Impact Economic Effects on Suicide Statistics

Impact Economic Effects on Suicide Statistics. Suicide statistics rise with the effects of economic depression. What is recession?  Recession 2008:  According to Wikipedia: The definition of a recession is;  ”a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than a few months, usually affecting; real income, employment, industrial production, and wholesale-retail sales.” A sustained recession may become a depression..

I recently found an article in the Marketwatch.com that saddened and outraged me, yet at the same time offered hope to those that I think deserve as much help as possible:

“Sadly, given the current economic conditions, more and more Americans are feeling that they must cut their mental health care to make ends meet. I am concerned about those most vulnerable - especially our returning troops and their families who will be affected by the current economic crisis - particularly those returning to rural communities across America where mental health care is already limited”.

Research shows that suicides and psychiatric hospitalizations tend to peak at the lowest point of a recession, when unemployment is at its height. A smaller peak also occurs just prior to the economy falling into recession, when there is widespread uncertainty. “If you were to look at suicide graphically, it wouldn’t be difficult to imagine that you would be seeing another economic indicator,” says M. Harvey Brenner, a professor of public health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

I wanted to spread the word regarding:  ”Give An Hour“  Give an Hour is a nonprofit organization, founded in September 2005 by Dr. Barbara V. Romberg, a psychologist in the Washington, D.C., area. The organization’s mission is to develop national networks of volunteer mental health workers, capable of responding to both acute and chronic conditions that arise within our society.

I hope you find this as evocative as I.  Let me know?  I am interested.

Dawn Pugh Psychotherapist

“Estelle Getty” Wrongly Diagnosed

As Stated before: ”Estelle Getty” passed away early this morning surrounded by her beloved family. Apparently back in 2002, ”Estelle Getty” was wrongly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s, when in actual fact, she suffered with ”Lewy Body Dementia”: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a form of dementia that shares characteristics with both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. It’s affects are hallucinations.

For those of you who may not remember “Estelle Getty”. She was a star in the hit situation comedy “Golden Girls”

 Golden Girls - Henny Penny 1/3

 

Dawn Pugh Psychotherapist

Lewy Body Dementia and Estelle Getty

Estelle Getty died today age 84 of Lewy Body Dementia, a disease that accounts for 80% of dementia sufferers. She certainly made me laugh when she was in the Golden Girls, a wonderful comedienne who will be missed by many.

According to Lewy Body Dementia (www.lbda.org) Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a progressive brain disease and the second leading cause of degenerative dementia in the elderly. The clinical name, “dementia with Lewy bodies” (DLB), accounts for up to 20% of all dementia cases, or 800,000 patients in the US. Over 50% of Parkinson’s disease patients develop “Parkinson’s disease dementia” (PDD), which accounts for at least 750,000 patients. (PDD is also a Lewy body dementia.)

I have pulled together several videos explaining a little about the disease. Have a look and let me know what you think.

Difficulties in Diagnosing Lewy Body Dementia - pt 1

Pt 1. - From the January 2007 “Many Faces of Lewy Body Dementia” series at Coral Springs Medical Center, FL.
A presentation by Dr. Jonathan T. Stewart, M.D., Psychiatrist
Professor at University of South FL College or Medicine & Bay Pines, Tampa VA Medical Center.

Video provided by the nonprofit Lewy Body Dementia Association. www.lbda.org Please contact us for caregiving support, more information and additional resources. Thank you.

New Trends in Lewy Body Dementia - pt 1

From the January 2007 “Many Faces of Lewy Body Dementia” series at Coral Springs Medical Center, FL.
A presentation by Jay A. Van Gerpen, M.D., Neurologist
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL

Video provided by the nonprofit Lewy Body Dementia Association. www.lbda.org Please contact us for caregiving support, more information and additional resources. Thank you.

“Critical Incident Stress Debrief”

“Critical Incident Stress Management” enables emergency workers to cope with the trauma and stress’s that their professions may cause and to help them function healthier and also, to move on with their lives. “Critical Incident Stress Management” is not  counseling or psychotherapy, nor is it a substitute for these therapies. It offers emergency workers the opportunity to off- load how they feel about the situations that they have just experienced and whether they are having difficulties coping or not, it can be very beneficial for their state of minds.  Making them aware of what they can do to help themselves and help each other. The fundamental  point of  ”Critical Incident Stress Management” it is to help people understand that their reaction and experiences are normal.

Developed in the 1970s,  “Critical Incident Stress Management” is now being used in schools, communities and organizations outside of the emergency services.

What is Critical Incident Stress Management Training?

Critical incident stress management training is extremely important for people working in professions that deal with or may have to deal with critical incidents. These events or incidents have the ability to destroy a person’s ability …

Critical Incident Stress Management

incident stress has been a recognized mental health concern for generations. World war I brought us the shell shocked soldier. During World War II the study of mental health had evolved, and the concept of battle fatigue became a …

Before a Critical Incident Strikes - The Pre-Incident Planning and …

Sometimes it can ease and shorten the period of recovery significantly. Safety managers know it and so do crisis professionals… Pre-incident planning is a crucial part of the work of critical incident stress management teams. …

Traumatic Stress Response team aids Airmen in coping with tragedy

Tragic accidents resulting in the loss of an Airman can happen anywhere at any time, whether it’s during a deployment, on the job stateside or even while home on leave. The Traumatic Stress Response team takes on the challenge of …

Hope you find this useful

Dawn Pugh

Bereavement Support

Are Bereavement support groups beneficial. I think this depends on the individual and their circumstances. 

