This blog was written by Justin Trevino, MD, Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS).

Youth represent Ohio’s future. While school-age children and young adults are learning about and experiencing life, various factors, such as, mental health conditions, environmental stress, substance misuse, and a history of trauma, may lead them to lose hope and take actions to end their lives. 

By taking the time to review this important information, you can help save a young life and reverse the troubling trend we are seeing with youth suicide in Ohio. Awareness is key.

• Nationally, suicide is the second leading cause of death for those ages 10–24.
• In Ohio, rates of suicide have climbed 36 percent from 1999–2016.
• In a year’s time, approximately one in 15 high school students reports attempting suicide; one in 53 reports making a suicide attempt serious enough to require medical treatment.
• Suicide completion is more common among white males and those living in urban areas.
• The most common method of completion for males is firearms and for females is hanging/suffocation.
• The majority of those in this age group who complete suicide have identified mental health issues, though most are not in active treatment. 

Please take a moment to learn the warning signs of suicide:

• A significant change in mood or behavior — appearing consistently unhappy/depressed, irritable, withdrawn from family/friends/activities
• Poor performance in school or other important extracurricular activities
• Involvement in high-risk behaviors, including use of alcohol or other substances
• Problems with concentration and changes in energy level, appetite, or sleep schedule
• Direct statements about feeling hopeless/not wanting to live anymore
• Self-injurious actions (e.g., wrist-cutting, burning self)
• History or family history of depression 

However, suicide is preventable! Your actions can save the lives of a young person showing the warning signs.

• Ask directly about thoughts of suicide. (Asking about suicide does not increase the risk of suicide but does open up conversation.)
• Listen to what they need.
• Keep them safe. Reduce access to lethal means (e.g., firearms, pills). Call 911 if necessary.
• Help them connect with ongoing support, such as a local crisis line (740.687.8255), the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1.800.273.8255), or the Crisis Text Line (Text “4hope” to 741741.).
• Check back the next day to see how they’re doing.
• Encourage them to engage with counselors to assist with the development of coping skills, problem solving, and conflict resolution.   

OhioMHAS, in partnership with agencies and organizations throughout the state, has developed a comprehensive plan to prevent suicide in Ohio.

You may also connect young people to Ohio’s youth-focused suicide prevention campaign —  Be Present.

This blog was written by Mid-Ohio Pscyhological Services, Inc., Clinician I Cassidy Keller, MA, NCC, LPC.

We live in a world where we have access to information 24/7 via our phones, television, radio, social media, and the Internet. While it is handy to have access to all this knowledge, it can sometimes be difficult to determine myths from facts. We don’t have time to talk about all the myths and facts in the world, so let’s just start with discussing some of the common myths about addiction.

• Myth #1: Addiction is a choice. There is often a misconception that addiction is solely a choice. It is true that it may start out as a choice to drink alcohol or try a substance (whether it is prescribed or not); however, I think it is safe to say that no one truly wakes up and says, “I choose to be an addict today.” In fact, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction is defined as a chronic brain disease that is evident by the long-lasting impacts substance use can have on the brain that can be visibly seen through scans of the brain.
• Myth #2: Addicts have a certain “look” and are bad people. Addiction does not discriminate against race, religion, socio-economic status, profession, age, or gender. Addiction can impact a person through all walks of life. Being an addict does not make the person “bad” any more than not being an addict makes a person “good.”
• Myth #3: If a doctor prescribed the medication, there is no risk of addiction. Unfortunately, every medication comes with potential side effects and risks. This does not necessarily mean that addiction is a side effect; however, it is a risk when prescribed narcotics, such as Percocet, hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc. I encourage each person prescribed medication, whether it be a painkiller or not, to discuss potential risks of the medication with his/her doctor.
• Myth #4: If a person has a job and/or family, he/she is not really addicted. ​Again, addiction does not discriminate. There are many “functioning addicts” that can maintain a job or family in the world. This often makes the person who has the addiction to live in a world of denial to the severity of his/her problem. Don’t get me wrong: just because a person is able to go to work does not mean that his/her addictions are not impacting other areas of life and addictions will not one day impact a person’s ability to function at work. But, just so we are on the same page, let’s say it together one more time for good measure: “addiction does not discriminate!”

