Why did Vinny choose to leave the Jersey Shore house? In his own words, Vinny tells us as he opens up about dealing with anxiety and stress in a video broadcast on vinny.halfofus.com.

• Vinny started having anxiety and panic attacks at a young age, especially in high school. That’s when he really started having bad panic attacks. "They came out of nowhere. There’s nothing really to pinpoint it, when it happens. It can be all in your subconscious."
• How anxiety mounts up. "When my anxiety starts to interfere with my job, my school, things that I do in my everyday life, then it starts to become a problem. One of your resources is to actually remove yourself from the situation at hand.
• Why he left Jersey Shore. "I was on the Jersey Shore and it’s a terrible environment for me to be involved in when I’m anxious because there’s drinking involved, there’s fighting involved, lack of sleep, lack of privacy and it’s just not a good place for me. So, in order for me to get better, I had to go home and recharge my batteries."
• "We’re in a pretty crazy environment when we film. I feel bad for my roommates, for any inconvenience that I caused them. They really didn’t have that many resources to help me when I was filming the show.
• Advice for dealing with anxiety or stress. "The advice that I have for someone dealing with anxiety or stress is to definitely get help, just to say something to somebody, whether it’s your sister, your brother, a friend, your mother, a therapist. It doesn’t have to be that extreme. You have to just speak up so, in case the problem ever does become manifest and gets worse, you have already laid down the foundation and people already are aware. You’re on their radar that something’s not right.
• What about a friend who may be dealing with anxiety? "I would definitely recommend help for your friend. Maybe the person dealing with anxiety doesn’t want to go to a professional, or is embarrassed to see a therapist or to open up about it. I would be a support system for that friend that’s going through anxiety. Be there for them, but also help them. Maybe go through their insurance book with them and look up therapists or say, ‘You know what, I hear that there’s school counselors around that can help you.’ Because a lot of times, the anxious person or the depressed person has no drive or motivation themselves, so the best advice I can give for someone that’s a bystander is to do the work for the anxious person, just so the anxious person just has to walk through the door."
• Go to vinny.halfofus.com for phone numbers you can call, people that can give advice. "It doesn’t have to be so extreme. No one has to be on a ledge in order to seek help. Just ask a professional or someone around you. Just speaking up is the hardest part."

Anxiety Disorders are Common

You may feel like you’re alone in this situation, but the facts are otherwise. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. They frequently co-occur with depressive disorders, substance abuse, or eating disorders.

Approximately 5 to 10 percent of the U.S. population has one or more phobias. Research shows that people with phobias, particularly social phobias, may also exhibit problems with substance abuse. Many individuals with social phobias become so anxious that they also experience panic attacks as well.

Between 2 and 3 percent of Americans, approximately 6 to 9 million, have obsessive-compulsive disorder, also called OCD.

Panic disorder typically develops in the late teens or early adulthood. But not everyone who experiences panic attacks will later develop panic disorder. Many individuals have a single panic attack and never have another one.

Individuals who suffer post-traumatic-stress disorder (PTSD) may have flashbacks that are so strong they feel as if they are reliving the traumatic event.

What to Watch for with Anxiety Disorders

While everyone feels anxious at some time or another, when anxiety takes over your life and begins interfering with it, as it did with Vinny of Jersey Shore, you need to be aware of the warning signs so that you can get help to do something about your anxiety.

Watch out for:

• Excessive worry with an inability to control it
• Intense episodes of fear or panic
• Recurring nightmares
• Avoidance of social situations
• Difficulty concentrating
• Repeated, unwanted thoughts (obsessions)
• Sleep disturbances
• Upsetting and intrusive memories of a traumatic event
• Physical symptoms, such as nausea, rapid heart rate, stomach pain, muscle tension, sweating, shaking, dizziness, numbness, or difficulty breathing

Questions to Ask Yourself

One way to test yourself to see if you are dealing with high anxiety is to ask yourself the following questions:

• Have you found yourself in situations where you felt more anxious than usual?
• Have you been feeling sad, tired, blue or depressed lately?
• Have you had difficulty managing stress in your daily life?
• Have you ever felt as though you should cut down on your use of alcohol or drugs, whether prescription or illegal)?
• Over the past couple of weeks, have you ever felt bad about yourself, like you’ve let somebody down or that you are a failure?
• Over the past couple of weeks, have you ever felt as if you had a hard time concentrating, or that your thoughts came out slow or jumbled up?
• Have you noticed recent changes in your mood, interests, sleep patterns, or eating habits?

If you answered yes to several of these questions, you may have one or more problems that you could use help dealing with.

For more information and help, check out the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) by calling 1-800-950-NAMI or go to their www.nami.org/.

There’s also the www.adaa.org/.

Bottom line: Don’t suffer with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health disorder that’s taking over your life. Speak up and ask for help. You can learn how to effectively manage these conditions so that you can go on living your life and be happier and more self-fulfilled.

