• Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Natural Element
No Result
View All Result

A Three-Headed Monster: Mental Illness, Stigma, and Suicide

February 2, 2023


Suicide is one of the most misunderstood and stigmatized of human experiences. We need a call to arms, not in the sense of weapons, but rather with people working together.

Most suicides result from a combination of two things: a mental condition—depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress, traumatic brain injury, moral injury, survivors guilt, etc.—and aggravating social factors such as relationship problems, death of a loved one, loss of job and purpose, legal issues, or financial troubles. The destructive clash of these forces often ends in the loss of hope, then death by suicide.

This hits home personally.

Bipolar disorder struck me in 2003 while leading soldiers in war. The intense stress and thrill of combat set ablaze my genetic predisposition for bipolar. My DNA was but dry tinder that was lit by the match of battle.

For 12 months of combat, I was mostly manic, with hyper energy, creativity, problem-solving skills, and enthusiasm. I felt like Superman and was on a euphoric high. But, upon leaving Iraq, the adrenaline, dopamine, and endorphins of war faded, and I spiraled into months of depression.

I reported this to medical personnel, but I was deemed “fit for duty” because I was not suicidal, and I didn’t want to hurt anyone.

But, in reality, I had just completed my first bipolar cycle, from the summit of mania to the pit of depression.

For the next 11 years, I got much worse, cycling through increasing extremes of mania and depression until I rocketed into full-blown mania in 2014. My behavior was so bizarre and disruptive that I was removed from command and ordered a psychiatric evaluation. Three times that month, I was diagnosed as psychiatrically healthy and “fit for duty.”

But I wasn’t.

Four months later, I crashed into severe depression and psychosis, was diagnosed with bipolar disorder type I, and retired from active duty.

For the next two years, I was in a fight for my life. Hopeless, crippling depression and terrifying images of my own violent, bloody death filled my mind and dominated my life. Psychiatrists called these “passive suicidal ideations,” but for me, they were anything but passive—they were brutal, and in real, living color!

In a hellish space of absolute mental illness, I was blessed to have my strong wife and family, and a friend who helped get me into the VA, where I began a lifesaving path to recovery.

How Mental Illness Can Be Missed

In looking back, I wonder how my bipolar was missed for so many years by me, my family, and the Army.

After consideration, I have concluded the following:

  • First, bipolar and other mental conditions can be challenging to recognize and diagnose, even for medical professionals, especially for those practicing outside of psychiatry.
  • Second, family members are like the proverbial frog in a slowly heating pot of water; the slight changes over time are too small and incremental to draw attention or alarm.
  • Third, given the prevalence of stigma and misinformation, when someone does detect a mental condition, they are often reluctant to engage with the person.

Countermeasures

To move into a better future, countermeasures should include these:

  1. Train people to recognize symptoms of common mental conditions and empower them to refer the servicemember or colleague to medical professionals if they detect a problem.
  2. Develop “safe” channels of communication to report problems in a way that eliminates the need to officially record said communication.
  3. Expand the notion of a “battle buddy” to include peer-to-peer support.
  4. Implore senior leaders to have a confidante who can tell the boss “anything” about him, including how others see her behavior, the overall state of the organization, and what people are thinking and saying, all without the senior leader getting angry or punishing the confidante.
  5. Create a campaign that targets stigma as the villain to be defeated. Educate that mental conditions, like diabetes, are physiologically real, and not the fault of the afflicted, and are nothing to be ashamed about.

While I never moved from passive suicidal ideations into active ideations, I wanted to die, and I was in danger of killing myself. I share my story to illustrate how someone with a similar condition, left unchecked, could make that dark walk to suicide.

Mental conditions are complex and arise from multiple factors being present simultaneously. Therefore, they are outside the control of the afflicted and do not represent a character flaw or lack of willpower.

To prevail in this mission, we must change the perception of a person who has a mental condition. We must see them through the same lens we view a woman fighting breast cancer or a man struggling to overcome a chronic heart condition—battling a heroic cause.

And, we will know we are standing on the level ground of inclusion when the suicide attempt survivor and the person living with mental illness are extended concern, respect, and understanding, freely and without reservation.

Check yourself and your friends. If there are warning signs, get medical help immediately. It could be a matter of life and death.

Be a leader and spread the word.

Help stop the stigma, prevent suicides, and save lives!

If you or someone you love is contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. For help 24/7, dial 988 for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. To find a therapist near you, visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory.

With assistance from David Woods Bartley.

A version of this post also appears in Military Times.



Source_link

Share120Tweet75Share30

Related Posts

Social Media Addiction – All The News From Sikkim, India and The World
Mental Illness

Social Media Addiction – All The News From Sikkim, India and The World

February 2, 2023

Share Tweet Share Share Email Everything about Social Media Addiction Pakyong, 2 Feb: Over the past ten years, checking and browsing through social media has grown in popularity. Despite the fact that the majority of people’s use of...

1.28m M’sians suffering from schizophrenia
Mental Illness

1.28m M’sians suffering from schizophrenia

February 2, 2023

PETALING JAYA: About four out of every 100, or some 1.28 million Malaysians, are suffering from schizophrenia, and this does not account for those who have yet to be diagnosed, said psychiatrist Dr Chow Soon Ken. Chow, who is...

Why is IBS more common in females? – Beaufort South Carolina The Island News
Mental Illness

Why is IBS more common in females? – Beaufort South Carolina The Island News

February 1, 2023

more common in females? Experts do not fully understand what causes IBS, so they do not yet know why it is more common in females. That said, there are several theories.  Sex differences in IBS may occur due to...

What it’s like to have bariatric surgery as a teen.
Mental Illness

What it’s like to have bariatric surgery as a teen.

February 1, 2023

I was 17 when I lay on the operating table, wincing in pain as the anesthesia needle pierced the taut skin on the back of my hand. It was 2007, and the obesity epidemic was omnipresent, marking me a...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories

  • Anxiety (522)
  • Depression (152)
  • Meditation (246)
  • Mental Health (569)
  • Mental Illness (385)
  • Sound Therapy (2)
  • Stress Disorders (273)

Popular

  • Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    Stress Level Of Americans Is Rising Rapidly In 2022, New Study Finds

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • How Stress Affects Your Vision

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • 4 signs of burnout in your teen– and how to help them through it

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Helpful Resources During Suicide Prevention Month 2022 – My Brain’s Not Broken

    302 shares
    Share 121 Tweet 76
  • Anxiety Success Stories – Revealing Podcast Interview With Marcos Codas

    301 shares
    Share 120 Tweet 75

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2022 Naturalele.com | All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Mental Health
  • Depression
  • Meditation
  • Stress Disorders
  • Anxiety
  • Mental Illness
  • Contact Us
What Are Cookies
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT