*For the month of May, honoring Mental Health Awareness, the Center of Excellence for Integrated Care, a program of the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation, will host a series of blogs following the perspective of an individual who is emerging into adulthood and received preventative mental health services as a child. We invite you to meet Alex, who will begin their journey at age 18 and over the month Alex will reflect on the benefits gained from living in a system with preventive mental health policies.

by Dr. Lisa Tyndall, LMFT, Dr. Amelia Muse, LMFT, and Mrs. Sara Herrity, MS, LMFT

*Alex recently graduated high school and is a first-generation college student at a University approximately two hours from home.

“Whew, the last few months have been an adjustment. Never having been away from my family longer than a week before, and not having them around at the end of the day has been hard sometimes. Not sure I quite fit in here with so many people around me having a lot more than me, at least cars and nicer clothes. I have met a few people who I like from towns and backgrounds like mine and that has been helpful.

I have to be honest though, there have been times I just want to hide out in my room scrolling on my phone or trying to study in the library. Sometimes things can feel so out of my control and I can feel really small. Studying or playing my video games or scrolling can seem like the only thing I know to do in order to feel okay. I knew getting my head in the books and in classes would help for a bit, but I was also glad to remember some of the things I learned over the years with my therapist and pediatrician.

Dr. Johnson and Sam were so helpful at my annual appointments each year. I honestly cannot remember a time that they were not in my life. One thing I remember is they said the same thing, but would talk about it differently. Dr. Johnson would talk to me about staying active for my health. Sam would talk to me about staying active too, and it seemed to reinforce what Dr. Johnson said, but would then add how it helped with my stress and mood. I learned that sometimes when I went through times that I felt anxious or down about life, a good workout was always something that helped, and I was able to really get out of my head. Sam would share with me how talking out the stress, like with her, my parents or my good friends, also helped. My check-ins with both of them gave me the coping tools and support to take charge of how I feel.

I am grateful though that I had the benefit of talking to Sam and Dr. Johnson both because I know it was not always this way. My parents have said that no one used to go to therapy unless things were really bad, then the pandemic of 2020 happened, and some things changed. I am grateful that there is not stigma any more around people talking to their therapist, that even my friends have talked about having to go to therapy sometimes, and that my insurance has made it possible for me to get that support before I technically needed it. Now, along with other tools that I learned over the years, I check in with the student counseling center on campus once a month or so just to get grounded again. My parents say that now it seems like finally the systems around us have acknowledged how important it is to take care of all the parts of our health. I’m glad I do not have to wonder what it would have been like to grow up without people like Dr. Johnson and Sam.

Thanks, Alex

Posted in Mental Health AwarenessTagged Mental Health, Telehealth, Teletherapy

From the frontlines: Thoughts from a therapist on Suicide Prevention Awareness Month during a pandemic

by Dr. Rebecca Levy, LMFTA

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.  In the past year and a half, we have experienced a great deal of tragedy, especially when considering the impact of this pandemic on mental health. Prior to the pandemic, researchers reported that approximately 50% of people who attempted to kill themselves went to their primary care doctor a week before their suicide attempt. With the impact of this pandemic, there was about a 50% increase in the use of a suicide hotline. As demonstrated by recent studies, COVID-19 has had a profound impact on mental health due to our increased isolation, stress, and fear of illness.

As a mental health provider, I am left with many thoughts; but here is my take on some of the major considerations of dealing with mental health issues during an international health crisis.   

Telehealth

Helping people who struggle with suicidal ideation has been different this year for many reasons. As a mental health provider, I have had to provide therapy to patients over the phone or over video more than in person. Teletherapy can feel different, disconnected, or even scary, especially with a high-safety-concern patient. What if they are in a different city or even a different state? Before the pandemic, this geographic difference was almost unheard of. 

Managing my own stress in conjunction with the increase of patients presenting with suicidal ideation over telehealth has been challenging. This increase in mental health concerns, combined with the physical distance between patients and providers, has been a recipe for mental illness to rear its head. Yet, there are some positives to telehealth for patients struggling with suicidality. Having a virtual option for patients we might not have typically reached has allowed for more access to those populations in need.  There is also something to be said about having an emotionally charged conversation with your therapist in the comfort of your own home.

The Secondary Pandemic

As a society, mental health is something we have struggled to address. There is stigma attached to each diagnosis, as well as barriers to getting care. Historically, the importance of mental health has not been viewed as on par with physical health; however, suicidality is the pinnacle of illness because it can result in death. Dare I say that this pandemic has a brought a necessary focus to addressing poor mental health as the crisis it is?

This pandemic may have caused great distress and loss, but maybe it brought us where we need to be in recognizing the importance of taking care of our mental health. The biggest question is, what we do in times like this to help ourselves and our loved ones?

What To Do

 What has mattered to people in helping them through a tough time, such as struggling with suicidality?

Normalize. A lot of us do not talk about having thoughts about not wanting to be here, but they are more common than we think. Having that de-stigmatizing perspective, and reminding people that those thoughts and feelings are normal when we are feeling very low, is helpful when talking to people who are having thoughts of suicide.

Ask. As mental health providers, and as friends and family of loved ones, we are doing a disservice by not asking the hard question: Have you had thoughts of hurting yourself in some way? By asking this question, we are normalizing the fact that we can talk about suicide and allowing space for those who are in that place to talk about it.

Listen. During this tough time, it should be everyone’s responsibility to check in on each other and their loved ones. Go ahead and ask that tough question or the easy question, ”How are you?” But take the time to be patient and wait for a real answer, and then truly listen.

Acknowledge – This pandemic is life-changing. The COVID-19 pandemic is overwhelming. Our worlds have been turned upside down. I think one of the most invalidating things I have seen done to people who are struggling with suicidality is telling them that they “need to be grateful” in some form or another. It is more helpful to validate them in their pain (i.e., “It sounds like you are having some really scary thoughts”) or risk emotionally isolating them further.

Get help. There is help if you, or a loved one, is struggling with mental health. Therapy, it can do wonders! A lot of therapy offices have walk-in hours to help patients in crisis. There are also a lot of medication options (e.g., antidepressants) you can discuss with your primary care provider that can bring relief from symptoms of feeling down or hopeless. If you are worried about a loved one, there are options available to help them. Your area may have a Mobile Crisis group that will go to a person’s home and assess for safety, or work collaboratively with the police department to complete a welfare check (which can be requested anonymously if you are nervous to do so!). In addition, you can research your local behavioral health crisis centers to see what services are available. And finally, the Emergency Department of your local hospital is available in cases of severe crises.

It has been a difficult, but enlightening time, supporting patients, providers, and families with mental health and substance use needs throughout the pandemic. When it comes to awareness about suicide prevention, please remember that it is okay to directly ask the hard questions, and there is help available.

If you or someone you know needs help, call: 1-800-273-8255 or Text HOME to 741741

Please call 911 if you sense immediate danger.

Posted in Mental Health AwarenessTagged Mental Health, Telehealth, Teletherapy