Start by talking with someone you know and who cares about you. Let them know how you are feeling and ask for their assistance in finding some help for you. Don’t think about it as a big thing. Just do it. The road to recovery and feeling better about yourself and your life begins with taking this first step. And it’s a step that’s well worth taking.

As Vinny’s experience shows us, sometimes you just have to leave a stressful situation and concentrate on taking care of your emotional health. But you don’t do this alone. Get the help you need, whether it’s from a therapist that your family doctor recommends or through a school counselor or other referring professional. Just do it, and do it today.

About The Half of Us Campaign

Launched in 2006 by The Jed Foundation and mtvU, MTV’s college network, The Half of Us campaign seeks to raise awareness and reduce stigma around emotional health issues and to encourage individuals to seek help if they need it. The campaign tells stories of high-profile artists and celebrities, like Mary J. Blige, who came back from alcohol, drugs, depression and the brink of suicide, Billy Corgan, of Smashing Pumpkins, who overcame anxiety, depression, cutting, childhood abuse and contemplating suicide, Ron Artest, NBA Laker who got treatment to deal with his depression, and Pete Wentz, musician, who learned how to deal with anxiety, depression, and thoughts of suicide, along with those of college students across the country.

To learn more about The Half of Us campaign, go to www.halfofus.com.

The research was performed by Roland R. Griffiths, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and colleagues, and funded in part by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The findings are published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology.

The researchers found that one high dose of psilocybin produced a measurable personality change in close to 60 percent of the 51 individuals who participated in the study. The participants experienced a significant change in the aspect of their personality called openness. Openness is linked to imagination, feelings, abstract ideas and general broad-mindedness.

The changes measured in the participants were more significant than those typically observed in healthy adults over many years of experiences. In fact, experts say that for most people, personality remains static after the age of 30. Griffiths explains that, in fact, openness tends to decrease in people as they age.

The participants engaged in two to five drug sessions, each lasting eight hours, with each session separated by a break of at least three weeks. The participants were told that during one of the drug sessions they would be administered a dose of psilocybin, but neither the participants nor the session monitors knew when to expect the dose.

During sessions, the participants were asked to lie on a couch with an eye mask and use headphones playing music in an effort to focus their attention inward.

The personality assessments were conducted at the initial screening, several weeks after each drug session and at about 14 months after the final drug session. Because the participants with measurable personality changes exhibited the changes intact at 14 months, Griffiths believes that the changes may be permanent.

The participants in the study were individuals who considered themselves spiritually active and more than half had postgraduate degrees. The drug sessions were closely monitored and each volunteer was evaluated as psychologically healthy.

Though the participants did not report any lasting negative effects of the drug, some of the participants reported feeling fear or anxiety during their eight-hour drug session in which the psilocybin was administered. Griffiths warns that hallucinogens used in a less supervised situation may result in harmful behaviors.

September 11, 2011 marks ten years since terrorists struck New York’s Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, killing 2,753 people, and one year ago the whole world watched as 33 miners in Chile waited 69 days to be rescued from a mine 2300 feet underground.

As we these anniversaries approach, reporters are interviewing survivors to find out how they are doing now, and they are discovering a similar theme. Survivors of both events have psychological scars lingering in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Upwards of 10,000 New Yorkers have symptoms of PTSD, including nightmares, trouble concentrating, difficulties in relationships, and flashbacks. They are saying that they cannot stop remembering the terrible events that took the lives of so many loved ones.

Part of their problem is geography. Just living in the city is a constant reminder of what happened there ten years ago.

"You go into a combat zone and then you leave. You don’t leave your home. You return every day," explained Dr. Charles Figley, a professor of disaster mental health at Tulane University. "It’s the places you see every day, where you proposed to your wife, where you remember getting the news that you got promoted, where your children played."

Federal funds amounting to over $4.6 billion are available for victims of 9-11, and a limited share is allocated for PTSD treatment. Only firefighters, police officers, city employees who handled body parts, rescue workers at ground zero, people exposed to dust when the buildings collapsed, rescue workers at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania where other attacks occurred the same day, and New Yorkers who live within a certain area of the city can apply for funds for PTSD. If it can be proven that dust from the 9/11 attacks caused permanent breathing problems or cancer, then most of the money would probably be used up for damages and treatments for physical problems.

The city government has funded subway advertisements that advise people to seek treatment for PTSD, with language like "Lived there? Worked there? You deserve care."

Most of the 9/11 victims diagnosed with PTSD receive psychotherapy and medications, and they are encouraged to write and talk about their memories until the memories lose their power over their lives.

Chilean Miners facing psychological problems now

When the 33 Chilean miners came out of that mine, people cheered and celebrated the fact that they were in good medical condition, and only suffering from treatable problems such as dental infections and eye disorders.

Today, however, only two were able to return to work, and all but one has PTSD. The others are struggling this debilitating psychological disorder and one has even built a wall around his house. None are seeing psychiatrists, although most are taking a variety of medications.

The miners are looking forward to receiving money after their lawsuits against the mine owners and the Chilean government settle, and after they receive payment for the movie rights to their story.

The one miner who did not develop PTSD is a preacher who assumed a leadership role during the crisis.
 

The most commonly prescribed treatment for depression is a class of drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs. They encompass drugs such as Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. They work by inhibiting the reabsorbtion of the feel good chemical serotonin in the brain. This improves the brain’s ability to send and receive chemical messages and enhances mood. Many patients suffer from depression because of a chemical imbalance in the brain. SSRIs help restore this balance, thereby, relieving symptoms of depression.

Researchers examined the effect that SSRIs had on patients who were also taking a form of painkillers known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs include popular medications such as Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Advil, Celebrex and Voltaren. What the team found was that individuals taking SSRIs had a 54 percent success rate with regard to relief of symptoms of depression when the drug was taken alone. However, when the drug was taken along with a painkiller from the NSAID family, that success rate dropped to 40 percent.

The team first experimented with lab mice, and then tested the results in humans. Both results showed that these types of painkillers significantly altered the benefits that patients would have received from the SSRI antidepressants. Dr. Greengard, whose other credentials include winning a Nobel Prize, says that the study has implications for individuals suffering from dementia because may of them are older and are also suffering from arthritis – a condition commonly treated with NSAID painkillers.

Many times chronic pain and depressive disorders go hand in hand. Dr. Greengard advises that physicians should weigh the costs and decide if continued use of these anti-inflammatory drugs in Alzheimer’s patients is worth the risk. He goes on to say that there are several other painkillers on the market that could be used in place of the ones known to cause problems.

There are currently 5.4 million Americans suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. But the reach of impact extends even further than that. Currently 19 million Americans have been diagnosed with depression, which equates to about one out of every 10 people. And, antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed drug in the U.S.

If you are suffering from depression and are taking both an SSRI and NSAID painkiller, talk to your doctor. There may be better options available.

Words are Just Words – Let Them Bounce

The power of the human language is such that single words can wound us terribly or lift us up and give our imagination flight. They can lay us low, mourning our plight, or inspire our renewed efforts to push forward in our recovery to the maximum of our abilities.

When you hear someone say something that you know is directed at you or about your dual diagnosis, it will be very helpful if you can adopt the attitude that allows you to let them bounce right off you. Words have no sticking power if you don’t let them. You can be like Teflon, so that hurtful words and phrases, awful names and such have nowhere to latch on.

Granted, this takes a bit of doing. Okay, so a lot of doing. But think of the benefits of not internalizing negative comments.

• By letting harmful comments and names to sail away, you aren’t sidetracked from your current recovery efforts.

• When you’re not distracted by something bad others say about or to you, you have more energy to devote to what’s best for your recovery in the here and now.

• Not allowing negative statements by others access to your thoughts and emotions means you can concentrate more fully on doing the positive activities you’ve set out in your recovery plan.

• Positive overrules negative in all situations – the more positively you can view yourself and your situation, the better you feel about yourself and your situation.

• The sticks and stones of others’ cruelty to you leaves no residue if you refuse it entrance. Be more like an armadillo, with a tough, thickly armored exterior – who’s going to penetrate this superb wall of defense?

Figure Out Who’s in Your Corner – and Who’s Not

Sometimes you don’t have a choice of the people who surround you on a daily basis. If you have a job, you’re pretty much in a status quo relative to your co-workers. And, as anyone with dual diagnosis knows, co-workers can say and do some of the most awful things. Despicable is probably a more accurate description.

And it goes far beyond just water-cooler talk or coffee-room chitchat. When you’re being virtually ostracized by the rest of the office, you start to feel less than valuable. Before long, your work is affected. You miss assignments, bungle tasks, forget due dates, get overstressed, mired in a mixture of conflicting emotions. The boss starts to notice – and not in a good way. This downward cycle has to be stopped. Here’s how.

What you need to do is figure out if there’s anyone in your workplace that’s in your corner. Those that aren’t – well, they are the ones you need to steer clear of. For one thing, they don’t understand what’s going on with you. They probably never will.

First of all, ignorance is the main reason why people cast aspersions at others. This is true in almost every situation, but even moreso when it comes to dual diagnosis. It would be bad enough if people just gossiped about the office alcoholic, but when the individual in question has a co-occurring mental health problem – such as post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD), depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or others – ignorance adds up to a totality of – you guessed it – pretty repulsive comments and behavior by thoughtless others.

Think of the employees you interact with every day. How did they talk and act in your presence before you went for treatment for dual diagnosis? Are they any more or less friendly and helpful now that you’re back to work? Has their demeanor to your face changed dramatically in the intervening time? Have you heard, or has it gotten back to you, that one or another individual has repeatedly cut you down, sabotaged your projects, taken credit for your accomplishments, angled for your job – or to get you fired or demoted?

