Meant to Live

Did you know that women are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men?

It shouldn't be all that surprising. Just think of all the things our bodies go through — puberty, PMS, birth control, pregnancy, postpartum and menopause, to name a few. All of these things cause changes in our hormone levels, and this can alter the neurotransmitters that affect our mood.

But it's not just hormonal changes that make depression more likely in women. It's also the inequalities we still face. We still experience a pay gap and unequal power in the workplace, with women holding only 35% of senior leadership positions. Women are also more likely to experience sexual harassment and abuse than our male counterparts. In fact, 81% of women, compared to 43% of men, have experienced some type of sexual harassment in their lives.

Of course, on top of all this, we also experience more body image issues than men. According to the U.S. Office on Women, "This may be because many women in the United States feel pressured to measure up to strict and unrealistic social and cultural beauty ideals, which can lead to a negative body image. ... Young girls and teens are more likely to be praised for how they look than for their thoughts or actions."

The craziest thing of all is that often, these pressures, judgements and ideals are coming from OTHER WOMEN! Umm...seriously? We know what it's like to struggle with everything mentioned above, so shouldn't we have each other's backs? Shouldn't we be able to rely on each other for support?

But the sad truth is that this is often not the case.

I recently saw a photoshoot posted on social media of Millie Bobby Brown and Saddie Sink, the young actresses of "Stranger Things." When I looked at the comments, nearly all of them were comparing the two. "Millie is more beautiful," and "No, Saddie is." And most of these comments were from, you guessed it — women!

I couldn't help but think, "What if either of them read this comments?!" And it made me sick. Why do we find the need to compare women, and why do we feel the need to pit two women against each other? And, even more so, why do we feel the need to constantly comment on the way women look? Not a single comment was about their talent, like, "Wow, these are two amazing actresses!"

Can you imagine if there was an image of two of their co-stars, like Finn Wolfhard and Noah Schapp? Would many — or ANY — of the comments be about which one is better looking? I can almost guarantee that, if there were any comments like these, none would be from men degrading other men's looks. So why do women do it?

I can't even tell you the number of times I've heard a woman find her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend on social media — and absolutely destroy the way she looks. They'll analyze everything about her and make fun of her. I get it, you're mad at the guy — but why do we project this anger onto another woman who did nothing wrong? Why do we degrade her and say things about her we would never want anyone to say about us?

This is wrong, and it's a cycle that needs to stop. Women putting other women down. Women fighting other women over men. Women talking bad about other women behind their backs. Sometimes, we're seriously our own worst enemy.

Think of all that women could accomplish if we just had each other's backs, instead of competing with one another. Of course it's not a cure-all for depression, but I really do believe, if more women supported other women, our mental health would significantly benefit from it.

As women, we need to do better at supporting each other

Did you know that women are more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with depression than men? It shouldn't be all that surprising. Ju...

Over the weekend, I donned a band tee, ripped skinny jeans, and Vans to attend the Emo Night Brooklyn show in Detroit. And, at the event, someone said something that stuck with me —"Emos are the suicidal youth who survived. That's why I love us."

Emo, of course, is short for "emotional." So it's no wonder that many of us who were drawn to emo music as teens grew up to be diagnosed with a mental illness. No, I'm not saying emo music causes depression — but, according to a study by the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, it is more likely for depressed teenagers to turn to music for support.

For me, I first discovered emo and pop-punk music in 2003, my sophomore year, when I noticed someone in my class wearing Dashboard Confessional and Lostprophets band tees. I had never heard of the bands but, for some reason, decided to impulsively buy their CDs with my allowance — just based on a random classmate's shirts.

Listening to their music, I was instantly hooked — a love which grew even more thanks to the release of the emo-filled "Spider-man 2" soundtrack in 2004. Even though my family didn't have cable, I would watch MTV whenever we would go on vacation — discovering songs like "Fat Lip" by Sum 41, "Helena" by My Chemical Romance, "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence, "Ocean Avenue" by Yellowcard and "Sugar We're Goin' Down" by Fall Out Boy.

