IF YOU ARE BLESSED to actually sit down for a meal with family and if they are anything remotely like mine, it’s often mixed with the good and the bad that happened throughout the day. Thankfully, for many of us who have children or grandchildren, most schools are back to in-person learning, athletics are in full swing, after-school clubs are meeting once again, and most general community events are picking up where they left off despite COVID-19, which oddly resembled the “blip” experienced in the Marvel movie End Game. Unfortunately, what has emerged as a disturbing theme from all of this while chatting, not only at mealtime but during various discussions and meetings throughout the community, is the rise in suicide and related mental-health issues.
As a Behavioral Health Administrator for nearly 30 years with a background in social work, I have noticed that the clients we serve, as well as the staff we employ, have begun to distance COVID-19 and all the stress that came with it. I wish I could say the physical, financial, and mental baggage has been fully left behind, but the truth of the matter is, people are still processing and unloading. People are making progress; however, this will take time, grace, and space.
What would aid this process and expedite healing? I would suggest three actions:
Physical
Get to your primary care doctor for an annual checkup, even if it’s something you put off or don’t think you need. A good lab workup will identify what internal system may need to be tweaked. Additionally, seeking an eye and/or dental appointment is helpful as well. If you don’t feel well, it is likely you will not act well. Start moving—get up and get out of your dwelling where you have been isolated. A short 10- or 15-minute walk outside is a start and adds up over time, improving your overall wellbeing.
Financial
The stress of money is real. Gas, groceries, and just about everything is increasing in cost, and this can take a real toll on a person’s mood and perspective in life. Now is a good time to reset your annual budget and set realistic and manageable goals. If you don’t normally work with a budget, now would be a great time to consider putting one in place! Dave Ramsey has always been one of my favorite authors to reference for securing tips that help fight debt and promote savings, financial stability, and your overall wellbeing.
Mental
Don’t be surprised if you get hit with a burst of grief or anger out of the blue. It’s akin to a clipper weather system we quite often see move quickly across Northwest Ohio, when we get a brief but fierce rain or snowstorm. It’s when the storm sticks around or becomes more frequent that serious damage can begin to set in. If that sounds like you, I encourage you to seek help. Most people access mental health care through their primary care doctor, and most will prescribe a mild mood-stabilizing medication to treat milder depression and/or anxiety. Unfortunately, many people stop there and never seek a counselor, social worker, pastor, priest, or other spiritual leader to talk about and process what’s causing their mental-health symptoms. Society tends to look for a quick fix and often focuses on treating the symptoms of an illness. While this can bring initial stability, it can also leave a hole in one’s soul. Reach out and don’t wait to get help.
There are times when trauma or deeper mental-health concerns creep up very quickly and are so intense that thoughts of suicide occur. If that is happening to you or someone you love, get help immediately. You may call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours, at #800-273-8255, or utilize the Crisis Text: 4Hope to 741-741 as a starting point. Having a past attempt at suicide, having access to means to hurt oneself, having a plan to hurt oneself, and/or not taking interest in activities you once found enjoyable are all signs of deepening depression that needs to be immediately addressed with a professional clinician or social worker.
Many times, substance use can hold the hand of a mental-health issue. Professionals have argued for many years which came first: the mental-health issue or the addiction. What patients and experience have taught us is simple: treat the whole person. It is obvious that stabilizing one’s substance use and/or suicidal ideation is critically important and likely the first intervention that must occur. But ideally, addressing one’s mental health and addiction should occur concurrently. Experts have surmised that addiction and mental illness tend to feed off each other 68 to 75% of the time.
Talbot Health Services can help by calling #1-833-762-1013 or accessing our website at www.talbothealthservices.com. Call today and speak with an experienced staff member who will walk with you during this season of challenge. We offer convenient locations, including telehealth options, with readily available access to medication-assisted treatment and psychiatry. We also take various sources of insurance, including Medicaid and commercial insurances, to provide you with the best behavioral health care locally.
Matthew D. Rizzo is CEO of Talbot Health Services. ✲