One word of caution here. Don’t tell everything to everyone – whether it’s at the office, among friends, or people you just meet. Sure, you need support, but you won’t get it from people who just don’t have it in them.

When you’re deciding who’s in your corner and who’s not, take the long view. If someone has repeatedly stabbed you in the back (verbally, not literally), they’re likely not going to change. Don’t invest your time and energy worrying about what they say and do.

Concentrate instead on solidifying your relationship with those who have integrity, do what they say and say what they do. These are the individuals who can be counted on to perform work duties and interact with you on a professional basis. They may never be friends or confidants, but your worklife will be much more tolerable.

By the way, did you know that people with mental health problems – just like those with other disabilities — are protected under federal and state laws?

Find a Role Model

Whatever your dual diagnosis, in your days during treatment or afterward during 12-step meetings, you’ve undoubtedly encountered one or more individuals that struck you as someone whose behavior you wanted to model. It could be how they managed to raise themselves up from a disastrous situation despite herculean odds and went on to become happy, productive, energetic and successful in their long-term recovery.

You need a role model. You need someone who can inspire you. Chances are, it will be someone you meet in the rooms of the fellowship meetings. It may be your 12-step sponsor. This is just a suggestion, of course.

You may not interact that closely with the person you choose as a role model – and there’s nothing that says you have to. Just modeling your behavior after someone who’s made it against the odds or who carries himself or herself as you would like to is a good place to start.

You Are Not Your Illness

Another tip for fighting the stigma of dual diagnosis is how you perceive yourself – including words you yourself use to describe your illness. Instead of saying you are or thinking of yourself as bipolar, say or think that you have bipolar disorder. Similarly, you’re not schizophrenic, but a person with schizophrenia (and substance abuse). You’re not depressed – you have depression.

This is called “people-first” language. It helps reduce the stigma associated with hurtful labels.

The reason this distinction is important is that you are not your illness. You are not chained to a stereotypical image of an alcoholic-schizophrenic or a drug addict-bipolar. When you view yourself as your disease, you limit your ability to envision a future without these constrictions. That you have a dual diagnosis doesn’t mean that you can’t learn how to manage both – with continuing work, support and encouragment.

Keep Taking Your Meds

One way to really slip up is to discontinue taking your prescribed medication for mental health disorder. You might think your prescription isn’t working, or not working to the extent that you’d like. But you can’t just toss it out willy-nilly. Your doctor is the one who’s best suited to figure out the correct course of action. In fact, you should advise your doctor of any noticeable side-effects you experience so that your brand, dose or frequency of medication can be changed.

It’s also true that medication for depression and other psychological conditions takes some time to be fully effective. It may take altering or modifying your medication several times over the course of many months before the right combination can be achieved.

Don’t give up hope. And definitely keep taking your meds. Mental health disorders may not disappear entirely, but they can be managed. You can live a full and productive life and be reasonably happy.

Continue with Counseling

Overcoming dual diagnosis takes more than just initial treatment at a facility that helps you detox from substances and go through a comprehensive, coordinated, and integrated treatment plan that treats substance abuse and mental health disorder simultaneously. Maybe you initially entered treatment just to overcome alcohol or drug addiction, and didn’t mention PTSD.

It likely was soon discovered. Hopefully, you received treatment at a facility staffed and equipped to handle dual diagnosis. If not, and you only received treatment for one – say substance abuse – now it’s time to get help for your mental health disorder.

If you did receive concurrent treatment, while you may have had better success in overcoming substance abuse, you still should continue counseling to get more comfortable in managing the other part of your dual diagnosis – your mental health disorder.

Why is continuing counseling so important? Studies show that people with mental illnesses recover – and many recover completely. But this does take time – and continued support in the form of counseling. Recovery refers to the way in which you are able to live, work, learn and participate fully in your community. For some, recovery means the ability to live a fully productive life. For others, recovery is more a matter of reduction or elimination of symptoms. Integral to your recovery is hope – without hope, there is slim chance of effective recovery.

Counseling can be with therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. You will also learn to make use of self-help strategies and how to benefit from support groups. Combined with some of the most advanced medications now available, recovery from dual diagnosis is not only possible – it’s more likely than ever.

Solidify Family Ties

It’s critically important that you don’t isolate yourself. No one in recovery does themselves any favors by hiding away from loved ones and friends. In fact, whether you’re in recovery from drug or alcohol abuse or from dual diagnosis, you need people now more than ever.

Start by solidifying your family ties. If you’ve had a falling out with loved ones due to one or both of your illnesses, try to repair and rebuild the relationship. It might be very difficult talking about your illness with loved ones or really close friends, but these are the very people who know you the best and care about you the most. They can give you much-needed support and encouragement as you continue to make progress in your recovery.

It won’t happen if you clam up and keep your distance. You do need to make an effort to reach out and ask for help. Express your appreciation for their encouragement and support and go out of your way to be part of activities with family and close friends.