This was some of the first music I fell in love with on my own, not because my parents or my friends liked it, but because I was inspired by the lyrics — lyrics which I, of course, would doodle in my notebooks or use to caption my MySpace photos. At the time, I didn't really know that these songs were considered "emo." All I knew was that "emo" was a word that "popular" kids used to make fun of their sensitive, shy, eye-liner-wearing peers — a word which I definitely had been called when going through my own depression in high school. So, as a teenager, I thought "emo" was an insult.

According to an article in the Daily Dot, "Much of the impetus behind emo hate mirrors the stigma associated with mental illness — a distinct and serious problem among teenagers. ... When emo is made a target of ridicule, kids who turn to the music while struggling against a mental illness are likewise pushed further from the care they require."

Now, about 20 years later, thanks to the modern emo/pop-punk revival and the fight to destigmatize mental illness, more and more people are realizing that being emotional, struggling with depression, and relating to these sometimes sad and angry songs — it's nothing to be ashamed of.

And now, us teenage outcasts are in our 30s and 40s, and we're self-realized adults who still join together to appreciate the music and celebrate that we survived our collective mental illnesses. While we may not have been cool kids, I think we're pretty damn cool adults if I say so myself.

How emo music helped me realize I had a mental illness

Over the weekend, I donned a band tee, ripped skinny jeans, and Vans to attend the Emo Night Brooklyn show in Detroit. And, at the event, ...

Before I had a name for my anxiety disorder, I thought of it as a demon, possessing my brain. As a child, my anxiety – or the monster in the back of my head – would plague me with intrusive thoughts – like "You should shave off all your hair," "You should walk out into traffic," or "You should tell your parents you hate them" (which of course wasn't true).

I would obsessively think, “If this happens…then this will happen.” Like, while watching the news on a snowy morning, “If you don’t get a snow day today, your dad will get cancer.” Or in gym class, “If you don’t make this basket, you’ll go to hell when you die.” (And trust me, I hardly ever made the basket).

I never talk about this because I always thought it made me crazy. I thought it wasn’t normal. But, after reading author Josh Malerman’s latest novel “Daphne,” it gave me the strength to open up and to realize that I’m not alone.

I related a lot to Josh’s character Kit Lamb, a teenager who struggles with anxiety disorder, has a bottle of Xanax in her nightstand drawer, finds comfort in writing in her journal, and called 9-1-1 on herself the first time she experienced a panic attack. The comparison obviously stops when it comes to Kit’s basketball abilities – but, still, like her, I would also ask the rim questions, whether it was the basketball hoop in gym class or in our driveway.

The book starts with Kit asking the rim, “Will Daphne kill me?” right before she makes the game-winning shot. According to the myth – which the team first heard about the night before the game – Daphne was listening to music in her car and fell asleep before girls from the basketball team closed the garage door on her, and she died from carbon monoxide poisoning. Now, Daphne kills anyone who dares to think of her – specifically targeting members of the girl’s basketball team.

Josh uses his platform to raise awareness of mental health and anxiety disorder through Daphne – the ghost of this 7-foot-tall denim wearing mad woman who is quite literally manifested by anxiety and overthinking. Okay yeah, that’s terrifying – if there was a monster manifested by anxiety, I would definitely be among the first to die. But there was also something therapeutic and hopeful about this book as Josh flipped this idea on its head – making the most anxious person in the story also the most heroic and brave.

As Josh writes in his book, “I can’t stop thinking about Daphne any more than I can stop writing about anxiety. Know what? Watch me now. Let’s just go for it: ANXIETY. See? Doesn’t that feel good? Sure does. Because that’s me and I don’t know who I’d be without it. And guess what? I kinda like me. That’s right. I kinda like the person I am.”

Just like in Josh’s book, when people are told not to talk about Daphne – it’s kind of like growing up and being taught not to talk about mental illness and suicide. I used to think, if you talk about it, people are more likely to die from it. But the opposite is true. When we talk about it, people are more likely to get help. When we talk about it, people are less likely to feel alone. And, most importantly, when we talk about it, we stop thinking that something is wrong with us because of our mental illness. Instead, we start to accept – and even appreciate – that part of ourselves.

As Josh writes, “May you, reader, never keep quiet about the things that need talking about. ... And if you, reader, suffer any degree of anxiety, please know, you are absolutely not alone."

Thank you to Josh for writing this book that has helped me and so many others with anxiety disorder feel less alone!

