Mind Your Mind News - Issue 2

MIND YOUR MIND NEWS October 2021, Issue 2

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Contents From the Desk of Irene Barton Page Jul Page BIPOC Mental Healt Page Augus Page 1 Signs and Symptoms of Mental Health Condition Page 1 A Backpack Full of Self Compassio Page 1 Septembe Page 1 Suicide Prevention and Awarenes Page 1 The Second Arro Page 1 Thank You to our Sponso Page 1

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FROM THE DESK OF IRENE BARTON Dear Stakeholders, As I talk with people throughout our community, one consistent theme keeps arising "Can you believe we are still in this?" I don't know about you, but I have run out of adjectives to describe this time in our lives. We also continue to learn how the pandemic impacts various populations differently: Ser Familia reports a 231% increase in cases of child sexual abuse referred to their agency; the CDC reports that adults with disabilities experienced anxiety or depression and suicidal ideation than did adults without disabilities; and Mental Health America shared data that show that since the start of the pandemic, mental health-related emergency department visits increased by 31 percent for 12-17-year-olds, and 1 in 4 young adults contemplated suicide. Which makes the work of our mental health initiative all the more important and YOUR engagement to build a community of gatekeepers - taking care of others AND ourselves - all the more critical. A quote I recently heard and that we have used in our communications has stayed with me - “Statistics are people with the tears wiped away.”

We were pleased to host 23 capacity-building events directly related to mental health in the 3rd quarter, reaching 495 individuals. We have trainings and workshops scheduled throughout 2021 and are already building our 2022 calendar. We invite you to spend some time reading our quarterly #MindYourMind magazine and that you see a place where you can plug in. I look forward to serving alongside each of you as we work to improve outcomes for all children and families in Cobb.

Warmest regards,

Irene M. Barton Executive Director

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Some of the most comforting words in the universe are ‘me too.’ That moment when you nd out that your struggle is also someone else’s struggle, that you’re not alone, and that others have been down the same road.” – Unknown

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BIPOC Mental Health July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (also known as BIPOC Mental Health Month). This month was "created to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the U.S." Bebe was an author, journalist, teacher, mental health advocate and co-founder of NAMI Urban Los Angeles, whose work aimed to support the mental health needs of the Black community as well as other underrepresented communities.

Bebe began her work in mental health advocacy in 2003 with the release of her children's book entitled Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry. In 2005, she released 72 Hour Hold, a novel inspired by a family member with bipolar disorder. Sadly, Bebe lost her battle to brain cancer in 2006, but the work she did while with us continues to ripple through our communities creating positive impact and change. Nearly two years after her death, her movement to designate each July as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month found success. In 2008, Congressional Resolution 134 was approved and we have been celebrating her grit and perseverance in raising awareness around the topic of mental illness ever since. We take this month to celebrate, honor, learn, and continue her work as a pioneer in mental health for BIPOC communities and we couldn't be more grateful for her contribution.

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Supporting Mental Health in our Community As we seek to become a community that is trauma-informed, it is imperative that we take into consideration the speci c challenges groups face in regards to trauma and mental health care as well as practices of care that serve that community and build resiliency for them, by them. Regardless of race, class and socioeconomic status, mental health concerns pervade. While acknowledging this truth, we also recognize that there are speci c struggles that BIPOC communities face and certain barriers that limit access to care for these groups. Some of these barriers include but are not limited to Uninsured/underinsure Misdiagnosi Stigma surrounding mental illnes Lack of diversity and cultural competence among mental health provider Distrust in the health care system • In light of these barriers, these communities have thought beyond traditional healthcare and built resiliency in people of color, by people of color. While this doesn't excuse the ways in which we have failed people groups with our systems, it does prove that our thoughts and approaches to mental health care can not and should not be a one size ts all approach.

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BARRIERS LIMITING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR BIPOC COMMUNITIES

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A BACKPACK FULL OF SELF COMPASSION It’s back to school time. We all have long lists of things our kids need as they return to the classroom, and one thing we hope they have plenty of is self-compassion. Starting school can be an emotionally dif cult time for our kids. They are adjusting to new routines, new social dynamics, shifting expectations. In order to adjust to all of this transition, they need to know they are free to make mistakes and have painful moments.

How can we help our kids learn to be kind to themselves when they struggle? It takes practice to strengthen the self-kindness muscle just like any other muscle. A new school year is a good time to remind our kids that they, like all of us, are human and they are going to make mistakes and fail sometimes. It helps if we normalize how often we make mistakes too! Let your children or students know that rather than being abnormal, moments of challenge and hurt are actually something we all have in common. When we encourage our kids to try new things, and give them permission to get it wrong, we set them on a path to self-compassion. If kids know we won’t judge or shame them when they make mistakes, they are less likely to get caught up in self criticism. Another important thing we can do to help our kids build self-compassion is learn to manage our own discomfort with their mistakes and struggles. Of course we want to offer suggestions or nd solutions for whatever challenges our kids are facing, but we help them build self-compassion and emotional resilience when we slow down and validate their feelings before we jump to problem solving. When our kids are experiencing a wave of emotion - anger, sadness, guilt - what would it be like to simply say, “I can see how angry you are” or “It sounds like you are feeling pretty embarrassed”? Once the wave of intensity passes, their brain is more likely to be open to hear feedback and suggestions. When we learn to remain calm and grounded in the midst of our kids’ dif cult emotions, we help them develop the inner resources and self kindness they need to make it through, not just this year, but the rest of their lives.

