Tag Archives: Mental Health

Suicide Prevention Awareness: “Creating hope through action.”

Suicide Prevention Awareness: “Creating hope through action.”

September is National Suicide Prevention Month and September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021), suicide is the 10th leading cause of death and the 2nd leading cause of death in youth and young adults between the ages of 10-34 in the United States.These are startling statistics and highlight the importance of knowing the facts about suicide and suicide prevention. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions and false assumptions about suicide. To help those in crisis, everyone should take the time to learn the facts about suicide.

In this Psychology Today article, Dr. Anton C. Bizzell, CEO of The Bizzell Group, debunks some of the common false assumptions about suicide, identifies the triggers for suicide, and shares actions you can take and things you can say if someone is considering suicide.

READ MORE: Suicide Prevention Awareness: “Creating hope through action”

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Facts About Suicide. Retrieved October 13, 2021, from: https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/

Why Overdose Awareness Matters More Than Ever

Why Overdose Awareness Matters More Than Ever

International Overdose Awareness Day, August 31st, began in Australia 20 years ago to raise awareness of overdoses, reduce the stigma of drug-related deaths, and remind us of the grief felt by the families and friends of those who have died due to substance use disorders (SUD). Today, International Overdose Awareness Day is recognized in more than 40 countries.

Isolation individuals have experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated mental health and SUD challenges, and reduced access to supportive communities and behavioral health care. Substance use and overdose deaths have increased during the pandemic.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and others have developed approaches, tips, and guidance for managing your mental health during this time, as well as links for locating treatment for substance use disorders. Anton C. Bizzell, MD, President/CEO of The Bizzell Group, has dedicated his career to improving access to quality substance abuse, mental health, and medical treatment and prevention services, and writes about timely behavioral health solutions in his monthly Psychology Today column, Mind Your Health. You can make a difference too, by accessing these resources and promoting behavioral health in your community.

Read more: Why Overdose Awareness Matters More Than Ever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Protecting Minority Mental Health in the U.S.

Protecting Minority Mental Health in the U.S.

Mental illness is stigmatized in the U.S. and even more among minority communities and communities of color both nationally and internationally.  To help combat the mental illness stigma, the U.S. House of Representatives designated July as “Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month,” to “enhance public awareness of mental illness and mental illness among minorities.”  According to the American Psychiatric Association, more than 50 percent of all Americans will be part of a minority group by 2044.  The total incidence of mental illness, mental health outcomes of racial/ethnic, gender and sexual minorities will be much worse, writes Dr. Anton C. Bizzell in “Protecting Minority Mental Health in the U.S.,” published online in Psychology Today.

Racial and ethnic minorities have more to contend with when it comes to accepting and addressing mental health issues. “What’s done in this house, stays in this house” is a mantra heard by many minorities. Stress, substance abuse, unemployment or underemployment, incarceration, education, or lack thereof, shame and denial are all reasons that minorities and communities of color find themselves dealing with mental health related issues.  Everyone, especially communities of color, need to debunk the myths and stigmas associated with mental illness.  Seek help today

READ MORE: Protecting Minority Mental Health in the U.S.

What You Need to Know About PTSD

What You Need to Know About PTSD

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) first entered the lexicon when the American Psychiatric Association added it to its third edition of the association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980. But PTSD has been around much longer and is growing worse, writes Dr. Anton C. Bizzell in “What You Need to Know About PTSD,” published online in Psychology Today. In a given year, 7 to 8 million U.S. adults have PTSD. Traumatic events, including combat, child abuse, sexual assault, and global pandemics, cause the human brain to go into “fight or flight” response. One-fifth of trauma survivors develop PTSD symptoms—which include intrusive thoughts, avoidance of triggers, alterations in mood, and hyperarousal—because their brain never leaves the reactive mode. Treatment is possible. They include talk therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and certain medications. A new treatment using MDMA (ecstasy)-assisted therapy is showing great promise. PTSD doesn’t have to be a life sentence. Seek help today.

READ MORE: What You Need to Know About PTSD