Author Josh Malerman writes a horror novel about anxiety

Before I had a name for my anxiety disorder, I thought of it as a demon, possessing my brain. As a child, my anxiety – or the monster in t...

It would be awesome to be able to teleport — it would save me a lot on gas, and I could travel the world in the blink of the eye. But when I think about what superpower I would want most, my first thought is something more boring. It's a "superpower" that a lot of people already have — the ability to function on little sleep.

After the holidays, it’s been hard for me to get my sleep schedule back on track. Last night, I got five hours of sleep — staying up until 1 a.m. and waking up a little after 6 a.m. with my body wide awake (my brain was a different story). For some of you, that's probably just a normal day. But, for me, even after two big ol' cups of coffee, I felt physically and mentally drained.

My fiancé can function on little sleep. A lot of people I know can function on little sleep. But me — I am not one of them, even though I wish I was. Just think of all the things I could accomplish if I could survive on four to five hours, instead of my required eight hours of sleep a night.

And, it made me think – does someone with a mental health condition, like my anxiety disorder, need more sleep than someone without it?

According to a 2019 study in the journal Nature Human Behaviour, sleep loss is linked to impaired medial prefrontal cortex activity. The study shows that the deep phase of sleep is a natural anxiety reliever while a sleepless night is shown to raise anxiety levels by 30%.

For those of us who already have an abnormal prefrontal cortex thanks to a mental illness, it’s no wonder that a lack of sleep affects us even more than our neurotypical friends. Even moderate reductions in sleep from night-to-night can result in significant day-to-day increases in anxiety.

According to an article on Anxiety.org, one of the first pieces of advice a therapist should give to a client suffering from anxiety or depression is this: “Go home and commit to getting eight hours of sleep every night this week."

The article states, “The amount of sleep a person gets influences symptoms stemming from mental disorders. For example, disrupted sleep can trigger agitation and hyperactivity in people with manic depression. Even in otherwise healthy people, extreme sleep deprivation can lead to what seems to be a psychotic state of paranoia and hallucinations.”

There are many health benefits that come from committing to seven to nine hours of sleep each night. I’ve already talked about how it can reduce stress. Sleep also helps boost your immune system, strengthen your heart, prevent weight gain, improve memory, and increase productivity.

So, what have we learned today? I've learned that, instead of wishing I could have the sleeping habits of a vampire in “Twilight,” I need to view sleep as a form of self-care. It’s not a waste of time; in fact, sleep helps keep you alive.

If you have trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor. Check out this guide to healthy sleep from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Do you need more sleep if you have a mental health condition?

It would be awesome to be able to teleport — it would save me a lot on gas, and I could travel the world in the blink of the eye. But when I...

When someone loses their life to suicide, it's easy to blame them, and it's easy to blame ourselves. How could they do that? How could they leave us? And how could we not have known they were struggling?

No matter how far we've come in raising awareness about mental illness, there is definitely still a stigma around it — especially when it comes to suicide. There's a stigma that talking about it makes a person more likely to do it, and there's a stigma that people considering suicide are weak or selfish. Neither of these are true. The real truth is that what perpetuates suicide most is the stigma itself.

"The unfortunate impact of stigma around suicide is people not seeking help when they need it. ... (They) internalize their feelings of shame because of this perception of how their peers and society view them. If a person has experienced stigma in the past, they may be reluctant to reach out for help again," an article by the Australian Government Department of Health's Suicide Call Back Service states.

Last week, thousands of people's hearts collectively broke with the news of Stephen "tWitch" Boss' death. His wife Allison Holker described tWitch as a man who lit up every room he walked into, was the backbone of their family, and was the best husband and father. So, everyone was shocked when they found out his cause of death was suicide.

Justin Timberlake tweeted, "It’s heartbreaking to hear that someone who brought so much joy to a room, was hurting so much behind closed doors. ... You just never know what someone is really going through. Take care of yourselves. LOVE that human in the mirror. Check on your people."

The former “So You Think You Can Dance” contestant and “Ellen DeGeneres Show” DJ didn't talk about his struggles. His grandfather Eddy said tWitch seemed just as happy-go-lucky as ever and showed no signs of mental health struggles or indication that anything was out of the ordinary.

