Tag: Mental Health
Building a Suicide Prevention Safety Plan for Yourself
A suicide prevention safety plan is a written set of instructions that you create for yourself as a contingency plan should you begin to experience thoughts about harming yourself. It will contain a series of gradually escalating steps that you will follow, proceeding from one step to the next, until you are safe. Creating a […]
Self-care for a Suicide Attempt Survivor Caregiver
“If you don’t do things to keep your cup full, you have nothing left to give others.” This seems like a pretty practical and obvious “life lesson”. Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to forget when you’re caring for a someone experiencing suicidal ideation. It seems impossible to think of self-care when a loved one is […]
How to Recognize a Phobia
Everyone has felt afraid of something at one point or another. A phobia, however, is very different from normal fear and can be quite difficult to overcome. According to healthline.com, “A phobia is an excessive and irrational fear reaction. If you have a phobia, you may experience a deep sense of dread or panic when […]
When Children Ask About Suicide
Most people associate youth suicides with the teenage years, but pre-teens are also vulnerable. In 2018, suicide was the second leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 14 in the United States. It’s important for parents to be prepared to discuss suicidal ideation with preteens as well as older adolescents. When very young children bring up the […]
The Challenges and Rewards of Caregiving
Sometimes a caregiving situation is short-lived, for instance when an injury or illness heals quickly. At other times, caregiving can last for years, or even decades. No two caregiving journeys are exactly the same. Caregiving challenges can include: Sleep deprivation. Having a living space that is cluttered with medical equipment. Being obliged to take someone else’s special diet into consideration at every meal. Being responsible for another person’s medications. Being […]
Suicide – How long does the crisis last?
A 2007 study involving interviews with 153 attempt survivors revealed that most suicidal crises are short-lived. Participants were asked how long they thought about suicide before making their attempt. The results were: Less than 5 minutes: 24% 5 to 19 minutes: 24% 2-8 hours: 16% 1 or more days: 13% Another study conducted in 2008 showed […]
Is My Teen Clinically Depressed?
Teens are famous for having moods that go up and down. When the “downs” become the norm, however, parents need to ask themselves: “Is this a normal mood swing? Or is it clinical depression?” Symptoms of depression include: Sadness Irritability An abnormal decline in school performance Losing interest in activities the teen used to enjoy […]
Farming- Stress in the Fields
Financial Stress of Farming Say the word “farmer” and many people picture a guy in a ball cap driving a shiny new tractor across a lush green field on a sunny spring day. While these sorts of days happen, they are the exception rather than the rule. Weather, finances and the commodities market each contribute […]
What to Expect- Bringing a Loved One Home after a Suicide Attempt
When you take a loved one to the ER after a suicide attempt, the visit is extremely stressful but it can also be a relief. As long as you’re at the ER someone else is in charge. While you’re there, once the physical crisis is over, you know that your loved one is safe. When it’s time to take them home, if they go directly […]
What to do when your Teen is Depressed
Teen depression isn’t like cloudy weather, that blows over if you wait long enough. Even when counseling or medication aren’t required, the suffering your teen endures when depressed is very real and needs to be recognized. Unfortunately, recognizing teen depression isn’t always easy, even for the most caring parents. Some teens aren’t able or willing to talk about depression with the adults in their […]