Diane Hilleary, LCSW, CEDS - S Atlanta Center for Self-Compassion

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September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a cause the Cobb Collaborative is dedicated to pushing forward in our community. Suicide does not discriminate. It affects individuals in all stages of life, causing approximately 123 deaths per day in the United States and is the second leading cause of death in ages 10-34. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has only intensi ed the already prevalent mental health concerns, further proving the need for work and awareness in the mental health space. The work of the Collaborative seeks to bring awareness to the warning signs and symptoms of suicidality, teach action steps toward prevention, and help those who have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide. Visit our Suicide Prevention Webpage to learn more. We invite you to join us as we listen, learn, and act to prevent suicides. And remember, YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

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THE SECOND ARROW “A feeling of overwhelm is sitting heavy on my chest right now”. You are observing the feeling, acknowledging it is separate from you and naming that it won’t last forever - this feeling is only here for this moment.

Often when I feel hurt, overwhelmed or frustrated, I have a second set of feelings that are judgemental of the rst set. I notice myself feeling resentful about all the caretaking I’m doing and then I feel guilty for not counting my blessings. I notice feeling hurt about a loved one not meeting a need of mine and then I feel annoyed with myself for being so needy or sensitive. This is sometimes called The Second Arrow.

2. Remember that pain is a normal part of being human. No matter how people present themselves on the outside or on their social media, all of us are hurting in some way. When we are in a state of painful emotion, we often feel like this shouldn’t be happening or that we must have done something wrong. Can you pause for a moment and remind yourself that this state of hurt is actually normal and doesn’t mean you are doing life wrong?

The rst arrow is the painful moment we are in and the second arrow is our criticism of our pain. The second arrow adds more suffering to the painful moment by judging or invalidating the feelings we are experiencing. One way we can begin to be kind to ourselves is to try and avoid the second arrow. Judging painful emotions only increases our pain and keeps us stuck longer.

3. When you are in a moment of struggle or hurt, can you call to mind and body the tenderness you have felt towards someone else in your life when they are hurting - a pet, a small child, a dear friend? When you can generate in your body the care you feel for others, can you begin to practice turning it toward yourself? Everyone deserves kindness in moments of struggle including you

Avoiding the second arrow takes practice.

We have to override the way our brain has been doing things. Here are a few small steps we can start with 1. Begin by just observing your thoughts with curiosity and noticing your patterns and the stories you tell yourself. Think about the difference between saying: “I am overwhelmed,” and saying:

Diane Hilleary, LCSW, CEDS - S Atlanta Center For Self-Compassio

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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR

Resilient Georgia's mission is to lead a state-wide coalition to develop a closelyaligned and traumainformed public and private network working toward a united vision to create a birth through 26 year old integrated behavioral health system. Key components to be implemented by their partners include prevention, early intervention, research, advocacy and policy, and System of Care implementation and coordination.

Click here to learn more

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RESOURCES

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Mental Health Talk: Teen Depression

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My GCAL App

The S Word

https://tinyurl.com/545j3znv A suicide attempt survivor is on a mission to find fellow survivors and document their stories of courage, insight and humor. Along the way, she discovers a rising national movement transforming personal struggles into action

A Crisis Has No Schedule. That is why the MyGCAL App is designed to help young people in the state of Georgia access the Georgia Access and Crisis Line (GCAL) via chat, text, or phone call 24/7/365.

Mindful Self-Compassion

Mind Your Mind Speaks

tinyurl.com/mymspeaks Check out our podcast series where guests can share valuable insights to raise awareness, share mental health resources and inspire action throughout our community.

Diane Hillary talks the mental health bene ts of practicing self compassion.

We are all overwhelmed, and we can all bene t from this 6 minute session of encouraging support.

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Crisis Numbers When you are in a time of crisis, it can be dif cult to look up or remember crisis access lines. Make sure you have them saved in your phone so they are easily accessible in any moment.

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline⠀ 1-800-273-8255 ⠀ En Español: 1-888-628-9454⠀ For TTY Users: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 1-800-273-8255.⠀ The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and con dential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24/7.

Crisis Text Line⠀ Text MHA to 741741⠀ Crisis Text Line provides free, text-based support 24/7.⠀ Georgia Crisis & Access Line (GCAL) 1-800-715-422 A free 24/7 helpline providing mental health crisis assistance and access to mental health resources in Georgia.

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