Your Good Mental Health

Down with the Duck

2009-10-28T10:20:00.000-07:00

I.C. Hope© this fall has been going great. Even though I’m only operating at 15 hours a week, I’ve still been able to get into some great classrooms. So far, I’ve been in a preschool, 2nd grade classes, and 4th grade classes getting “down with the duck!” And next month will be just as packed with preschool and kindergarten classes. I’ve also gotten a chance to use the new discussion tools that Renee Hupp, our intern over the summer, helped create.

Also, me and everyone else here at MHA have been writing several grants, so we’re waiting to see how our efforts turn out! Other than that, I’ve just been enjoying the fall weather and getting back into the swing of the school year. I hope all of you out there are also having a wonderful fall. Stay healthy,

-Anna Hagley

I.C. Hope© Coordinator

Spot in the Name of Love

2009-10-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

Bringchange2mind.org has launched a public service campaign to confront the stigmas associated with mental illnesses.

Here is the spot:

And here is a behind the scenes video containing interviews with those who appear in the spot, including Glenn Close, and director Ron Howard.

Fakery

2009-10-16T05:43:00.000-07:00

The news this morning is very different than the news last night.

A little more than 12 hours ago, all we heard about was a 6 year-old boy who may, or may not, have become trapped in a homemade weather balloon that was drifting through the skies of Colorado.

This morning, there is much speculation that the whole thing may have been a stunt designed to land the boy and his family a reality show.

Yesterday, there was concern that the boy might, at any moment, plummet to the ground at the end of a long silver streamer.

This morning, there is debate around who should be held accountable and pay for the cost of scrambling the Air Force.

Compassion is a precious commodity and becoming more so in our increasingly cynical age. It's a natural resource in humans and, like other natural resources, it is finite in supply. The body can make more blood, but compassion once invested can never be replaced.

Since yesterday's incident, it has come to light that balloon boy's family had been on "Wife Swap" a reality show where two very different families trade their matriarchs for the benefit of the TV audience.

Armed with this piece of information, radio talk show hosts are this morning parsing a comment made by the boy in an on-camera interview last night. He is alleged to have said that he "did it for the show."

Whether it was for the TV show that they supposedly want, or for the "show" of all the first responders, including the United States Air Force, trying to safely resolve a potentially high-risk situation has not been made clear and will doubtless keep many a radio host's phone lines lit for the rest of the day.

But now that that conversation is out there, now that the public's reflexive compassion has been challenged, deflated by the prospect of some ulterior motive, it will only serve to make it that much harder to feel compassionate the next child at risk.

Asking people for support--whether emotional, or even financial--is a trust-based transaction. People call us looking for help every day, but they can only do that once they have accepted that we will not take advantage of their vulnerability. Even in today's warts-and-all culture, it takes a lot for people to disclose that they are experiencing a mental illness, or have a family member who is.

Usually, when they call us it's because they want to speak to Paddy. After 28 years she has a proven track record of being a compassionate and discrete advocate. When Paddy is out of the office, or otherwise unavailable, it is often harder, or even impossible, for them to work with any of our other staff. The callers don't know us and are not yet sure that they can trust us. We have to earn that trust.

Doing this work takes money and a good portion of the money that comes to us as personal donations is in recognition of Paddy's service to the donor, or the donor's family. If, for any reason, those donors questioned her discretion, that money would evaporate.

And it's not just stigma issues relating to mental health that can compromise our compassion. People donate money based on emotion and when those feelings are called into question, then barriers are go up. 17 years ago, the president of the national United Way resigned over a misuse of funds scandal that still influences donors. Locally, we hear almost annually about how there are donors who won't support the Red Cross because they charged for donuts during World War II.

Once stories like that get out there, they impact donations to all organizations. Donors who, for whatever reason, have invested their compassion in a cause, or a news story, or even another person and later learn that that decision was unwise, or worse, foolish, think twice about making their next investment.

Nobody likes to get played.

I have a family member who has, on more than one occasion, disclosed that he has attempted suicide.

His disclosures were, by definition, always in the past tense and generally took the form of "You know, last winter, I went into the woods to kill myself." (I didn't know that he had been planning any of these attempts and was grateful that, for whatever reason, he had not been successful.)

I have neither the credentials nor the skill to attempt to analyze his motives, but earlier this fall, he called me and I noted that his tense had shifted from the past to the future. He was talking about "getting out of town" and how he "couldn't take it anymore." He engaged in what is described as "settling of accounts," saying good-bye in one form or another.

I spoke with his mother and she was concerned that she could not get in touch with him and that he had been talking about suicide.

I called his cell phone and got his voice mail. I don't remember what I said exactly, but my intent was to get him to come back from "the woods."

A little while later he called me and in the course of our conversation indicated that he had taken something--he kept asking if his speech was clear. He said several times that he could not take the "ostracization" from the rest of the family. He felt isolated and alone. He also indicated his approximate location by saying that he couldn't talk anymore because he was losing cell service.

I called the police. I believed that he had taken an overdose and was on the verge of passing out.

After a lengthy interview with the police, they took his cell phone number and called it in an effort to determine his location.

Sometime later, my family member called me and said "if that's you're game, I'm one step ahead of you."

He had talked to the police and assured them that he was not near death and nowhere near where he indicated to me that he was.

I cannot condense my relationship with my family member with any skill and ably convey it complexity and accumulated failures over the course of 5 decades. I know I did not always behave as I should have, nor did I respond to every request for help. I do however feel that I had always demonstrated my compassion and this incident was the last straw.

He tried to call back several times later that day, but I would not take his calls. I have nothing left to give to him. What I had had, he took advantage of.

Trading on the compassion of others has real consequences both for those involved in the transaction as well as others. I will not be so fast to respond to his threat of suicide, or other cry for help. He has proven himself to be one who does it "for the show."

There are many sad aspects to his story, but using the currency of suicide to get attention diminishes the impact of authentic attempts. It's like crying wolf, or telling the authorities that your child is trapped in a silver weather balloon.

Nobody likes to get played.

--Graham Campbell

The Value of Gas Station Cinamon Rolls

2009-10-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

I know that no one does this but me. It’s my secret defense against a world that continues to disappoint, frustrate, and aggravate.

There’s a shop around the corner that sells my rescue remedy. Sometimes it’s a bottle, sometimes it’s a bar, sometimes it’s cold and sometimes it’s hot. And on the really bad days—more frequent of late, it seems—my remedy might be a combination of these ingredients.

I eat.

I’m not one of those foodies who seem to be all over the TV extolling the virtues of chocolate covered ants, or wolverine toenails with ceviche. I prefer the gas station cinnamon rolls to those you get in a bakery and I like my cold drinks with as many syllables as possible.

As a result of my caloric-clad cowardice, my inability to confront the issues and the people that drive me to find my ho-ho-ho in a plastic wrapper, I am truly the bigger person. Bigger not because I turn the other cheek, but because I have more cheek to turn—chins too.

Another result of my rescue remedy is that I have spent more time with doctors than I would prefer. Blood tests, treadmills, HDL and LDL are now a part of my vocabulary. I make monthly trips to the pharmacy and am constantly surprised by how much money goes into so few pills.

I take the pills and the stress tests because, however frustrating everyday life can be, I’m not done with it yet. I would like to live long enough to be able to give my wife the kind of life that she deserves.

So my health is important to me and I pay a premium to maintain it. And like many, the dollar cost of that premium keeps going up far faster than my salary.

Don’t get me wrong, I know I am very fortunate to have access to any kind of insurance coverage. But I also know that having less money to pay the other expenses of daily life because of it is one of the reasons that my car seems to stop at the corner store.

Being sick in this country is frightening: more frightening than anything they could come up with on television, or in the movies. For an increasing number of us—even with coverage—it is the nightmare from which you never awake.

The simple doctor visit, with the odd test and prescriptions, can be make a sizable dent in the family budget, but if hospitals and specialists become involved then not just their health, but their economic future can easily be jeopardized.

I am not a stone. I would love a chance to drive a fancy sports car, live in one of those McMansions that were so popular a couple of years ago and have a big enough yard to have more than one dog. I want all of that, but I know that it will have to wait until my bank balance can support it. If I get seriously sick, I do not have the same luxury of deferred gratification. I have a simpler choice: follow the doctor’s orders, wherever they lead, or wait for nature to take its course.

And once you get sick, you increase your risks not only for related disorders, but also that your insurance company will only selectively cover your expenses, or drop your coverage entirely.

Seen in those terms, every trip to the corner store for a flavored, or frozen, or chocolate-covered anything threatens my life, my health and my family’s future.

Great: more stress.

It’s like wearing a Velcro suit in a velour-covered world: once you start down this path, it can take a real effort to break loose.

In some respects I am more fortunate than others who experience congenital disorders, my problems are entirely of my own making. Cutting back and cutting out, walking the dog more and finding other ways to work out can significantly impact my health issues. This in turn will reduce my need for medication and the associated costs.

Sounds all very rational and straightforward, but my car keeps stopping at the store. And will keep stopping until I can address the underlying issues that make junk food so attractive to me.

My mental health and my physical health are connected around my ability to manage stress. There are healthier alternatives to inhaling a pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream, but none nearly as enjoyable.

My brother keeps trying to get me to take up boxing, or some other physical activity. He claims that beating up a bag will be just as satisfying as anything I could eat. I understand that there are people for whom that is true, but to me, it makes as much sense as writing down what’s bothering you on a piece of paper and flushing it down the toilet. I could never do that out of fear that the toilet would back up.

A component of the current discussion about healthcare has been the need to get consumers more involved in their own care. The assumption is that having an accurate picture of the cost of care will encourage us all to get healthier and the healthier we get, the less we will need medical care and the cost will go down. It’s a lovely idea and based on sound economic theory, but people are already afraid to get sick. Sticker shock is not going to get me to go to the gym either, but it will get me to have another cookie.

There is no doubt that fear is an excellent motivator: it was responsible for the high level of engagement in the recent town hall meetings on this issue. But comfort and security are perhaps more powerful: this is perhaps why the couch always seems to win out over the exercise bike.

A lot of ink has been already spilled on this topic and I certainly don’t claim that I have any new insights, but I believe this is too important a conversation to be left to insurance companies and politicians.

I keep coming back to the idea that this entire debate is, first and foremost, a conversation about values. What kind of a country would oblige so many of its citizens to live in fear of disease?

The rights recognized in the Declaration of Independence are fundamental to the American character, regardless of where you stand on the political spectrum. Of the big three—life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness—the notion of a “right to life” is clearly galvanizing. Liberty and happiness are important, but they are meaningless without life. Should we really be drawing a distinction between life and health? Between happiness and health?

Reforming healthcare goes to the heart of the question of what the country stands for. The health of any community is a reflection of the health of its citizens. Safe water and effective sanitation are basic to any model of communal living. We demand the government intervene at the threat of pandemic and we volunteer to give blood in the event of disaster. Even the most vehement of libertarians support the notion of a common good.

And if you don’t accept the notion of being your brother’s keeper then you should appreciate that providing access to basic healthcare to the many will reduce the cost of healthcare for the individual. Hospitals spend millions of dollars every year providing care to those uninsured patients that we have heard so much about. There isn’t a healthcare facility that could stay in business if they didn’t pass those costs along to the rest of us.

This is the essential pro-life discussion and should not be hijacked by the misdirection of “death panels”, “Obamacare” and socialism. It is not hyperbole to note that this is a conversation about what a 21^st century America is about and what it stands for. And if you accept that there is some minimum standard for the health of the public then I am convinced that people of good will can develop a practical plan to make that happen.

As the holidays are approaching, I look forward to the opportunity to watch “A Christmas Carol” the essential holiday fable. Early in the story, Scrooge is told that there are many who would rather die then go to the work houses that were so common in Dickens’ time. Scrooge’s response is that if they would rather die, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.”

By the end of the story, Scrooge is able to change his fate by extending his hand to those less fortunate than himself. By investing in his neighbors, he enriches himself. This is not an idea unique to Dickens, or Christmas, but, I would submit, part of the national identity.

Just as the time has come for me to take responsibility for my health and my future and stop using food as a band-aid, we must decide that investing in healthcare for all is the only responsible thing to do.

I have to go now and take the dog for a walk.

--Graham Campbell

October at YES

2009-10-02T12:17:00.000-07:00

We have a couple great Halloween themed days for the month of October.

On Friday, October 23rd, we are having a YES Halloween Dance from 7pm - 10pm.
Also the Denison Mortar Board is throwing a Halloween Party for us on Tuesday, October 27th.

--Cheryl Dupler

YES Clubhouse

Suicide Prevention Week a Success!

2009-09-16T12:48:00.000-07:00

Phew, I can finally breathe!

Last week was National Suicide Prevention week, and as suicide prevention coordinator I was very busy.

The annual candle light vigil was last week, and the turn out was great. There were over forty people there, along with media coverage from The Advocate and WCLT.

The suicide prevention quilt was debuted to the public, as well as a call for more photos to add to the quilt. Anyone who would like to include their loved one on the quilt can contact me for more information.

Besides suicide prevention week, I have been busy researching and writing grants for the program because the grant that currently funds the program ends on December 31 with no option to renew it. It has been very stressful trying to fund funding because the suicide prevention program is needed in Licking County. I have also been presenting in area middle and high schools on the warning signs of suicide and depression.

I want to end with a thank you to all of you who made the vigil such a success. I look forward to seeing you all soon!

--Ashley Shaw
Suicide Prevention Coordinator

Responding After Suicide

2009-09-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

Paddy Kutz, Executive Director, Mental Health America of Licking County

For all the talk about it, suicide is still a fairly rare event, but if you lost someone to suicide, there are some things you need to know.

Most people won’t ever know anyone who ended his or her own life, so most people don’t think about it very much. Most people don’t have to.
Most people have never thought about what it is like to “survive” the death of a loved one, relative, friend or co-worker.
If you are like most people, you probably didn’t think that much about it either, so it’s little wonder that you may be confused and uncertain about what to do should you experience a suicide. You may wonder:

What to say to others?

What to expect as you grieve?

What to expect from others who are also grieving?

How to explain this to someone else?

How to explain this to yourself?

Why did this happen?

etc. etc. etc.

There will be a mixture of sadness, bewilderment, and uncertainty and lots of questions and concerns.

Unfortunately, most people don’t know this and there aren’t any easy solutions to the difficult situations a death by suicide presents. Sometimes there aren’t any answers for the questions raised.

“Why didn’t I see any warning signs?” They may not be easy to spot. Many signs such as changes in behavior, may develop slowly – if at all. People who are planning a suicide may hide their feelings and plans from others.
“How could he or she have done it?” It is natural to feel angry and resentful toward the person who died. Acknowledging these feelings can be an important part of the healthy process.
“Was it my fault?” You may feel guilty or wonder if you could have done more to help the person. Or you might worry that you somehow caused the person to choose suicide. Remember, it is NOT your fault.

Understanding Your Feelings

A person grieving after a suicide often experiences:

Shock and denial – at first, you may feel emotionally numb or have a hard time believing the person is truly gone. You may even try to deny the cause of death.
Anger – you may feel angry with yourself and others for not being able to “save” the person. You may also feel angry with the person who died by suicide.
Guilt – it’s common for suicide survivors to blame themselves for things they did or didn’t do. But remember, you couldn’t know what would happen.
Shame – you may worry that others will criticize you or judge you harshly.
Loneliness and fear – as initial feelings of shock wear off, you must begin to face the finality of your loss. You may feel insecure and afraid to face the future.
Hopelessness and sadness – feelings of hopelessness and sadness may seem overwhelming. You may wonder if you’ll ever feel joy and pleasure again. Watch out for depression setting in. Grieving is natural, but depression is a treatable illness, which you must deal with appropriately. Get help!
Acceptance and hope – with time you will learn to accept your loss and feel hopeful again.

Your feelings may surprise you, but they are a natural part of the grieving process. Most people feel strong emotions when they lose someone and the shock of a death by suicide may cause even more intense feelings. Trying to hide or ignore your feelings won’t make them go away. It may take time, but you can learn to copy with these intense, and sometimes confusing, feelings.

“Why suicide? There is no single cause. Generally, the answer is that the person felt trapped by what they saw as a hopeless situation, worthlessness, they felt isolated and cut off from life. They felt intense pain and anguish. They probably weren’t choosing death as much as choosing to end the unbearable pain, whether from problems and losses or from the symptoms of a mental illness or both.

Mental Health America of Licking County has a Survivors After Suicide support group. It is free and can be so helpful in the healing process. The group meets at our office at the rear of 65 Messimer Drive the third Tuesday of the month at 7 pm. We have many suggestions on how to handle these difficult situations. You can call us at 740-522-1341 or email at mhalc@alink.com. Our website is www.mhalc.org for information and resources as well.

What to do When Depression Follows a Heart Attack

2009-09-15T05:52:00.000-07:00

by Paddy Kutz, Executive Director, Mental Health America of Licking County

In some cases, the trauma caused by a heart attack may actually trigger a major depression. Recent studies have indicated a high rate of depression among cardiac patients, which may increase their risk for further cardiac events.

Two possible reasons for this are: 1) depressed patients are less likely to stick to treatment and 2) the functional changes brought on by the symptoms of depression itself. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the “down” mood following a health crisis if it persists for more than several weeks and interferes with normal daily activities.

The “Blues” vs. Major Depression: feelings of depression are normal following a health crisis; however, when these symptoms are prolonged, serious problems can occur. In other words, a major depression is more than a brief or transitory change in mood. It is important to distinguish between normal feelings of sadness (“blues”) and the more serious condition of major depression. In the “blues” state, time heals, the mood lifts, and people continue to function. In contrast, major depression is not a passing mood; however with treatment, most individuals return to full and productive lives.

Know the Symptoms: Individuals experiencing 4 or more of the following symptoms for more than 2 weeks or whose usual functioning has become impaired by such symptoms, should seek an evaluation for depressive illness.

Persistent low, anxious or “empty” feelings.
Decreased energy, fatigue.
Loss of interest or pleasure in usual activities.
Sleep disturbances.
Appetite and weight changes (either gain or loss).
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism.
Thoughts of death or suicide, suicide attempts.
Difficulty in concentrating, remembering, making decisions.
Chronic aches or persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical disease.

Message of Hope: With treatment, over 80% of individuals with depressive illness can improve and return to daily activities, usually in a matter of weeks. There is a choice of treatments available, including medications, therapy, or a combination of both. If you or someone you know shows signs of depression, it is important to talk with the physician and/or a local mental health professional.

Friends and Family Can Help: The very nature of depression can keep individuals from seeking help. Perhaps the most important way family and friends can help is by encouraging the individual to get appropriate treatment. Because depression destroys self-esteem and confidence, family and friends need to provide support, love and encouragement. In addition, they can help in the following ways:

Maintain as normal a relationship as possible.
Point out, without being critical or disapproving, distorted negative thinking.
Smile and encourage honest effort.
Acknowledge that the person is suffering and in pain.
Offer kind words and pay compliments.
Show that you care, respect, and value the depressed person.
Until the depression lifts, assist the individual in following the cardiac treatment regimen.

Remember there are many places in the community where people with depression can be diagnosed. In fact, Mental Health America of Licking County provides free depression screening that you can take to your doctor or you can screen for depression on-line at www.mhalc.org and click below the Danger sign located in the left hand column.

Mental Health America of Licking County is a member agency of Licking County United Way and the Community Mental Health & Recovery Board. My email is paddykutz@alink.com.

International Talk Like a Pirate Day 2009

2009-09-11T10:52:00.000-07:00

Why not? Ye land lubbing bilge rats have sumpin’ agin’ pirates?

Who hasn’t imagined themselves at the wheel of the Black Pearl with their best parrot at their side sailing the Spanish Main in search of booty…, er , bounty?

What began almost a decade ago as a challenge between two friends has grown to see if they could make their friends talk like pirates, has become an international phenomenon.

Can you think of a better way to celebrate an ex-wife’s birthday?

You don’t need a wooden leg, or an eye patch, just a few key phrases. End a sentence with “Arrr!” every now and then and you’re on your way.

Pirates are very social—they are always happy to meet others and share in the romance of the high seas—so be a pirate, seize the day and make all your prisoners talk like pirates!

--Kristen Frame, Compeer Coordinator, has been learning how to tell bilge rats from scurvy dogs

Legacy of Velcro

2009-09-02T11:39:00.000-07:00

The summer months provide a break from school for the kids in Licking County, but not for the I.C. Hope Program!

My name is Renee Hupp and this summer I completed a 400-hour internship with Mental Health America of Licking County. I recently graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Family Studies. This major prepares you to work with clients at various developmental stages, including children, adolescents, families at mid-life, and senior citizens. It includes family and child development classes in the School of Human and Consumer Sciences with a life span emphasis, as well as courses relating to issues that include diversity in families, family ties and aging, human sexuality, death and dying, and human services field exploration. I grew up in Pataskala so I felt right at home here at MHA.

I have done work with PAVE, Suicide Prevention and I.C. Hope this summer. I chose to do a special project with I.C. Hope as a way to leave my legacy with the organization. I also feel that this program is a crucial part of what we do here at MHA, and I truly believe in the many benefits that it provides to the children in Licking County schools. I think that people often forget that kids experience stress, grief, bullying, stigma and anger. The I.C. Hope program is there to help them understand these emotions and feelings and learn effective coping mechanisms.

My special project was to create some visual aids and interactive activities to go along with the curriculum to make it more hands-on for the classroom. One of the boards I created, along with Anna, the coordinator, helps children identify emotions verbally and non-verbally. We found cartoon faces that expressed the emotions: angry, sad, happy, tired, silly and scared. The word labels are made to be detachable with Velcro so that the kids will be able to match the word with the emotion. We hope by making this part of the program more interactive that it will be more interesting and promote more discussion from the classes.

The second board we created goes along with the stress and mental health day of the program. In the book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst, the main character decides that he wants to run away to Australia because of the bad day he is having. We wanted to talk to the kids about stress and bad days in a more positive light and give them tools to help them cope and process these feelings instead of avoiding them. The board has a suitcase on it with Velcro strips attached. Instead of filling the suitcase with things to run away with, we found pictures of “tools” to help when a bad day arises. Pictures of things like talking to friends, music, family, writing, sports and exercise are all included on the board based on common responses from the discussions of the past. We hope that providing a visual aid to go along with this book will have a greater impact, especially for those students who learn kinesthetically and visually.

As I wrap up my experience her at MHA I would like to take the time to thank everyone here for making me feel at ease and allowing me to have a great internship placement. I have no doubt that my experiences here will have a great influence on me as I venture out into the working world and for the rest of my life!

Desperate Measures

2009-08-25T05:12:00.000-07:00

“Suicide by cop” is a phrase that popped up in the news recently and is one that conjures up disturbing images.

It is a term used to describe a scenario in which a would-be suicide intentionally behaves in a threatening manner so as to provoke responding law enforcement personnel to use deadly force.

Police officers are trained to respond in a measured way to each situation they encounter. That response escalates as the threat escalates with deadly force being the final option.

A would-be suicide who has recognized that they are unable to take their own life will force a confrontation with the police and then escalate the situation until either the officer or bystander is threatened and deadly force is the only response remaining.

Suicide is the 11^th leading cause of death, claiming more than 30,000 Americans each year.

The average number of suicides in Licking County is 15 per 100,000 people per year. In just 8 months, there have been 18 suicides, 3 more than the 12 month average. A recent event, the car chase, has motivated me to write an article about suicide, and what can be done about it.

It is important that people know what can lead to suicide, why people see suicide as their only option, and what resources are available to those who may be having suicidal thoughts. Suicide is often a preventable situation, if people learn the warning signs to recognize.

The most common warning signs are:

Withdrawing from friends, family, and/or society.
Changes in sleep patterns; sleeping too much or too little.
Acting recklessly or engaging in high risk behaviors (driving dangerously, doing “stunts”, disregarding own personal safety).
An increase in drug and/or alcohol use.
Talking and/or writing about death or suicide.
Seeking access to firearms, medications, or other suicide means
Saying things like “I can’t go on anymore” or “Everyone would be better off without me” or “I wish I was dead”
Experiencing feelings of hopelessness, emptiness, or purposelessness.
Anxiousness, irritability, or moodiness.
Reading or writing about death or suicide.
Suddenly happier or calmer.
Giving away possessions or saying good-byes.
Making arrangements or setting affairs in order.

People having suicidal thoughts do not want to die; they want an end to the pain and suffering that they are experiencing. They do not realize that suicide is a permanent end to a temporary problem. If they get the help they need while they are having these thoughts they realize they really don’t want to die.

The number one reason that people complete suicide is that they have an untreated mental illness such as depression. Other common reasons include: the death of a loved one, a breakup of a relationship, losing custody of children, or feeling that a child custody decision is not fair, serious loss, terminal illness, accident, physical or emotional pain, physical, verbal, or sexual abuse, legal problems, alcohol or drug abuse .

It is important that people who are experiencing suicidal thoughts understand that there are alternative responses other than suicide.

Some things people can do instead are: take a deep breath and try to identify feelings, write down all of the feelings as a record for later, try and do things that help them feel better for at least 30 minutes, write down individual negative thoughts and provide an alternative response that changes the perspective, and most importantly talk to someone.

Talking to someone helps communicate what you are feeling to someone that can help them. There are several resources that people can call, as well as visit on the internet. Locally, the local crisis line 211 or 345-HELP is the best resource to call if someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts. There are several national hotlines including 1-800-999-9999.

--Ashley Shaw

Suicide Prevention Coordinator

Thumb Crack

2009-08-24T09:55:00.000-07:00

For me, the word “Facebook” conjures images of books of mug shots at the police station or high school yearbooks. No one looks good there.

I‘ve watched too many Lifetime Channel movies in which someone like Kimberly Williams or Valerie Bertinelli harmlessly post a photo online and they have their identity stolen, or become a victim of stalking, or some other horrible thing happens to them or someone they love (almost certainly to their beloved pet).

I’m not a luddite. I like my privacy. My friends don’t even have my cell phone number. And I never twitter or tweet.

So, when one of my dearest friends, who lives three states away, sent me one of those automated pleas to join Facebook so we could be “Facebook Friends,” I declined, three times.

I was a late convert to email. And don’t get me started on texting! (Thumb crack!)

An old roommate told me that he had posted photos of his recent trip to Israel on Facebook and I should look at them, so I accessed them through someone else’s Facebook account. There, we found a list of photos showing some of my roomate’s “Facebook Friends.” I looked in horror at what could have been a photo of me for all the scary computer criminal world of pet snatchers to see. My nightmare!

To my surprise, I found a link to a long lost friend from college, who is now considering becoming a nun! She is one of the last women I would have expected to be blogging from a South African convent. You think you know someone, and twenty years later they are out nun spotting.

There have got to be easier ways to meet like-minded people than the humiliation of a poor picture posting!

By chance, I was sent a notice today about a web service which matches individuals who experience mental illness on the theory that it is easier for people to meet someone who accept them as they are, if they disclose upfront that they have experienced mental illness. The site is http://www.trueacceptance.com and for now, its services are free. In addition to social matchmaking, the site has a number of links to resources for individuals who experience mental illness.

In Licking County, there is a program which will not find you a mate, but will find you a friend. There is an application process, but, membership is free. The Compeer Program not only matches trained, compassionate volunteers from the community with individuals in recovery from mental illness, it also provides monthly opportunities in which they can meet and enjoy social activities. Last week, we had a Hawaiian Party. Next month, we have four different activities planned and they are all free of charge.

I will continue to meet my friends at the Compeer Socials. You will not be seeing me on Facebook in the near future. I still use the United States Postal Service and UPS. My dog, however, is considering opening his own webpage.

--Kristen Frame
Compeer Coordinator

Volunteers Are Like Elves

2009-08-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

You may remember the fairytale about the elves who made shoes at night while the shoemaker slept? When he awoke, all these marvelous shoes were lined up in his workshop. I've always secretly wanted elves.

Well, having volunteers is like having elves. Take Jodi Neal. She might find it more flattering if I compare her "Radar O'Reilly," the character from MASH (TV reruns and old movie) who knows what the general wants before the general knows it.

Elf or "Radar," 90+% of the time, when I ask Jodi to enter data, call someone, copy something, whatever--she's already taken care of it. Jodi volunteered over 500 hours between September and October. I can't imagine what our Parent Support and Getting Ahead programs would have been like without her. With her help, we were able to stretch the dollars we received from United Way and other donations to serve many more people than we ever could have without her.

Same with Peg Wachenschwanz. Peg donated over 100 hours co-facilitating our Getting Ahead classes, calling participants, giving them rides, helping with paperwork, who-knows-what-all. And Fatina Evans and Betty Van Gundy, who teach parenting programs in the jail. And Susan Jones, who teaches How to Talk So Kids Will Listen programs at MHALC. And Darcy Oakleaf, who updates our database, photographs our kids' programs, and fixes my file cabinet when the drawers stick.

These are just 6 of the elves, I mean volunteers, in our Volunteer Brigade. Other volunteer jobs range from stickering newsletters to running a support group, depending on your interests, skills and availability. You can check out over 50 job descriptions for MHA volunteer opportunities at http://tinyurl.com/2vm88o.

By the way, when do elves sleep? I'll have to remember to ask Jodi. She'll probably tell me before I ask her. It's downright spooky sometimes.

