HealthyLife Articles

Category: Mental Health

Suicidal Thoughts 2

Mental Health

Signs & Symptoms

* Writing a suicide note.

* Suicidal threats, gestures, or attempts.

* Thoughts of suicide that don’t go away or occur often.

Causes

* Depression.

* Bipolar disorder.

* Schizophrenia.

* Grief. Loss of a loved one.

* A side effect of some medicines. One is isotretinoin. This is prescribed for severe acne. Some antidepressants have this effect, too. This is more of a risk in the first days to the first month they are taken.

* A family history of suicide or depression.

* Money and relationship problems.

* Increasing use of alcohol and/or drugs.

* Withdrawing from others.

* Showing rage or seeking revenge.

* Behaving recklessly.

* Talking about feeling trapped, hopeless, or in unbearable pain.

Treatment

* Emergency care.

* Treating the mental and/or physical problems that lead to thoughts and attempts of suicide. Examples are bipolar disorder and depression.

* Counseling.

* Talking with family and friends often.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

For Suicidal Thoughts

* Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800.273.8255.

* Let someone know. Talk to your doctor, a trusted family member, friend, or teacher. If it is hard for you to talk to someone, write your thoughts down. Let someone else read them.

To Help Prevent a Suicide

* Keep firearms, drugs, etc., away from persons at risk.

* Take courses that teach problem solving, coping skills, and suicide awareness.

* If you think the person is serious about suicide, get help. Watch and protect him or her until you get help. Keep the person talking. Ask questions such as, “Are you thinking about hurting or killing yourself?”

* Urge the person to call for help (e.g., his or her health care provider, a suicide prevention hotline, EMS, etc.) Make the call yourself if the person can’t or won’t.

* Express concern. The person needs to know that someone cares. Most suicidal persons feel alone. Tell the person how much he or she means to you and others. Talk about reasons to stay alive. Don’t judge. The person needs someone to listen, not preach moral values.

* Tell the person that depression and thinking about suicide can be treated. Urge him or her to get professional care. Offer help in seeking care.

Resources

Mental Health America (MHA)

800.969.6642

mentalhealthamerica.net

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

800.273.TALK (273.8255)

suicidepreventionlifeline.org

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Eating Disorders 4

Mental Health

Common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa. With these, persons are obsessed with food and/or body weight. Eating disorders are a way to cope. They are serious health problems.

Signs & Symptoms

For Anorexia Nervosa

* Loss of a lot of weight in a short time.

* Intense, irrational fear of weight gain and/or of looking fat. Obsession with fat, calories, and weight.

* Distorted body image. Despite being below a normal weight for height and age, the person sees himself or herself as fat.

* A need to be perfect or in control in one area of life.

* Marked physical signs. These include loss of hair, slowed heart rate, and low blood pressure. The person feels cold due to a lowered body temperature. In females, menstrual periods can stop.

For Binge Eating Disorder

* Periods of nonstop eating that are not related to hunger.

* Impulsive binging on food without purging.

* Dieting and/or fasting over and over.

* Weight can range from normal weight to mild, moderate, or severe obesity.

For Bulimia Nervosa

* Repeated acts of binge eating and purging. Purging can be through vomiting; taking laxatives, water pills, and/or diet pills; fasting; and exercising a lot to “undo” the binge.

* Excessive concern about body weight.

* Being overweight, underweight, or normal weight.

* Dieting often.

* Dental problems. Mouth sores. Chronic sore throat.

* Spending a lot of time in bathrooms.

* Because of binge-purge cycles, severe health problems can occur. These include an irregular heartbeat and damage to the stomach, kidneys and bones.

Causes

An exact cause has not been found. Persons from all backgrounds, ages, and genders are affected.

Risk Factors for Eating Disorders

* A family history of eating disorders.

* Pressure from society to be thin.

* Personal and family pressures.

* Sexual, physical, or alcohol abuse in the past.

* Fear of starting puberty. Fear of having sex.

* Pressure for athletes to lose weight or to be thin for competitive sports.

* Chronic dieting.

Treatment

* Counseling. This can be individual, family, group, and/or behavioral therapy.