Final Thoughts on Fighting the Stigma of Dual Diagnosis

You are not alone just because you have a dual diagnosis. Millions of Americans have a problem with substance abuse or addiction to one or more substances. A majority of them also have a co-occurring disorder. It may be caused by drug or alcohol addiction or it may be an underlying condition that’s exacerbated by substance abuse. Some get treatment for the mental health disorder, while many more do not out of fear of the stigma attached to mental illness.

The reality is that mental illnesses are surprisingly common. Almost every family in America has been touched by mental illness. You probably live near or work with or know someone else who has a mental illness – that you’re not even aware of.

Studies by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) show that there are no differences in productivity when people with mental illnesses are compared to other employees. Employers who have hired people with mental illnesses report good attendance, punctuality, as well as motivation, good work and job tenure on par with – or greater – than other employees.

Sure, your return to work after treatment for dual diagnosis might be stressful. But all jobs can be stressful to one extent or another. The truth is that you – or any employee – will be more productive if there’s a good match between what you need and your working conditions.

Strive to make the changes necessary to better accommodate your life – whether it’s at work or in building better communication with your loved ones and friends.

Resources for More Help

There are a number of agencies and programs support people with mental health problems, just as there are those that support persons in recovery from substance abuse. Wherever you start, you’re likely to find information that’s helpful or links that lead to even more resources.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Veterans Affairs

National Institute of Mental Health

Bring Change 2 Mind – a new anti-stigma project

National Alliance on Mental Illness

SAMHSA Mental Health Services Locator

Hoarding is gaining national attention recently with new shows like A&E’s “Hoarders,” but what seems entertaining on the big screen is actually a serious compulsive disorder that disrupts millions of lives daily. A Good Morning America story also highlighted hoarding recently, spotlighting a mother riddled with shame over hoarding behaviors and explaining that her home had become a place people wanted to avoid.

In 2008, researchers from the Johns Hopkins Medical School said that out of every 20 people, at least one lives with compulsive hoarding. It is unknown what lies at the root of hoarding behaviors, but some experts suspect it may be connected with mental conditions like schizophrenia. Others say it is part of the family of mental disorders called obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), in which the person realizes the actions are illogical but is unable to stop them.

Still other researchers say that while hoarding may be similar in symptoms to the spectrum of obsessive compulsive disorders, hoarding is different – and requires different treatments – than OCD itself.
Researchers from UCLA explored the causes of hoarding further in 2004, using nuclear imaging (PET scans) to compare the brain patterns of people with hoarding disorders – noting differences in the way people’s brains functioned if they were a person with a hoarding problem.

Study results indicated that the activity in the lower region of the brain (anterior cingulated gyrus), where decisions are made and things like attention and motivation are processed, was different in hoarders than for people with obsessive compulsive disorders. In many cases, the activity in this region of the brain was lagging for hoarders.

Impaired levels of activity in other regions of the brain for hoarders were also noted, in comparison to levels of brain function for people with OCD, further demonstrating a need for specific, neurological-based treatment for hoarding disorders. Researchers also noted that traditional treatments for OCD, like medications in the antidepressant category, may not be the right approach for hoarding disorders.
For hoarders, there is a great emotional difficulty associated with the prospect of throwing something away. The hoarder, says Dr. Jack Samuels, Johns Hopkins Medical School psychologist, has an inability to make a choice about how to store, or get rid of, items. A sense of being emotionally overwhelmed accompanies the disorder, and an extreme lack of organization is also present. The problem usually surfaces by an event like an eviction or some type of court action.

Cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown helpful for hoarders. The process can involve practicing over and over what it’s like to throw something away, and relearning how to make choices about an object.

As new research explores the unique causes and symptoms associated with hoarding, experts hope focused treatments can bring peace and functionality back to the lives of thousands of people classified as hoarders.
 

Experts in the field of domestic abuse say several factors should be considered when considering how exposure to the violence affects children. Several types of abuse in the home exist, including outward acts like hitting, or verbal abuse and threats.

A 2001 article published in Mental Health Journal, written by Learning Specialist C.J. Newton, says that that physical or emotional abuse is experienced by well over 3.3 million children annually. In terms of how domestic violence impacts children specifically, Newton explains that in many households where violence takes place, abuse between spouses or partners may be closely related to abuse toward the children. Research suggests children from violent homes may be abused at a level 15 times greater than the U.S. average rate.

In addition, Newton’s article says that research points to a strong connection between an abused woman in the household and abused children. In up to 75 percent of families where the female is beaten or emotionally abused, the children have also experienced battering. Rates of sexual abuse may also be greater in homes where physical or emotional abuse is happening.

Newton suggests that children who suffer the least amount of permanent or long-term damage from experiencing abuse are the ones who already have a higher than normal rate of cognitive development and a strong ability to function in personal relationships. The outlook is even better for children who are able to express their talents, have a faith affiliation, a quality school and have plenty of encounters with situations and people that have a positive influence.

