suicidal thoughts

September is National Suicide Prevention Month and is an important chance for each of us to understand how suicidal thoughts can be identified, prevented, and treated.  The resounding theme of National Suicide Prevention Month is to provide support and compassion to those struggling with mental health conditions or life circumstances…

The LGBTQIA+ community is a diverse group of individuals — specifically, those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, asexual, and a host of other identities. Despite outdated perceptions and unwarranted prejudice from others, cultural norms are shifting and society is becoming increasingly supportive of the community, thanks in…

Just as physical health is supported by proper diet, exercise, and rest, our mental health is just as multi-faceted. Mental health consists of our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.  In recognition of the importance of mental health awareness and treatment, World Mental Health Day is celebrated annually on October 10th….

Suicide isn’t an easy topic to think about, let alone discuss—especially with an individual you suspect is suicidal. A lot of emotions can be involved, and you certainly don’t want to make this person feel worse. That said, it is incredibly important that we do discuss the matter and get…

While people experiencing active suicidal ideation usually have the intent, plan, or means to harm themselves, people experiencing passive suicidal ideation usually have thoughts of suicide but without the intent to follow through.  While passive suicidal thoughts may sound less severe than active ones, they are undoubtedly upsetting. It’s also…

You always want to be able to comfort those close to you, but when they talk about deep and bitter truths like struggling with suicidal thoughts, it can be hard to know what to say—it’s scary to hear, and oftentimes, there isn’t much you personally can do about it. What’s…

“I hate my life” has become a popular sentiment over the years. People say it for all sorts of reasons: stressful work environment, turbulent love life, lack of friends, concern for the world at large.  The real problem occurs when people start to say it and mean it. As much…

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States — in 2020, there were 45,979 deaths, or one death every 11 minutes, by suicide. If these numbers tell us anything, it’s that learning to recognize suicidal thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is absolutely critical. Educating yourself on these signs…

All types of depression are characterized by deep sadness and a loss of interest in once-loved activities. Those who are depressed might wake up after a long night’s sleep and still feel miserably tired. They might forget to do simple things like brush their teeth or eat a meal (or…

Most lists of depression symptoms don’t quite capture the emotional weight of severe depression. Clinical facts about depression often fail to paint a full picture of how it feels to experience this mood disorder. What does depression feel like? Why is it so difficult to cope with? And what can…

Major depression disorder (MDD) is a mental health condition that impacts emotional well-being and can cause severe functional consequences in daily life. MDD is also called clinical depression, major depression, and unipolar depression (to distinguish it from bipolar depression caused by bipolar disorder). In Ancient Greece, depression was called melancholia,…

Depression is characterized by, well, a depressed state. Those who develop the condition present this state of despair as well as a loss of interest or pleasure in day to day life. The remaining characteristics can vary… and be mistaken for another illness entirely—the flu. This makes distinguishing the difference…