranoia and trauma (not to mention lots of blood and gore).   Though the Black Mirror backlash isn’t quite as intense as the Sandra Bullock movie, site writer Elizabeth Cassidy did mention that a warning should be issued before viewers click “Play.” And to her point…Despite the fact that these may be “trendy” films of the moment, you have every right to turn them away and encourage others to do the same.   “It’s OK to skip Bandersnatch if you’re sensitive to these topics,” Cassidy wrote. “Your health and safety are more important than the latest trendy show or movie. If you want to watch the movie but are concerned it might be too much, try watching it with someone you trust.”  

Exposing The Truth About Social Anxiety

This week, we’re tipping our hat to The Huffington Post. The famed news site, which is read by millions, put a very important story on its homepage. And sadly, this is a story that is all too often missed by the mainstream media. We are talking about Social Anxiety and the very real phobias that impact a large percentage of people in this country.

The HuffPo headline reads: Social Anxiety Doesn’t Get The Attention It Deserves. And that couldn’t ring more true. First we get the surprising stat. Did you know that over 15 million Americans suffer from this issue? And, for the most part, they suffer in silence.

Several case studies were used throughout the article, highlighting everyday people who find “simple tasks” excruciating. Sophie Trapani, for example, would convulse and literally shut down whenever she would have to speak in front of people. This led to her losing work, shying away from friends and even distancing herself from her family. In truth, it all becomes a vicious cycle where people get stuck in isolation.

Common fears include being judged, being rejected by peers or being confronted by dangerous people. These may not all be “rational” to the everyday person, but they are daily reality for those suffering from fear. Social anxiety can also overlap with other issues, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression or panic attacks. Worse yet, people afflicted by this are often labeled as “shy” and not taken seriously.

The article goes on to highlight the enablers of the modern world and how, in today’s day and age, it is much easier to retreat and not face your problems. Social media and the web, for example, can allow people to hide even more and go undiagnosed.

We understand that this is a very serious issue and actually have treatment options for people suffering from this affliction. The most important thing a person can do, is recognize the symptoms of social anxiety. And it is just as important for a person’s network of family and friends to acknowledge it too and, perhaps, step in if help is needed.

“It is rather easy for those who do not understand or experience the condition to ignore or marginalize the disorder,” clinical psychologist Dr. Carla Marie Manly told HuffPo. “As a result, those who suffer from social anxiety often feel as if they are outcasts ― as if they do not measure up. A therapist or psychiatrist can help you work through the worst of it.”

We couldn’t agree more and are happy to help anyone suffering from this take the first step to wellness.

Celebrity Suicides Raise Depression Alarms

There is no denying that last week was devastating for fans of celebrity pop culture. Fashion icon Kate Spade and culinary icon Anthony Bourdain both took their own lives within a matter of days from each other. Not surprisingly, that has brought the topic of suicide back to the forefront…and rightfully so.   Though it’s not highly publicized, 123 people kill themselves every day in this country. When looked upon with a broader lens, that equates the 10th leading cause of death among Americans (and tragically, the second highest killer among teens). Obviously it’s a topic worth discussing. But why does it take celebrity tragedies to make us want to re-examine it?  

“Celebrity deaths like these really highlight the fact that suicide affects everyone, rich and poor, famous, not famous, young old,” said Dr. Cathrine Frank, Henry Ford Health System’s chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Services. “It affects a wide range of people. It’s a major public health problem and it is really no different than cancer or other illnesses that we know affect a wide range of people.”

Even worse, high profile deaths like these often lead to copycats across the country. In Utah, for example, suicide prevention programs have seen a drastic jump in the number of calls to their hotlines following the news of Spade and Bourdain. And, according to stats from USA Today affiliate The Detroit Free Press, these numbers are on the rise nationally too.

Their chart below (which uses data from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control) illustrates a steady increase in U.S. suicides since 2006.

Screen Shot 2018-06-11 at 9.19.51 PM

Several prominent politicians have spoken out as well, following the high profile news. New York Senator Chuck Schumer made the press rounds late last week, calling for more federal funding for suicide prevention programs. Arthur Evans Jr., head of the American Psychological Association, also spoke to news outlets, saying that the public needs to be educated about the symptoms of depression and must work to reduce stigmas.

 “If we have lots of treatments and people don’t access them because they are ashamed or they don’t know how to get them, those treatments won’t matter,” Evans explained to The Detroit Free Press. “For family members, friends, those in people’s lives, it’s important that they recognize when a family member, friend or colleague is having problems and that they help them get connected to resources.”

Of course, our stance at inneractions, is exactly the same, as we have spent years helping people overcome depression and suicidal thoughts. Step one involves identifying the warning signs and making sure that you or a loved one isn’t overcome with feelings of hopelessness or despair. If there is any question whatsoever about this, please reach out and get in touch with someone who can help.