A tool of the Children’s Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, and part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Child Welfare Information Gateway is striving to give families and providers advice and resources to help children who are experiencing domestic violence.

According to the Child Welfare Information Gateway, in-depth accounts of acts of domestic abuse can be taken from up to 90 percent of children who live in these homes. This statistic contradicts what may be a generalization by parents that the abuse isn’t noticed by children in the home. Experts also warn that a child can be affected negatively by simply listening to the action, by watching it, or even going through the post-event experiences.

In accordance with current research, the Child Welfare Information Gateway says problems with aggressive behavior, rejecting authority and high levels of anxiety are often present in children who have suffered domestic abuse. They may be unable to concentrate at school and struggle academically, as well as stop eating, be unable to sleep and show symptoms of trauma.

If a family member, adult or friend suspects domestic violence is happening at a home, they are encouraged to notify authorities as soon as possible in order to help prevent the long term physical, emotional and relational difficulties children from these homes may endure.

A recent study by Jon Randolph Haber and colleagues examined the effect of paternal alcohol and drug dependence on offspring conduct disorder, looking at the gene-environment interplay in the comorbidity of the two disorders. The study used an offspring-of-twins design.

Conduct disorder is characterized by a pattern of behavior that violates social norms or violates the rights of others. It may be manifested in behaviors such as verbal or physical aggression or destructive behavior like lying, stealing or vandalism.

Because the comorbidity of substance use disorders and conduct disorder often occur across generations of families, the researchers wanted to understand the relationship between paternal patterns with the substance use disorders and offspring conduct disorder.

The researchers recruited 1,774 male twins from the Vietnam Era Twin Registry and their 1,917 offspring. They also included mothers of the offspring, totaling 1,202. The twins had a history of drug dependence, alcohol dependence, or neither. Based on the father’s and his twin’s history, risk groups were formed to reflect different levels of genetic and environmental risk. These groups were used to predict the conduct disorder of the offspring group.

The results show that after controlling for confounding variables, the rates of conduct disorder were much higher for the offspring of men who had a history of drug dependence or alcohol dependence when compared with men who had not had a substance abuse disorder.

The offspring at higher genetic risk also had higher rates of conduct disorder. There was a lower rate of conduct disorder among offspring with a lower environmental risk for those with a high risk paternal history, but it only applied to those with a paternal drug-dependence risk.
The results of the study show the high risk associated with having a paternal history of drug or alcohol dependence. The offspring of men with high rates of drug and alcohol dependence significantly raised the risk of developing conduct disorder.
The findings of the study highlight the lasting effects of choices regarding alcohol and drug use. Not only does making the decision to drink or use drugs affect an individual’s family, social and professional relationships, but their offspring can be affected for generations if the cycle is not broken.
 

The Iraq War has created another generation of vets with similar, and sometimes worse, issues. Why worse? Because medical care in the field has improved so much that many soldier who would have died in previous wars are surviving traumatic brain injuries, loss of limbs, and other extremely life-changing traumas. Many of these soldiers come home and have to fight for proper care and treatment. It is indeed one of the most shameful aspects of our society that we do not put every dime we can into helping the men and women who have chosen to defend our country.  We spend more energy fighting taxes than we do fighting for the rights of our brave soldiers to have compassionate care no matter what the issue.

The groundbreaking in Montana for a state-of-the-art mental health center for Veteran’s is a bright shining example of what we need to do for our military veterans.

“By doing this, we’ll be taking a few important steps in fulfilling the promises made to Montana’s and America’s veterans,” said U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana). “Access to quality health care, no matter where you live, is important.”

U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg and Tester (a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs) have all introduced and passed legislation this past year to improve the long-term needs of returning troops.

Currently Montana veterans needing inpatient psychological care for post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse or depression must travel to Idaho, Wyoming or North Dakota.

Dr. Rosa Merino, chief of behavioral health with the VA Montana Health Care System, said the risk for chronic PTSD increases greatly with the intensity and length of combat.

“The stress of combat and the stress of living with the potential threat of harm or death can leave permanent scars,” Merino said. “Recovery doesn’t erase the trauma. It just makes it easier to deal with.”

The center will be open 24/7 to offer services and support to vets and their families.

“Unlike veterans who returned from Vietnam with no answers, all veterans can turn to the VA with an expectation to receive answers, to receive treatment and to receive support,” Merino said.

The multimillion-dollar project will be managed by Ammon Grant, an Iraq veteran. Grant  praised the Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Initiative for helping companies like his win jobs and hire vets to complete them.

Beyond completed suicides, an estimated 832,500 people attempt suicide each year. During their lifetimes, an estimated 13.8 million Americans will attempt suicide.

Clearly, suicide is a major public health problem. How are we to deal with this? One way is to develop and implement effective suicide prevention messages.

Myths About Suicide That Need to be Overcome

Each suicide is unique. The stories are different, as well as the underlying causes and aggravating situations. Methods also vary. There are a number of myths and common misunderstandings surrounding suicide that need to be dispelled by suicide prevention messages.

• People who talk about suicide rarely actually do it. – This is false. People who talk about suicide aren’t just looking for attention and hoping someone will call their bluff. They may actually be giving others a warning or clue about their intentions. Anyone who talks about committing suicide needs to be taken seriously. The best thing to do is get professional help for the person talking about killing themselves.

• If you ask someone about their suicidal feelings, it will cause them to attempt it. – Experts in suicide prevention say that, contrary to the notion that asking someone about their intentions to commit suicide will push them over the edge, getting the person to open up about their feelings is actually a good thing to do. This dialogue provides an opportunity that may save the person’s life. As a listener, you need to determine if the individual is intent on committing suicide, has a plan, and has the means or access to the means to carry it out. If the answer is yes to all three, the suicidal individual should never be left alone. Get help immediately or call 911.

• Once a person tries to commit suicide and fails, they won’t do it again. – The facts prove otherwise. After a failed suicide attempt, the chances are even greater that the individual will try to kill themselves again, perhaps using a different method. Experts say that any suicide attempt is a desperate cry for help and should never be ignored or minimized.

• Anyone who’s suicidal just wants to die and feels there’s no turning back. – Some may feel this way, but many suicidal persons have a great deal of ambivalence about what they’re contemplating. They may go through a long period of time during which they try other ways to ameliorate their pain – through substance abuse, gambling, compulsive sex, overwork. Their feelings about wanting to live and wanting to die see-saw back and forth, often right up to the point where they take their lives – or make the attempt.

• Generally, people who kill themselves do so after careful, rational thought. – Again, this is a myth. What’s true is that very often people who talk about or contemplate taking their lives are so blinded by their emotional and/or physical pain that they can’t see a way out of it other than to kill themselves. They don’t see any alternatives and, as a result, often act out of impulse to end their pain. Once their pain and suffering is reduced, however, most such individuals choose to live.

Attitudes Toward Suicide

Along with myths surrounding suicide, people’s beliefs and attitudes about the ending of life also need to be challenged.

One such erroneous belief is that nothing can be done to prevent suicide. If someone’s bent on killing themselves, you can’t stop them. This is absolutely wrong.

Another attitude that stands in the way of suicide prevention is lack of understanding that major depression – which can lead to suicide – is an illness. It isn’t weak character, and it doesn’t have to be a permanent condition. Major depression is a treatable mental illness. But the depressed person cannot treat themselves. They can’t just “tough it out.” Suicide does not have to be the inevitable outcome of major depression.

Stigma about suicide still permeates some parts of society in America. This may be a leftover from the days when suicide was considered a damnable sin, a crime punishable by law, and the person who committed suicide was banned from a Christian burial. Shame and stigma about suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts creates an environment where people are reluctant to talk, or to seek help for a treatable condition.

Teen Suicide Prevention Campaign

“Suicide Shouldn’t Be a Secret” is the key theme of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s teen suicide prevention campaign. The campaign consists of TV and radio PSAs. The TV PSAs air in 85 U.S. markets and reach over 88 million TV viewers.

The TV PSAs include “Taking Action,” “Breaking Trust,” and “Secret,” and convey a message to teens that it’s okay to break a friend’s trust in order to get help for that person. Radio PSAs of “Taking Action” and “Breaking Trust” are also airing.

Effective Suicide Prevention Messages in AAS-Recommended DVDs/Videos

The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) recommends various DVDs/videos for age-appropriate audiences on the subject of suicide prevention. A brief summary of the videos and the messages follows:

• Reaching Out – This 21-minute DVD produced by the Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Center of British Columbia presents suicide prevention messages effectively. Two characters’ stories are presented, interspersed with interviews with real young people whose lives have been touched by suicide. There is no glamorization of suicidal behavior and suicide attempters and survivors are not stigmatized. Warning signs of suicide, adult resources, and help-seeking behavior are highlighted. For ordering and purchase information, go to www.choices2.com.

• A Cry For Help – Paraclete Press produced this 22-minute video on suicide prevention appropriate for middle school and high school students. The video, according to AAS, describes effective suicide intervention skills, although these are not necessarily modeled. In the video, a clinical social worker interacts with students from grades 6 through 12 who have learned suicide warning signs and how to help. The video may be ordered online at www.paracletepress.com.

• The Truth About Suicide – Ant Hill Marketing produced this 26-minute video for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The video presents effective suicide prevention messages and is designed for college and high school students. Effective suicide intervention and help-seeking skills are discussed and recommended. There is no stigmatization of suicide attempters, survivors, or those who have died by suicide. It also does not glamorize suicide or suicidal behavior. For more information, contact AFSP at 1-888-333-AFSP or go to www.afsp.org.