* Support groups.

* Medication.

* Nutrition therapy.

* Outpatient treatment programs.

* Hospitalization, if needed.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

Eating disorders need professional treatment.

To Help Prevent an Eating Disorder

* Learn to accept yourself and your body. You don’t need to be or look like anyone else. Spend time with people who accept you as you are, not people who focus on “thinness.”

* Know that self-esteem does not have to depend on body weight.

* Eat nutritious foods. Focus on whole grains, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy foods, and low-fat meats.

* Commit to a goal of normal eating. Realize that this will take time. It will also take courage to fight fears of gaining weight.

* Don’t skip meals. If you do, you are more likely to binge when you eat.

* Avoid white flour, sugar and foods high in sugar and fat, such as cakes, cookies, and pastries. Bulimics tend to binge on junk food. The more they eat, the more they want.

* Find success in things that you do.

* Get regular moderate exercise 3 to 4 times a week. If you exercise more than your doctor advises, do non-exercise activities with friends and family.

* Learn as much as you can about eating disorders from books and places that deal with them.

* To help their children avoid eating disorders, parents should promote a balance between their child’s competing needs for independence and family involvement.

To Treat an Eating Disorder

* Follow your treatment plan.

* Attend counseling sessions and/or support group meetings as scheduled.

* Identify feelings before, during, and after you overeat, binge, purge, or restrict food intake. What is it that you are hoping the food will do?

* Set small goals that you can easily reach. Congratulate yourself for every success. This is a process. Accept setbacks. Learn from them.

* Talk to someone instead of turning to food.

* Learn to express your rights. You have the right to say “no” and the right to express your feelings and your opinions. You have the right to ask that your needs are met.

* Keep a journal of your progress, feelings, thoughts, etc., but not about what you eat. The journal is just for you, not for others to read or judge. This is a safe place to be honest with yourself. The journal can also help you identify your “triggers” so that you can deal with them in the future.

* Don’t let the scale run your life. Better yet, throw out the scale!

Resources

Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention

202.382.3587

nationaleatingdisorders.org

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Violence & Abuse

Mental Health

Violence is the intended use or threat of force or power against one or more persons or even oneself. It results in physical or emotional harm, deprivation, or, too often, death. Worldwide, violence causes 44% of deaths among males; 7% among females.

Abuse is one form of violence. It can be emotional, physical, economic, and/or sexual.

Violence and abuse are law and order issues, as well as, personal and public health issues.

Signs & Symptoms

A person who commits violence and abuse does the things listed below. The signs often progress from ones that cause less harm to ones that can threaten life.

* Uses verbal abuse, such as name calling.

* Acts possessive and extremely jealous.

* Has a bad temper. Does violent acts in front of others, but doesn’t harm them. An example is putting a fist through a wall.

* Gives threats.

* Acts cruel to animals.

* Pushes, slaps, and/or restrains others.

* Punches. Kicks. Bites. Sexually assaults.

* Chokes others. Breaks bones. Uses weapons.

Causes

Violence and abuse are ways to gain and keep control over others. Persons who commit violence or abuse come from all groups and backgrounds. Often, they have these problems:

* Poor skills to communicate.

* A family history of violence. They may have been abused in the past. They may have seen one parent beat the other.

* Alcohol or drug abuse.

Treatment

Treatment for the victim of abuse or violence depends on the situation and includes:

* Emergency medical care. Calling the police.

* Going to a safe place, such as a shelter for victims of abuse.

* Counseling.

* Training to be assertive.

In general, persons who abuse others or commit violence find it hard to change their behavior without professional help.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

To Handle Being in an Abusive Relationship

* Get help!

* Have a safety plan for times you feel unsafe or in danger.

– Decide who you will call (e.g., police, neighbors, relatives, a shelter). Make a list of these telephone numbers. Memorize them, too.

– Decide where you will go. If you have children and pets, develop safety plans. Practice the safety plans with your children. Have a plan for taking them with you. Have plans for where they should go if you can’t get away.

– Keep extra keys to your car and house in a safe place unknown to the person abusing you.

– Put some cash in a safe place that you can get quickly in case you need money for transportation to a safe place.