Bereavement Support Groups

Learn the knowledge you need about bereavement support groups to make the right decision.

As rule of thumb bereavement counseling is not deemed as beneficial during the first 12 months as this is a natural grieving period: The first birthday, Christmas, in fact the first anniversary of everything. Although again it depends on the individual and impending circumstances. 

The Cheapest How to Go On Living When Someone You Love Dies

Plan funerals and personal bereavement rituals. How To Go on Living with Someone You Love Dies also includes a comprehensive resource listing and a chapter on finding professional help and support groups. …

Bereavement is not always about the loss of a person it can be the loss of a pet:

Loss of a dog.

You can seek help from pet bereavement counseling services, pet-loss support hotlines, and local or online bereavement group’s%

In fact loss can be about the change, changing a job, moving house, even a way of life. All of these sub categories will be discussed in subsequent posts.

 

 

 

Is it Beneficial to suffer in “Suicide Silence”?

Whether it’s recent deaths or past deaths, when a loved one commits suicide, relatives, spouses even friends experience a  roller coaster of emotions including grief, guilt, and depression and we can fluctuate between all of these for some time. Research have indicated that some family survivors may have particularly difficult grief reactions (complicated grief) and that counseling can be useful for the treatment of blame, shame, loss and anger which are all symptoms of grief.

Dutch Psychologists recently discovered a grief counseling program for families bereaved by suicide did not necessarily reduce grief or depression, but may help to prevent perceptions of blame among close relatives and spouses. This research is not conclusive and therefore I would state that the effectiveness of counseling is by individual choice.

Counseling had no beneficial effect on complicated grief, suicidal ideation or depression. However, after adjusting for several factors, the researchers did see a trend towards reduced perceptions of being to blame and fewer maladaptive grief reactions in the counseling group compared to the usual care group.

The authors suggest that having a chance in counseling to inform relatives of the psychiatric context in which suicide usually occurs, and reflect on and acknowledge their loved one’s difficulties before the suicide, may have helped relatives to realize that they did nothing wrong, or that they did all they possibly could do.

 I will say it again “This research is not conclusive and therefore I would state that counseling efficacy is by individual choice”.

Dawn Pugh

SIDS Sudden Infant death Syndrome

SIDS or Sudden infant death syndrome is one of the most devastating experiences any parent could face. There is no single infant death causes or sudden infant death syndrome prevention, which for the bereft can make it all the more unacceptable. Nothing can take away the pain or fill the baby’s place in your heart. But it may help to acknowledge your grief and share feelings with others who’ve had similar losses.

A Spiritual Perspective on Resolving the Grief of Sudden Infant Death

A heart-centred meditation is one spiritual means to help resolve the grief of a child or other loved one’s loss. The following article outlines the ten steps involved in completing such a meditation. It’s important to find social support for your grief. Acknowledging your baby’s death — as well as your lost hopes and dreams for the baby’s future — is an important part of the grieving process. An infant death is traumatic. You may be plagued with anger or guilt. Or perhaps you’re tormented by questions that simply can’t be answered. All of these emotions are NORMAL

SIDS - Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It’s defined as when as when a baby dies in the first year of life from no apparent cause. The causes still aren’t fully known, but in SIDS deaths, the baby’s recovery mechanisms if deprived of. As time goes on, your grief will begin to fade. Eventually you’ll find it easier to engage in other aspects of life. The first 12 months are the worst in any kind of loss. The first anniversaries without the loved one.

A Breakthrough in SIDS

While finding these two deadly bacteria are dangerous this is only their first step to finding out without a doubt if this is what causes the SIDS Death. Dr. Nigel Kleine, a professor at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children: …

Some Unusual Causes of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

There are several causes for SIDS, and more are being discovered each year. Being suffocated by bedding is certainly one of them, as is being rolled on by parents and being a passive infant smoker.

Dawn Pugh

 

 

 

 

Who Deletes Facebooks Profile

Facebook profile, my space profile, infact there are lots of social network site profiles. I recently read an very interesting article about profile sites, and what happens to ones profile page when one dies Unexpectedly. No one can view private profiles this eliminates profile snatchers as in identity theft. So is it the responsibility of the profile editors? Or do family and friends take it upon themselves to inform the social network website? 

“But what happens if you don’t want to keep your online profile after you die and what if your family don’t have access to your password to make a removal request? Are friends meant to remove you as a friend or keep you there even though you’re no longer alive? Should people be able to post on your wall and maybe alert others who do not know that you have passed on?” “The Times”

I think maybe the webmasters and profile generators should be informed and that they should have a standard notification telling all visitors that the owner of the profile is no longer alive.

But what are the chances of them getting this information? Especially as many online persona’s are just that, persona’s.

Maybe, just maybe, these online social networks were created to ensure that we live on forever. Suddenly the theory of eternal life makes sense to me. Source “The Times“

Let me know your views or even your experiences on this very sensitive issue….This is a good topic of conversation.

Dawn Pugh