Seeking professional help for a mental illness needs to be just as commonplace as getting treatment for any other physical disease. But according to Mental Health America, more than half (54.7%) of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment. And research shows that the stigma is even higher in the Black community.

According to McLean Hospital, "Black men, especially, receive the message to be strong and to deal with problems on their own. This masking of issues can lead to greater symptoms of anxiety and depression."

By talking about and memorializing tWitch, I'm hopeful that more and more people will realize that suicide can happen to anyone, and it's something we should all talk about before it's too late. We need to put a stop to the stigma that mental illness and suicidal ideations are weaknesses — because they're not. It's a disease, and it's no one's fault.

In response to tWitch's death, clinical psychologist Dr. Rheeda Walker told People Magazine, "If individuals felt that they could get the help they needed and without judgment, I do feel that more people would get help. ... I believe that we have the tools to navigate our social circumstances, but we first have to recognize that there is indeed a crisis brewing just below the surface."

So I encourage you to talk about mental illness and suicide. Stop treating it like a taboo subject because it shouldn't be. Make it as common as telling a friend, "Oh my back hurts today!" or "Ugh I have a splitting headache!" You don't have to silently suffer. And the more you talk about it, the more others will feel comfortable talking about it too.

If you are struggling with your mental health, help is available. Talk to your primary care physician, who can treat mental health conditions or refer you to a psychiatrist or therapist for additional help. If you or someone you know is considering suicide, call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, please don't stay silent

When someone loses their life to suicide, it's easy to blame them, and it's easy to blame ourselves. How could they do that? How cou...

I never met my grandpa on my dad’s side – he died long before I was even an idea and when several of his 14 children were still just kids. But I do know that he struggled with alcoholism, and so I’ve been taught from a young age to be careful and to be on the lookout for symptoms of substance abuse because it does run in the family.

In fact, at least half of a person's susceptibility to drug or alcohol addiction can be linked to genetic factors, according to the American Psychological Association. Other risk factors include untreated or unmanaged mental illness, early use of substances, peer pressure, lack of family involvement, and taking a highly addictive drug.

Substance use disorder affects more than 20 million Americans, according to John Hopkins Medicine. You are not alone. Addiction is a disease, and it’s not your fault – but the way you respond to it is your responsibility and it definitely doesn't excuse the way you treat others.

I have heard stories all my life about how addiction can affect someone. It can change your personality, impact your ability to make rational decisions, increase your anger and selfishness, and slowly destroy your vital systems and functions. It affects not only you, but everyone around you – your significant other, your children, your friends and your co-workers. For me, if my grandfather sought help for his substance use disorder, maybe I would have had the chance to meet him and a lot of the mistakes he made in his life could have been avoided.

So, please, before it's too late, seek help! If you’re worried about yourself or a loved one and you don’t know what to do, a good first step is to visit the website StartYourRecovery.org. There, all in one place, you can find personalized information based on who you are – whether you’re a teen, a parent, a senior, a veteran, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, etc. – and the substance you are struggling with. You can learn about risk factors and treatment options, hear from others who have dealt with similar struggles, and find support near you.

The team at the public health communications firm Reingold developed StartYourRecovery.org because they realized, when it came to substance use disorder, the resources out there were severely lacking. So, in 2016, they decided to create a one-stop-shop for individuals to have easy access to treatment options as soon as they’re ready to find help. Today, the website connects more than 800,000 people a year to substance use disorder treatment.

Brooks Lape, co-founder of StartYourRecovery.org and senior director of digital marketing at Reingold, said, as someone who is in recovery himself, this has really been a passion project for him. He’s helped make sure the website includes everything he would have wanted – such as non-stigmatizing language and information about multiple pathways to recovery.

“Recovery is less about abstaining from use and more about what’s preventing you from living the life that you want,” he said. “We’re working to raise the bar for the entire industry, and we’re working hand-in-hand with thought leaders across a number of different leading organizations to make sure we get this right.”

Click here to find rehab centers, counseling, and support groups available near you.

What to do if you’re worried about yours or a loved ones’ substance use

I never met my grandpa on my dad’s side – he died long before I was even an idea and when several of his 14 children were still just kids. B...

I’ve recently seen several Instagram reels of people who joke that you’re mentally unstable if your favorite holiday is Halloween (see below for an example). While this may be a broad generalization, I can attest, for me personally, that yes – this is very much correct!