To Manage Conflict Without Violence

* When you communicate, state your needs without putting others down.

* Learn to deal with frustration, rejection, ridicule, jealousy, and anger.

* Accept differences in others. This includes sexual preferences, ethnic and religious backgrounds, etc. You do not need to change your beliefs, but don’t expect other persons to change theirs, either.

* Be an active listener. Focus on what the other person is saying. Try to understand his or her point of view. Or, simply accept it as an opinion.

* Take a course that teaches skills to manage conflict.

* When you can’t resolve a conflict on your own, get help.

Resources

National Center for Victims of Crime

202.467.8700

www.ncvc.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline

800.799.7233

www.thehotline.org

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Gambling Problems

Mental Health

For most people, gambling is a social event done responsibly. For as much as 4% of all adults, though, gambling can disrupt their lives. About 2 million (1%) of adults in the U.S. meet the criteria for pathological gambling.

Another 4 to 8 million persons (2-3%) are problem gamblers. They are not pathological gamblers, but have problems due to gambling.

Signs & Symptoms

For Pathological Gambling

Pathological gamblers are addicted to gambling. They do 5 or more of these things:

* They are pre-occupied with gambling. They dwell on past gambling events, plan future gambling bouts, and/or think about ways to get money to gamble with.

* They need to increase the amount of money to gamble with to get a desired level of excitement.

* They have tried to control, limit, or stop gambling without success.

* They are restless or very cranky when they try to limit or stop gambling.

* They gamble to escape problems or to relieve negative feelings.

* They gamble to get even for past gambling losses.

* They lie to others to hide how much they are involved with gambling.

* They have stolen or done another illegal act to get money for gambling.

* They have lost a job, a relationship, etc., due to gambling.

* They rely on others to bail them out from money problems due to gambling.

Other Problems Pathological Gamblers Have

* They abuse alcohol or drugs.

* They sleep poorly.

* They are prone to stress-related conditions, such as high blood pressure, headaches, and mood disorders, such as depression.

* They have thoughts of suicide.

* They gamble constantly.

* They want to have wealth and material goods without working hard to get them.

* They think that money is both the cause of and solution to all of their problems.

* They feel important or “in control” and over-confident while betting.

Causes

Problem gambling occurs when gambling can’t be controlled. It may follow years of social gambling, but then may be set into motion by a stressful event or greater exposure to gambling.

Problem gamblers report that one or both parents had a drinking and/or gambling problem.

Treatment

Problem gambling is an illness. It needs professional treatment.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

Along with professional treatment:

* Learn all you can about gambling and its effects.

* Contact Gamblers Anonymous (GA).

* Ask your family and friends to help you take part in non-gambling activities.

* When you feel compelled to gamble, do something else. Exercise. Take a warm bath or shower. Spend time on a hobby.

* Get involved in school, church, and community activities. These can help distract you from gambling.

Resources

Gamblers Anonymous International Service Office

213.386.8789

gamblersanonymous.org

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Good Grief

Mental Health

Going through stages of loss is normal.

Grief is a deep sadness that results from a major or minor loss. It can last weeks, months, or years. Understanding the normal stages of grief, the passage of time, and self-care measures treat most cases of grief. Sometimes, counseling is needed.

Stages of grief

Shock: You feel dazed and numb.

Denial and searching:

You are in a state of disbelief. You ask, “Why did this happen?” or “Why didn’t I prevent this?” You look for ways to keep your loved one or the loss with you. You think you see or hear the deceased person. You begin to feel that the loss is real.

Suffering and disorganization:

You feel guilty, anxious, depressed, lonely, and afraid. You may place blame on everything and everyone. You may have headaches, constant fatigue, and/or shortness of breath. You withdraw from routine and social contacts.

Recovery and acceptance:

You start seeing a future instead of dwelling on the past. You adjust to the reality of the loss. You develop new relationships and a positive attitude.

Self-care:

* Eat regular meals. Do regular exercise.

* Express your emotions to family and friends. Be with others, especially during the holidays.

* Try not to make major life changes, such as moving during the first year of grieving.

