For many, the holidays mean a clip for solemnisation and gatherings with friends and family. But for some, the play is filled with feelings of stress, sadness and loneliness.
The yearly stressors of the holidays whitethorn beryllium capable to propulsion those struggling with intelligence wellness implicit the edge. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), termination is the 2nd starring origin of decease among Americans aged 10 to 34. It’s the 4th starring origin of decease among those aged 35-44 and the 5th origin of decease among those aged 45-55.
Stony Brook Medicine experts Suzie Marriott, MS, RN, PMH-BC, and Susan Wilner, LCSW, stock what to look retired for and intelligence wellness tips to retrieve arsenic you caput into the caller year. Marriott is chair of the Suicide Postvention Committee, Chief Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services astatine Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital. Wilner is adjunct manager of Behavioral Health Services Operations and an appointed subordinate of the Suicide Postvention Committee.
Tips to support successful caput this Holiday Season:
- If you, idiosyncratic adjacent to you, oregon idiosyncratic you cognize is experiencing a suicidal situation oregon successful affectional distress telephone oregon substance 988 and person a confidential speech with a trained counsellor 24 hours a time astatine the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
- The holidays tin bring up hard memories oregon thoughts for galore individuals. Stay connected with others by engaging successful regular check-ins, adjacent if they whitethorn look okay.
- Be benignant to yourself. Remember to enactment successful self-care activities to assistance lessen the accent felt during the holidays.
- Be mindful of people’s boundaries. Don’t overextend yourself oregon others emotionally, physically oregon financially.
- Remember that you don’t cognize what radical are dealing with this clip of year. Acts of kindness to some those you cognize and strangers you conscionable tin truly marque a quality to them and to you!
What triggers thoughts of suicide?
The CDC reports an estimated 12.2 cardinal American adults earnestly thought astir termination successful 2020. Some contributing factors include:
- Feelings of isolation oregon disconnected from others
- Loss of a loved 1 (particularly successful past 2 years)
- Legal problems oregon a erstwhile transgression record
- Being a unfortunate of abuse
- Relationship problems
- Financial accent oregon occupation loss
- Depression, anxiousness oregon different affectional problems
- History of self-harm and/or erstwhile termination attempts
- Exposure to suicidal behaviors
Who is astir astatine risk?
Some radical are much impacted than others by suicide. These include:
- Veterans and different subject personnel
- Law Enforcement
- Healthcare Workers
- Farmers and Seafarers
- People successful construction, the arts, design, entertainment, sports and media fields
- LGBTQ+ youth
- White men, 44 to 65 and 85 years and older
- Those diagnosed with large depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, borderline property disorder, post-traumatic accent disorder, substance usage and eating disorders
Are determination informing signs?
The CDC has identified 12 informing signs of suicide:
- Feeling similar a burden
- Being isolated
- Increased anxiety
- Feeling trapped oregon successful unbearable pain
- Increased substance use
- Talking oregon posting astir wanting to die
- Making plans for suicide
- Looking for a mode to entree lethal means
- Increased choler oregon rage
- Extreme temper swings
- Expressing hopelessness
- Sleeping excessively small oregon excessively much
If you oregon idiosyncratic you cognize whitethorn beryllium struggling, determination are a fig of resources. These see but are not constricted to:
- Stony Brook Mind-Body Clinical Research Center
- Association for Mental Health and Wellness
- Family Service League
- Response of Suffolk Crisis Center
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline
Speak with a Stony Brook termination prevention adept by calling (631) 632-9510 (adults) oregon (631) 632-8850 (children).
For much connected coping with the vacation blues, visit the Stony Brook Medicine website.
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