--Judith Waite Allee

Parent Support Coordinator

Testing 1,2,3

2009-08-05T10:54:00.000-07:00

You have probably heard of seasonal affective disorder affecting people as the seasons shift towards fall and winter. Did you know some people experience symptoms of depression in response to the longer, warmer days of spring and summer? This reverse seasonal affective disorder (also known as summer depression) has physical symptoms that are the opposite of the winter version such as poor appetite, insomnia, agitation and anxiety.

You may be surprised to learn about summer depression as everyone seems so happy this time of year. Vacations are in full swing, workloads are often lighter, and kids are spending their days playing outside. Do you feel like you are the only one who is not caught up in the fun?

Whether it is due to the weather change or the expectations of the season many times people feel depressed, anxious, or restless during the summer months. For this reason Mental Health America of Licking County invites you to take a few moments to complete a free, anonymous online mental health screening. The screening can be accessed by visiting www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening and entering the keyword MHALC. Upon completing the screening you will receive immediate feedback as well as the opportunity to schedule an appointment for further evaluation if necessary.

The staff at Mental Health America of Licking County wants you to enjoy this last month of summer. If you aren’t feeling your best take a screening as the first step to feeling better.

For more information, please contact us at 740-522-1341, or by email.

EXTRA, EXTRA, READ ALL ABOUT IT!

2009-08-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

Did you know that exercise can change your brain chemistry in a positive way? The research proves it and now we are offering an opportunity for you to look after your mental health as well as your physical health, all while we are raising some bucks during these tough economic times. You can even bring your dog to this one because we have partnered with Angel Paws (they need money too). We will share in the proceeds from your $15.00 pre-registration fee.

Mental Health

America

of Licking County promotes good mental health and wellness, so we also want you to eat right, sleep right, have good relationships, work on a positive attitude and be happy. We have free brochures on many mental health conditions, coping with stress, coping on the job, suicide prevention, stigma busting, teen issues, grief and more. Visit us at our office at the rear of Moundview Center, 65 Messimer Drive in Newark (off W. Main Street). Go online at our website www.mhalc.org and click on W 4 W to register or call us at 522-1341and we will help you register.

Thank you so much and please know that we appreciate you.

--Paddy Kutz

Executive Director

Life is More of a Rollercoaster than a Highway

2009-07-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you, but to me, it seems like life is either going 100 miles per hour or dragging along at 2 miles per hour. Before I started school, I had so much free time that I didn’t know what to do with it all. I had time for hobbies. I went to a watercolor class. I read lots of books. I wrote. I took my dogs to the dog park. I walked along the bike path. I got bored.

In the span of three weeks, I have gone from having extra hours in my day to needing extra hours in my day. I have found myself working from the moment I wake up until long after I should have gone to bed. I love learning, but I forgot how much time and hard work it requires. I am finding time management skills I never thought I had.

As I write this, I am struck by the thought that no matter how much or how little we have on our plates, it’s important to take “mental health breaks” from our day. It’s important to not get overwhelmed by our busy days or allow our mind to go numb on slow days. My mental health breaks have kept me on track and allowed me to step away from my stress for a moment long enough to breathe a sigh of relief and examine what I have accomplished.

--Brittany Schumann,
Suicide Prevention

Minga

2009-07-31T05:31:00.000-07:00

So I saw these two girls at the YES clubhouse and what they talked about, completely connected to me. I’ve always had a concern about the sex slave issue; but now I see how much a bigger issue it is now.

Did you know that about 1 in 3 run-away’s will be approached by a pimp within the first 48 hours of them leaving the house? Yea, I didn’t know that either. I am moved by the things that I have heard today. The most surprising thing that I learned about today though was that these two girls are a part of a group called Minga which is ran by a small group of 17 year olds. Minga stands for “The coming together of a community for the betterment of all”. This group goes all around the country to bring awareness about the children global sex trade. This group goes into other bigger groups to spread the word in a way that all ages can understand. With no funding at all, they find fun ways to earn money while working together as a team.

Also Minga is finding ways to help spread the word by having a contest to the best idea that’s being put in action. The winner would win $500 to help put that idea in action. Right after this was announced about half the audience had ideas to share. This was a great inspiration to a lot of people who have the privilege to hear the message and get a chance to put their actions to work.

--Tawnee GreenRiver,

PAVE Historian

Phone Support

2009-07-20T05:33:00.000-07:00

I just got off the phone with M. who said she will be in 7th grade in Licking Heights this fall. She told me that PAVE was in her school last year and she said that it really made a difference with the bullying and things were better since we were there. She just wanted to say thank you. (Several times.) I asked her if she wanted to have a club next year and she said that she and her friends were thinking about it. I told her we would love to work with her and how great her school was.

I just thought you might enjoy hearing about her call. We don’t get too many of those calls. It’s nice to know that we made a positive impact.

--Jan GreenRiver
Director of Prevention & Programs

Compeer and Wellness

2009-07-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Mental Health America of Licking County’s Compeer has an active “wellness” component as part of our program. It is locally based, not part of the International Compeer model. Our primary focus is community integration; however an emphasis is put on “wellness” at our twice monthly socials. We serve nutritious snacks or meals and provide programming on healthy lifestyles through our partnerships with the Licking Memorial Hospital, the Licking County Health department and other not-for profits that provide speakers or support materials. Mental health education is part of our programming and we encourage Compeer members to participate in the other 8 programs and services offered by our MHA agency, including Support Groups. Several members do participate in both.

We were one of “100 Pioneers” receiving a SAMHSA grants this spring as part of a new tobacco education/session program. Our winning project is adding a screening and referral process that asks all Compeer program volunteers and consumers when joining the program about their tobacco usage. Individuals using tobacco are referred to 1-800 quit line assistance or a local hospital program. We also provide education about the high prevalence of tobacco addiction and special needs of individuals who experience mental illness.

This past year, we received a grant from Walmart Foundation to purchase cooking supplies and healthy, easy-to-use cookbooks for each member from the American Heart Association/ American Diabetes Association. A consumer volunteer was invited to teach cooking lessons using the book.

We also created our own cookbook from recipes submitted by consumers, staff and volunteers to encourage healthy eating and to empower the consumers. They liked the idea and are working on a second, better book. We were able to donate the cookbooks to our agency auction fundraiser and contribute to the efforts to support our own program.

We attended a LMHS sponsored Women’s Health Informational Fair and health screenings. We occasionally bowl for exercise.

To encourage us to walk more, we received walking maps of the downtown area near our meeting place and pedometers, as part of a Licking County Health Department Program. Those who are able will be participating in an MHA agency sponsored walk on August 22nd.

--Kristen Frame

Compeer Coordinator

Open for Wellness

2009-07-08T11:50:00.000-07:00

Registration is now open for the Walk 4 Wellness!

To register, click here, go to or call 740-522-1341

In case you’ve missed the info, the Walk 4 Wellness is August 22 from 9am-1pm! Sign-in starts at 8:30am. The walk will start at the Park and Ride on the corner of Cherry Valley and Reddington Rd. in Newark and will follow the TJ Evans bike path. Pre-registration is $15 before August 15th. Registration after that date is $20. A FREE T-SHIRT is included in registration. There will also be raffles and free pictures of the event!

This is a dog-friendly 2-mile walk and proceeds benefit Mental Health America of Licking County and Angel Paws, both non-profit organizations.

As you may know, Mental Health America provides free education, prevention and advocacy services to Licking County residents. We have several different programs to address various needs as listed on our website.

Angel Paws Animal Assisted Therapy utilizes companion animals to provide animal-assisted therapy for people in nursing homes and hospitals. Angel Paws also has a program at the local library that helps children improve their literacy by reading to dogs certified through the Angel Paws program.

We hope to see you there!

The Walk 4 Wellness is made possible, in part, with help from The Advantage Club, Newtrition, Licking Memorial Health Systems and Matesich Distributing Company

--Anna Hagley

I.C. Hope Coordinator

Altered States

2009-06-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

I remember making a visit to the Comedy Store in Los Angeles many years ago. It seems to me that it was an Open Mic night.

At the time--the late 1980s--Open Mic nights were like those blue lights that draw insects to their inevitable doom. Stand-up was enjoying a surge in popularity and, as a consequence, it seemed as though everyone had a "set" they were working on and they were looking for a chance to get in front of an audience.

In the interests of full disclosure, as it happens I was researching the world of stand-up for a play I was directing. At the time of this trip, I was part of a class that promised, over the course of three weeks, to take its students from comedy novice to performing in a comedy club before a live audience.

Through the long lens of time, I seem to recall that one of the comics who performed that night at the Comedy Store did a "bit" about William Shatner and what he described as "pause acting." I have since seen Kevin Pollak do a bit like this on television and now think it might have been him that I saw on stage.

I bring all of this up to talk about impressionists. Pollak, if it was him, does a near-perfect impression of Shatner's voice and his unique rhythms.

Part of what made it so funny was the comedic premise and his caricature of Shatner's style, but some of the comedy came from the disconnect between seeing an identifiable voice come from an unfamiliar source. You are forced to question your own perceptions and it puts you off balance.

When it came time for my final class in stand-up, we were to meet at an open mic night at a bar in downtown Sacramento. From a starting class of about a dozen, three of us showed up for the final. We discovered that in addition to ourselves, the mic would be open for any other comics in the area which turned out to be about twenty or so. Slots are drawn by lot and, as it turned out, I was to go fifth and be the first of my class of novices.

I followed four working comics. This meant that they had, at some point, been paid to be funny.

I had no previous experience doing comedy and about five minutes of unproven material.

My first joke was, "Well, I guess you can probably tell I'm from Ohio...."

That's all I said.

And I waited.

The most remarkable thing happened: the audience started to laugh. There really was no joke there in the traditional sense. The audience expected me to be funny and so they took the input and processed it as a joke. They looked for, and found, the funny in an unfunny line.

Jokes are always funniest when you try and explain them, but it seems as though here again there was a disconnect between what they heard and what they expected and the audience filled it with a laugh.

I have been thinking about this because I had a phone conversation earlier today with a man who experiences mental illness. He exists in that same disconnected space and he is working hard to make sense of it.

Unlike my comedy club audience, the caller is not in a comedy club and does not have that context to explain how he experiences his life. What he does have is a background in Tibetan Buddhism. He has a vocabulary that accepts different levels of enlightenment and consciousness. He knows that reaching enlightenment and understanding the world can occur by leading a contemplative life and so he studies his world and the people in it.

Through this frame of reference he seeks to process the hallucinations he experiences as a function of his illness. Are they hallucinations resulting from a medication interaction, his illness or a new level of consciousness? This is a serious question for him. He sees people transform in front of him and he wants to make sense of it.

What is so troubling about his calls is that, in addition to his interpretive searching, there is also an analytical process going on. It is as though he is watching himself. He seems to be aware of how people react when he asks them if they are zombies or why they are physically transforming into completely different people.

Sadder still is that, for a period of about nine months, I did not hear from him. During that period I saw him once and he seemed a completely different person. I was the one questioning my reality as he seemed what we might call "perfectly normal." He looked healthy and he seemed to be content, both of which were previously unknown states of being. More importantly, he seemed to be experiencing the world in a single plane of existence.

In our Agency we talk about how recovery is real. And it's true but it's not recovery in the sense that one recovers from a broken leg, it's recovery in the sense that alcoholics and gamblers recover from their addictions. To be successful they must still think of themselves as addicts who are making active choices not to indulge in their addictions.

Those who experience mental illness must work on their wellness every day. This can mean taking medication, working with counselors and sticking to treatment plans. My caller has begun to stray from his plan and is currently experiencing a return of symptoms.

I have some compassion for his situation because I am always trying to make sense of my own world.

My uncle died about three months ago. An organization that he had once been the president of published a memorial tribute and mentioned his career as a lawyer. Granted, we are not a particularly close family, but I had never before heard anything about this aspect of his life. I could not make sense of the person I thought I knew being a lawyer and I wondered why this had never come up before. I could not discount that he could have been a lawyer and I hadn't known, but I couldn't understand how I could not have known.

I knew he had been a bomber pilot during World War II, I knew he had worked in the dairy business and had travelled the world in some mysterious capacity related to setting up air transport systems. I suppose he could have been a lawyer, but it somehow seemed unlikely.

Suddenly every interaction that I could remember had to be reevaluated in the light of this new information.

Turns out that he was not in fact a lawyer, but he did attend Harvard for a year. Again, I have no context for this information.

It's a bit like trying to walk through a fun house where the floorboards that shift in opposing directions: it's difficult to maintain your footing. If you can imagine living in a world where all of the floorboards are always moving all of the time, you can begin to understand what my caller might be dealing with.

My ability to make sense of the world is governed by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. My individual reality, how I experience what happens to me, will be modified by my brain chemistry and also by previous experiences, education and background. As I cross the fun house floor, I can be impressed by the engineering, or panicked by the fact that I can no longer control my body, that one foot wants to move in a direction other than I intend. The choice I make--either of these two extremes, or some middle ground--then becomes the lens through which I see subsequent experiences.

Each of us alters our perception of our world every day. Some alterations are temporary and some are, or can become, permanent. Most of us can manage these altered states, but some--about 20% of us--cannot.

And for that 20%, and the families who care for them, our Agency exists to help get them help.

Graham Campbell
Associate Director

Library Books on Sensitive Topics

2009-06-10T05:43:00.000-07:00

How do you help your child, or grandchild, through a tough time?

Tough times for kids can be typical, but tough, stuff like getting a new brother or sister, fighting with a brother or sister, or a fear of lightning. Or it can be traumatic like death, divorce, or serious illness.

What do all of these topics have in common? A kids' book.

A friendly librarian at any of the branches of the Licking County Library--the new name of the Newark Public Library--can help you find what you need.

For most topics, you can find a book in which the character matches your child's age, sex and race. Reading a story about another child going through the same thing can be comforting and help a child process difficult emotions. Reading it on the lap of a warm and loving mom, dad, or grandparent, can open up a conversation that can help kids to problem-solve, heal and grow.

Library card out of commission due to fines or lost books? Can't afford to reinstate it right now? Bummer. (Been there.)

The library will still welcome you and your child. Go to the library and read books there. You can still take your child to story hours and other activities.

If you find a special book that hits the mark, maybe you can buy it.

But consider making even small payments--a dollar or two here can make a difference over time.

--Judith Allee
Parent Support Coordinator

“June is…”

2009-06-01T12:33:00.000-07:00

Adopt a Shelter Cat Month…I encourage you to go to the Licking County Animal Shelter, and if you have room in your home and your heart for a homeless cat, adopt one today!

Effective Communication Month…Give someone a compliment and mean it! Start an interesting discussion with someone. Tell someone how you feel.

Great Outdoors Month…You don’t have to spend money to have a great time this summer. Stop by a local park and play on the swing set; go camping; take a hike; have a picnic in your backyard; get creative!

Turkey Lovers Month…Try a new recipe that contains turkey. Or hug a turkey, if you know where to find one.

Perennial Gardening Month…Be kind to the environment and plant a perennial. Perennials are plants that grow back every year. You can look online for information on plants that would be suitable for your garden.

National Bathroom Reading Month…Enough said!

National Smile Month…So smile! Sometimes we go through our day thinking about all the tasks we must get done and how stressed we are. The simple act of smiling helps relieve our stress, and the stress of those people around us. Make sure you brush your teeth to keep those pearly whites sparkling!

Rebuild Your Life Month…Contact us here at Mental Health America if you are struggling. We have a variety of programs and resources available to you. Also, dialing 2-1-1 in Licking or Knox County will link you with caring, trained professionals who can help point you in the right direction for whatever resource you need.

Sports America Kids Month…Attend a Little League Baseball game and watch those kids run after pop flies in left field and scurry around the bases! Get your child involved in sports or play outdoor games with them to keep them (and you) healthy and physically fit!

By participating in different monthly celebrations, we can be mindful of things we wouldn’t normally think about. All of the celebrations listed above can improve your mental and physical health in some way!

We hope you have a very happy JUNE!

--Brittany Schumann
Suicide Prevention Coordinator

Blogger Sam Irvin Featured in Newark Advocate

2009-06-01T07:42:00.000-07:00

Your Good Mental Health contributor Sam Irvin is featured in this story from Sunday's Newark Advocate.

Busy PAVE

2009-05-14T13:42:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been very busy for PAVE. We hosted the 5th Annual Peacemakers’ Showcase and Take Back the Night Rally, a free community event to learn about violence prevention. The Showcase included displays, videos, poetry, improvisation, & a performance of William Mastrosimone’s play Bang Bang, You’re Dead.

A week after the Showcase and Rally, PAVE was recognized with a Strategies Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) Award. The SAVE program based in Franklin County empowers youth to speak up against violence and model peaceful behaviors in their schools, communities and lives. Performing a drama based on dating relationships versus true friendships, PAVE was awarded for Best Resiliency message, as two girls who were once close friends discovered that they shared the same boyfriend. Initially they started fighting, but soon realized that the problem was with him, not them and resolved things peacefully.

Finally, just one week later, PAVE was recognized by the Ohio State Attorney General’s office at the annual Two Days in May Conference on Victims’ Services. PAVE was created in 1994 to help build assets in teens while teaching them to be peer educators in the middle schools. Now PAVE hires college age contract staff to allow graduating students to remain in the program and continue teaching in the high schools. We offer clubs to area schools to discuss the issues that are relevant to their community. Parents and teachers are also included in community programming. PAVE was recognized as a Promising Practice for all the work, research, dedication and commitment in the program. From elementary schools, to senior care, PAVE is about increasing the peace everywhere.

Now that the school year is coming to a close, PAVE is getting ready to have its annual awards dinner to recognize the volunteens in our group for all of their hard work along with several members of the community that have been dedicated or shown support for the program. We invite anyone to come and enjoy the night with us. It is going to be held on May 26th from 6-8 p.m. at the Heath Church of Christ.

Ashley Shaw
PAVE Coordinator