* Join a bereavement support group. Read self-help books about dealing with grief and death.

* Adopt a pet.

Causes of grief:

* The death of a family member or friend

* A divorce or sending a child off to college

* A new or lost job. A promotion, demotion, or retirement.

* An illness, injury, or disability

* Moving to a new location or loss of property

Action Step

If grief keeps you from coping on a daily basis, triggers thoughts of suicide, or causes you to overuse medication or alcohol, seek professional help.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Grief / Bereavement

Mental Health

Grief is a deep sadness or sorrow that results from a loss. The loss can be a major or minor one. It can result from something positive or negative. Bereavement is grieving most often linked with the death of a loved one.

Signs & Symptoms

Stages of Grief

1. Shock.

You feel dazed or numb.

2. Denial and searching.

* You are in a state of disbelief.

* You ask questions, such as, “Why did this happen?” or “Why didn’t I prevent this?”

* You look for ways to keep your loved one or loss with you.

* You think you see or hear the deceased person.

* You begin to feel that the loss is real.

3. Suffering and disorganization.

* You feel guilty, anxious, depressed, lonely, afraid, etc.

* You may place blame on everyone and everything.

* You may get physical symptoms. These include headaches, stomachaches, constant fatigue, and/or shortness of breath.

* You withdraw from routine and social contacts.

4. Recovery and acceptance.

* You begin to look at the future instead of dwelling on the past.

* You adjust to the reality of the loss.

* You develop new relationships.

* You develop a positive attitude.

Grieving the loss of a loved one can last weeks, months, or years.

Causes

* A new or lost job, a promotion, demotion, or retirement.

* Relationship changes, such as getting divorced or having a child leave home.

* An illness, injury, and/or disability.

* The death of a family member or friend. Loss of property. Moving to a new place.

Factors that shape a person’s response to a loss, such as death include:

* Age, gender, and health.

* How sudden the loss was.

* Cultural background. Religious beliefs.

* Finances.

* Social network.

* History of other losses or traumatic events.

Each of these factors can add to or reduce the pain of grieving.

Treatment

Understanding the normal stages of grief, the passage of time, and self-care measures treat most cases of grief. When these are not enough, counseling can help.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

* Eat regular meals.

* Get regular physical activity.

* Allow friends and family to help you. Don’t hold your feelings inside. State how you really feel. Visit them, especially during the holidays, if you would otherwise be alone. Travel during the holidays if this helps.

* Share and maintain memories of a lost loved one. Being reminded of the past can help with the process of coming to grips with a loss.

* Try not to make major life changes, such as moving during the first year of grieving.

* Join a support group for the bereaved. People and places to contact include your EAP representative, your student counseling center, churches or synagogues, funeral homes, and hospice centers.

* Adopt a pet.

* Read self-help books about grief and death.

Resources

AARP Grief Support

www.aarp.org/family/lifeafterloss

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Manger Anger

Mental Health

Don’t let mental wrath create physical problems.

“Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” – Buddha

Too much or chronic anger can lead to depression, headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure, or problems with alcohol or drugs. It can also trigger domestic violence, property damage, or road rage.

Learn to manage anger.

Managing your anger can enhance emotional well-being and lead to a happier, healthier life.

* Share your anger with a trusted friend, family member, teacher, etc.

* Express your feelings in ways that don’t offend or accuse others.

* Keep a record of reasons and times you have too much anger. You may start to see patterns that can be changed.

* Channel your energy in positive ways. Write poetry, clean out your cabinets, or take a walk.

* Distract yourself. Play music.

* Learn to accept things that you cannot change, such as traffic jams.

* Lighten up. Look for humor in situations that result in anger.

* Meditate or do yoga.

* Think before you act or speak.

* Eat healthy foods and don’t skip meals.

Signs of anger:

* Feeling restless

* Clenched teeth

* Trembling lips or hands

* Increased heart rate or blood pressure

* Yelling. Slamming doors.

* Being less productive

* Sleeping problems

* Violent outbursts

Action Step

If anger interferes with your day-to-day life or has caused physical or emotional harm to you or someone else, seek help from your doctor or a mental health care provider.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026