Suicide Is Something We Can Definitely Live Without

This is ultimately a tale of heroes and life winning out over death. But first we must acknowledge some clear and painful truths. The tragic epidemic Suicide is a global public health issue and a personal tragedy affecting untold numbers of individuals and families. In case you didn’t know, suicide claimed the lives of over 41,000 Americans in 2013. The overused but attention-grabbing analogy to capture the impact of this number is to imagine 90 jumbo jets full of people …

Read more

a little conversation about recovery

Let’s talk a little about recovery from mental illness and substance misuse. Ok, sounds good. Once upon a time, we didn’t think people with mental illness could get better. They were just that “odd” relative or they lived in an institution. Now we know better. People with mental illness can recover! Really? What exactly is recovery? Here’s an “official” definition: Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive …

Read more

How We Think About Mental Illness – Time for Plan B

Depending on who you talk to, there are dramatically different views of mental illness. One scenario which captures the unpleasant reality many have experienced looks something like this: Plan A – Many people with a mental illness: Have never been diagnosed Have received a diagnosis but have a lack of insight or deny it Are afraid to talk about it Are ashamed to disclose it Never seek treatment for it Are ridiculed and ostracized because of it Want treatment but none …

Read more

100 Days on X (formerly Twitter): A Psychologist’s Take on the Benefits of Social Media

I’ve been active on Facebook for years. I love keeping up with friends and family, sharing pictures and updates, playing games, and all that stuff. On LinkedIn, I’ve enjoyed networking to find connections with common professional interests. But I never got into X (formerly Twitter). Sure, I had signed up about 3 years ago and had looked around at news or celebrity feeds from time to time. But I had tweeted exactly four times and had just a handful of …

Read more