• A Life Saved – The story of three boys who performed a suicide intervention is told in this 10-minute video from The Noodlehead Network. The boys had just completed a school suicide prevention unit called “Lifelines – A School-Based Response to Youth Suicide.” In documentary style, the video informs viewers how to intervene in suicidal behavior. It is very effective, say AAS reviewers, in teaching youth about suicide prevention. Order the video from www.noodlehead.com or contact Susan O’Halloran at sueoh@mcd.org.

• Never Enough – Developed with guidance from child psychologist Dr. Kirk Wolfe, this video, appropriate for high school and college students, presents clear suicide prevention messages, does not glamorize suicide or suicidal behavior, and emphasizes help-seeking skills. Reviewers commented that the hero was the helper in the video, especially the way the young hero used his skills helping the mother of the suicidal friend. Contact Columbia Care Services for information at 1-541-607-7322.

• Depression: On The Edge – Produced by In The Mix, a weekly PBS series for teens, this video is appropriate for high school students. It comes with a discussion guide and lesson plan. Presenters include psychologists, depressed young people, and members of the rock band, Third Eye Blind. For information and ordering, go to www.pbs.org or call 1-800-597-9448.

• Suicide: A Guide to Prevention – With help from counselors, a group of teens created this 13-minute video to show their peers what to do when someone shows suicide warning signs or starts talking about committing suicide. Appropriate help-seeking and intervention behaviors are shown through role-playing that demonstrates friends helping friends. Each intervention involves an adult. Noodlehead Network carries the video, www.noodlehead.com.

What Effective Suicide Prevention Messages Convey

According to SPAN USA, to be effective, suicide prevention messages should strive to raise public awareness of the problem, eliminate stigma associated with suicide, emphasize the mental health component, and propose solutions. Messages should be carefully crafted. SPAN USA offers the following tips to creating effective suicide prevention messages:

• Clear, concise messages are most effective.

• Memorable messages create an image.

• Use anecdotes, similes, metaphors and word pictures.

In addition, effective suicide prevention messages may contain a human-interest element, have broad basic appeal, timed to be relevant to a current event, feature local statistics or spokespersons, or give access to information sources or people.

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center recommends the following practices in creating effective messages to raise public awareness of suicide prevention:

• Emphasize help-seeking and provide information on finding help.

• Emphasize prevention.

• List suicide warning signs, as well as risk and protective factors of suicide.

• Highlight treatments for underlying health problems.

Practices to avoid, the “Don’ts,” include:

• Don’t romanticize or glorify suicide or people who have died by suicide.

• Don’t present suicide as a common event – this normalizes it.

• Don’t focus on the personal details of the individual who died by suicide.

• Don’t explain suicide as a result of stress only or present it as an inexplicable act.

• Don’t present overly detailed descriptions of the methods of suicide or of the victims of suicide.

Books on the Subject of Suicide

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention lists several books of interest on the subject of suicide. Here are some of the titles:

• Aftershock: Help, Hope and Healing in the Wake of Suicide, by Candy Neely Arrington

• An Empty Chair, by Sara Swan Miller

• Assembling My Father, by Anna Cypra Oliver

• But I Didn’t Say Goodbye, by Barbara Rubel

• A Daughter’s Touch, by Sylvia M. Lasaland

• Dying To Be Free: A Healing Guide For Families After A Suicide, by Beverly Cobain and Jean Larch

• Grieving a Suicide, by Albert Y. Hsu

• A Hike For Mike, by Jeff Alt

• Monochrome Days: A First-Hand Account Of One Teenager’s Experience With Depression, by Cait Irwin, Dwight L. Evans, M.D., and Linda Wasmer Andrews

• Night Falls Fast: Understanding Suicide, by Kay Redfield Jamison

• No Time To Say Goodbye, by Carla Fine

• Remembering Garrett: One Family’s Battle With A Child’s Depression, by D.C. Gordon Smith

• Silent Grief, by Clara Hinton

• Surviving Bill, by Mike Reynolds

• Touched By Suicide: Hope and Healing After Loss, by Michael F. Myers and Carla Fine

• Will’s Choice, by Gail Griffith

• Why People Die By Suicide, by Thomas Joiner

Effective Suicide Prevention Messages Work

In the end, the most important point about suicide prevention messages is that they work. Together, raising public awareness of the problem, eliminating the stigma surrounding suicide, working with the media and the entertainment industry to encourage responsible portrayals of suicide, mental illness and help-seeking behaviors, and putting forth available treatment and assistance will go a long way toward reducing the overall numbers of suicides annually.

Individuals can help promote effective suicide prevention messages by working to eliminate the myths, by being proactive, persistent and compassionate in helping suicidal individuals to get professional help. When you consider that each suicide leaves behind at least six, and sometimes hundreds of survivors, anything we can do as individuals and collectively to help reduce the incidence of suicide is a very good thing.

Article by Suzanne Kane