Mental health conditions do not discriminate based on race, color, gender, or identity. Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of background. However, background and identity can make access to quality mental health treatment much more difficult. National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 2008 to start creating more awareness around discrepancies and help advocate for more access to better services for minorities.
 
In some minority and marginalized communities, mental health is often considered a taboo or weakness — sometimes it is described as something that should be “taken to God.” Treatment for mental illness is spoken about in even more hushed tones.  Research indicates that minorities seem to face an even stronger and formidable type of stigma. When you combine the increased stigma with the decreased or fewer resources for quality treatment, you are bound to have a higher incidence of persons really becoming ill and struggling alone with their illnesses.
 
Some ways to help change the way things are:
 

• Share information you’ve learned about accessing quality care to others.
• Try to be more open and understanding toward what minority communities might be experiencing that you might not be.
• When asked how minority communities could overcome cultural barriers in mental health, it has been said, “finding people around you that feel the same is very powerful, because depression is VERY isolating.” Sharing your story could help others feel they aren’t alone.
• Be a spokesperson when there is an opportunity to speak out on behalf of minority mental health.
• Help support efforts in your community by informing your ADAMH Board what you think works and does not work. Volunteer to help when it comes time for levy campaigns.

​May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In light of the recent school shootings it is easy to get swept away with the mistaken belief that persons experiencing mental illness are a danger to society.  The fact is, most people with severe and persistent mental illness are in more danger from us then we are of them. The misunderstandings, stigma, and confusion around these brain disorders continues to amaze me, despite all that we know.

Did you know, for example, that Anxiety and Depression are the top two mental illnesses in American Adults? 19.1% for Anxiety and 6.8% for Depression. What are considered the “psychotic” conditions, those in which hallucinations and delusions can occur, are actually in a much smaller percentage. 2.8% for Bipolar Disorder, and 0.45% for Schizophrenia. And rest assured that just because one has Bipolar Disorder or Schizophrenia does not mean that he or she is more prone to violence then someone without these illnesses.

I am not saying that we don’t need to tend to the mental wellness of our youth, and for that matter, of our adults. I am, however, pointing out, that the actual likelihood that mental illness is the root “cause” of school shootings is like saying that the “root cause of poverty is unemployment.” It is a gross oversimplification of a complex problem. And it does a great disservice to those who struggle with mental illness every day of their lives, and never ever exhibit any inclination toward violence of any kind.
​
My suggestion is that we learn more about Mental Health and Wellness. Knowledge and facts can be powerful problem solvers. The Fairfield County ADAMH Board offers two courses open to anyone in the community, Mental Health First Aid for Adults, and Mental Health First Aid for adults who interact with Youth.  Check out our website for more information: www.fairfieldadam.org.

Gambling addiction is sometimes referred to as a "hidden illness" because there are no obvious physical signs or symptoms like there are in drug or alcohol addiction.  Like other addictions, Gambling addiction can happen to anyone. One day you are having fun, playing, innocently participating in betting on sports, buying scratch offs, playing poker, hitting the casino to play the slots, or indulging yourself with online gaming.  The next thing you know, you have an unhealthy preoccupation with serious consequences. If your gambling becomes a problem, it can strain your relationships, interfere with work, and lead to financial disaster. You may even do things you never imagined that you would, like stealing money to gamble or pay debts.

Gambling addiction—also known as pathological gambling, compulsive gambling or gambling disorder—is an impulse-control disorder. You’ll gamble whether you’re up or down, broke or flush, happy or depressed, and you’ll keep gambling regardless of the consequences—even when you know that the odds are against you or you can’t afford to lose.

