Show Me You Care About Suicide Prevention

1
Creating a Caring Community

• Show Me You Care About Suicide Prevention
• Lesley Levin
• July 14, 2008

2
What is mental illness?

• Disorders of the brain that disrupt a persons
  thinking, feeling, moods, and ability to relate
  to others.
• They do not discriminate. They affect people of
  every age, gender, race, religion or
  socioeconomic status.
• They are treatable.

3
What is clinical depression?

• One of the most common mental illnesses affecting
  more than 19 million Americans each year.
• It causes people to lose pleasure from daily
  life, can complicate other medical conditions and
  can even be serious enough to lead to suicide.
• It can occur to anyone.

4
Symptoms

• Persistent sad, anxious or empty mood
• Sleep too much or too little
• Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased
  appetite and weight gain
• Restlessness, irritability
• Thoughts of suicide or death

• Loss of pleasure and interest in activities once
  enjoyed, including sex
• Persistent physical symptoms that do not respond
  to treatment
• Difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue and loss of energy
• Feeling guilty, hopeless

5
Treatment

• Anti-depressant medication
• Psychotherapy
• Combination of both

6
Why People Do Not Seek Treatment

• STIGMA
• Fear
• Lack of resources
• Lack of information

7
Current Realities

• Each year, more than 35 million people suffer
  from some form of mental illness in the USA
• A recent study of 9,000 randomly selected adults
  found that 26 met the criteria for a
  diagnosable mental disorder. Most started in
  childhood and adolescents.
• Over 80 of adults with mental illness are not
  receiving appropriate treatment

8
Realities

• Effective treatments are available today and the
  support of caring people in the local
  congregation can often help lead a person to seek
  and accept effective treatment.
• Stigma is often a barrier to accessing treatment.

9
Realities

• People with mental problems are our neighbors.
  They are members of our congregations, members of
  our families they are everywhere in this
  country.
• Rosalynn Carter

10
Creating a Caring Community

• Educate yourself on what severe mental illness
  is----AND ISNT.
• Offer help to a family who is living with brain
  disease. Provide emotional support,
  understanding, perhaps sitting when needed
• Do more than be friendly. BE A FRIEND!
• Invite a speaker to your congregation.
• Be a STIGMA BUSTER

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Caring communities

• Hire persons with mental illness
• Join and advocacy group
• Support funding for research
• Contact the Governor and your State
  Representatives
• Volunteer
• Pray