David Susman

Negative Effects of Using the Term “The Mentally Ill”

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I’ve written before about using “person-first language” when referring to people with mental illnesses. To remind you, person-first language literally puts the person first and then their condition. In other words you would say “people with mental illness” instead of “the mentally ill.” Person-first language has been encouraged by many advocacy groups and organizations since the 1990’s. The argument goes that person-first language is more respectful and conveys more dignity to the person. Also, it puts the primary focus on …

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Attitudes About Mental Health and Suicide: Survey Findings

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I was very interested to see the results from a large national survey on attitudes about mental health disorders and suicide conducted by The Harris Poll which was sponsored by the American Psychological Association (APA). The survey included 1,006 US adults, who completed a 15-minute online questionnaire. The results were “weighted by education, age, gender, race, ethnicity, geography household income, household size, and marital status to represent the US population.” I’ll provide a brief recap of the survey results. I’ve …

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Take It Day By Day

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Don Johnson This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked peer support specialist and US Army veteran Don Johnson about his journey and his current activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? DJ: I did not …

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10 Mental Health Crisis Lines You Should Know

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Several different situations can be considered a mental health crisis or emergency. These can include: Who should you call when a mental health crisis occurs? In the moment, your best first option may be to call 911, especially when there is imminent risk of harm and you need quick local aid from first responders such as paramedics and police. But there are several other well-established national hotlines that are set up to assist with mental health crises. Here’s my unofficial …

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We Have to Take Care of Ourselves

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Ashanti Cheatham This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked college student and mental health advocate Ashanti Cheatham about her journey and her current activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought treatment? AC: I became more aware …

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10 Important Facts About the Opioid Crisis

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There’s a great resource from the American Psychological Association (APA) called “The Opioid Guide: A Resource Guide for Practicing Psychologists.” This guide was developed by an APA task force focused on clinical responses to the opioid crisis. While the guide was developed primarily for psychologists and other health care professionals, it contains a lot of useful information that will be of interest to just about anyone who is concerned about the opioid crisis. Here are 10 important facts from the …

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We All Have a Life That is Worth Living

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Stories of Hope: An Interview with Chelise Stroud This is part of a series featuring individuals who share their life experiences with mental health issues. Recently, I asked writer, speaker and advocate Chelise Stroud about her journey and her current activities. Here’s our interview: DS: Tell us about when you first started becoming aware of concerns related to your mental health. How did these issues continue to affect you before you sought help? CS: It is difficult to say when …

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10 Tips to Be a More Effective Public Speaker

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As a psychologist, college professor, and mental health advocate, I’ve given my fair share of speeches, lectures and presentations over the years, in schools, community settings and in professional meetings. I’ve also been in the audience for countless presentations as a student and adult learner. From these experiences, I’ve seen both outstanding, dynamic speakers and a few who were so dull and boring they immediately induced inattention and sedation! So I thought it might be fun to put together a …

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