 Here are some Myths and some Facts about Gambling Problems:

• Myth: I have to gamble every day to have a gambling problem
• Fact: A problem gambler may gamble often or less frequently- if Gambling causes you problems- it is a problem
• Myth: If I can afford to gamble, it can’t be a problem for me.
• Fact: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. Too much time spent on gambling can lead to relationship and legal problems, job loss, mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, and even suicide.
• Myth: My partner ,wife, husband, parent,  is the reason that I gamble- they cause me to.
• Fact: You are rationalizing your behavior. Blaming others is one way to avoid taking responsibility for your actions. Including what you need to do to overcome the problem.
• Myth: My partner, wife, husband, parent should help me get out of debt and then I can quit.
• Fact: Quick solutions may appear to be the loving thing to do, but if your loved one bails you out it will only allow you to keep going.

​For help with a Gambling Problem call The Recovery Center at 740-687-4500.

We are so excited to have held the first annual Fairfield County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery Conference yesterday, Thursday, September 29, 2016.   There were many wonderful things about the day, below are just a few…

1. Generous Sponsors!   We are so grateful to the many individuals and businesses that provided financial and material support to the event including:  Silver Sponsors:  Fairfield Federal Savings & Loan, Cristy’s Pizza, Ohio University Lancaster Student Social Work Association, Ohio University Lancaster Human Services Technology Program; Bronze Sponsors:  Piper’s Service Center, Lancaster Police Department, Stebelton Snider LPA, Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, Jimmy Johns, Diamond Jim’s, N8 Family Chiropractic Center, The Perry Family, and Fairfield National Bank; plus many Friends of ADAMH!
2. Great Opening!   We were honored and privileged for Director Tracy J. Pouck, Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services, to give us the latest scoop on the many changes in Ohio public behavioral health.
3. Friends!  Seeing long-time friends and making new friends was an important part of the day to combat the isolation that often occurs with a mental health or addiction disorder.
4. 411!  Twelve workshops with lots of great info about:  Employment in recovery, The brain, Eating well, The court and recovery, Navigating the behavioral health system, Peer support, Art as a tool in recovery, Keeping physically fit, Crisis intervention, How to take care of yourself when you are taking care of others, and Public assistance updates.
5. Workshop Speakers!  Shannon Carter, Trisha Clifford-Sprouse, Melissa Erwin, Shannon White, Karen Elson, Marcy Fields, Miranda Gray, Melissa Lews, Judge James A. Fields, Nate Green, Kerith Palletti, Becky Wilkins, Anita Morehart, Lisa Skeens, Marla Hurst, Paige Bashaw, Korney Hewitt, Jennifer Sitterly-Baum, Meghan Arnold.
6. Exhibitors!  Cooperation with the Professional Community, Diley Ridge Medical Center, Fairfield County 211, Fairfield County ADAMH Board, Fairfield County Reentry, Fairfield County Mental Health Consumer Group (FMHCG), Integrated Services, Job and Family Services Ohio Means Jobs Center, Lutheran Social Services, Mental Health America of Franklin County, Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, New Horizons Mental Health Services, Ohio Hospital for Psychiatry, Ohio University Lancaster Social Work and Human Service Tech Programs, The Lighthouse, The Recovery Center, The Y, and Tyler’s Light.  Help information
7. Crossroads and First United Methodist Church!  We appreciate the use of their perfect venue and  gracious help throughout the day.
8. Food!  Culinary enjoyment was had by all with the dinner, dessert, and snacks.
9. Volunteers!  Kudos and thanks to the Ohio University Lancaster Student Social Work Association, Students from the Human Services Technology Program, and many other volunteers for their tremendous help to make it happen.
10. Steering Committee!  Thankful for the dedication, creativity, and hard work of the Conference Steering Committee:  Sheri Perry, Jodi Andes, Jacqueline Elk, Karen Elson, Kortney Hewitt, Maureen Keller, Meghan Arnold, Nadine Carroll, Paige Bashaw, Pam Kaylor, Ph.D..
11. Keynote Speaker!  Hank Walters regaled the audience with his stories about life before and after addiction.
12. Entertainment!  DJ Michael Ashton rocked the last hour of the conference with his deejay style to celebrate recovery.
                                                                                                                                                and more…

Take care of yourself because…Mental Health and Recovery Matter!