“Catalina” (pseudonym used to protect the identity of the individual being interviewed) is not your typical medical student. Young, Dominicana and the first generation of her family born in the United States, she shoves her clothes into a washing machine in her apartment complex. Graciously, she answers questions about an
Tag: Suicide
After more than a decade of almost constant decline, the rate of suicide deaths in the United States has increased 24 percent over the past 15 years. In fact, the country’s rate of suicide is at its highest point since 1986, according to data released recently by the U.S. Centers
A variety of invisible illnesses can greatly impact both the physical and mental health of individuals. Some of these illnesses are debilitating, preventing participation in the normal activities of daily living. Examples include chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, fibromyalgia, lupus, Lyme disease, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS),
In counseling, the therapeutic bond is essential. What happens when that bond is severed by a client’s suicide? “Many laypersons do not realize how closely counselors connect with their clients,” says Daniel Weigel, a professional counselor who lost a client to suicide just a few weeks after receiving his license.
Trauma, suicide and bullying are not new topics for most counselors, who at some point in their careers have likely worked with clients on each of these issues. However, as research and practice continue to progress, some counselors are using emerging approaches or perspectives to tackle these problems. At the
A new smartphone app has been designed to put suicide prevention tools and resources at the fingertips of medical and mental health professionals. Practitioners who download the free Suicide Safe app will have access to case studies, training and data to help them recognize and address suicide risk in patients
When I first met Ally, 17, she surveyed the seating arrangement in my office and chose the chair closest to my door. Obviously guarded, she sat with both arms and legs crossed looking at me with green eyes slightly camouflaged by blond wispy bangs. Ally’s mother had been trying to
When running into burning buildings is part of your job description, it’s understandable that your profession might have a substantial impact on your emotional and mental well-being. But for reasons Jeff Dill can’t explain, inadequate focus has been placed on the mental health care of professional and volunteer firefighters. “In
Despite recent efforts from the Department of Defense to stem the rise in military suicides, the number of service members who took their own lives last year appears to have topped the number of troops killed in combat. Despite the Pentagon’s recent efforts to hire more mental health workers, begin
On Sept. 10, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention (Action Alliance), along with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, revealed the revised version of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP). The strategy, revised after nearly a decade of research, aims to place