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So, if you’re mentally unstable, is Halloween really more likely to be your favorite holiday? I’m not sure, but I do know that most of my friends who I’ve bonded with over our kindred mental illnesses have also bonded with me about our mutual love of Halloween.

For me, Halloween is my favorite holiday because it’s the one holiday when you don’t have to think about others. You don’t have to get anybody gifts or prepare an elaborate turkey dinner or squeeze in all the family get togethers. Instead, Halloween time is just about dressing up as someone else for the day, pigging out on sweets, drinking cider, and watching spooky movies.

Maybe that sounds selfish. But, as an anxious person, I think about others all the time, sometimes to a fault. My anxiety disorder has helped me be a very empathic person. But it’s also made me always terrified, for no reason, that people are mad at me, and it’s made me really bad at saying “No,” even when it harms my own mental health.

So, yeah, Christmas is a stressful time of year for me. Stressing out about getting the perfect gift for everyone. Stressing out about who I should get a gift for – if I bought a gift for everyone who bought me a gift or not. Stressing out if I forgot anyone or I’m going to make anyone mad – even more than usual. Stressing out about money. Stressing out about fitting everything in that I need to do.

But, during Halloween, I don’t have to worry about any of that. I only have to think about doing what I want to do (and, since Christmas is my fiancé’s favorite holiday, I get full reign over what we do on my favorite holiday – it’s only fair).

In October, I can dress up in a ridiculous outfit – like a tutu and a clown wig and too much eyeliner – and no one will judge me. And as someone with anxiety, it’s comforting to have a holiday where you’re celebrated for being weird.

Also, this time of year, instead of cheesy romantic holiday movies (no shade to these flicks though), I can watch movies that make me feel amazing about my life and my problems by comparison (although, who am I kidding – I watch these movies all year round). While I may have panic attacks on the regular, with horror movies, it’s nice to put in prospective that at least I’m not being chased by Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees.

Arash Javanbakht and Linda Saab, assistant professors of psychiatry at Wayne State University, gave another reason why people like me hold a particular fondness to the holiday. It’s because Halloween allows us to engage with dangerous things in a safe space and redirect our fear into excitement.

“Our studies and clinical interactions suggest that a major factor in how we experience fear has to do with the context. When our ‘thinking’ brain gives feedback to our ‘emotional’ brain and we perceive ourselves as being in a safe space, we can then quickly shift the way we experience that high arousal state, going from one of fear to one of enjoyment or excitement,” they write in the online magazine Inverse.

“Fear (also) creates distraction, which can be a positive experience. When something scary happens, in that moment, we are on high alert and not preoccupied with other things that might be on our mind, which brings us to the here and now.”

If Halloween is your favorite holiday, does that make you mentally unstable?

I’ve recently seen several Instagram reels of people who joke that you’re mentally unstable if your favorite holiday is Halloween (see below...

In its first in-person event since the onset of COVID, the Oakland County Suicide Prevention Task Force held a suicide prevention community discussion on Wednesday, Sept. 28. Around 100 people attended virtually or in person at Oakland Community Health Network in Troy.

The Task Force’s primary goal was to get the community together again to stress the importance of everyone’s role in helping to prevent suicide. The theme was Your Role in Suicide Prevention: A Call to Action — in other words how each community member can assist with suicide prevention.

The event was a safe space to share stories and spread awareness of how people can help those around them who are experiencing thoughts of suicide. Featured were experts, individuals who struggle with their mental health, and individuals with family members who struggle with their mental health.

Highlights of the Day

Oakland County Executive David Coulter welcomed attendees. The keynote speaker was Riley Juntti, national coordinator for 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. She is a public speaker on suicide prevention at an international level and the face of Tell Them, a Netflix campaign encouraging individuals to speak out about their personal struggles with mental illness and thoughts of suicide.

Juntti survived her first suicide attempt at just 13 years old. Later in life, she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She was good at hiding her pain and originally kept her thoughts of suicide to herself. In time, she discovered the power of talking about her trauma.

Talking to someone about suicide can ignite the healing process. Therapists, support groups, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are all listening ears ready to assist in your journey of improving your mental health.

Following Juntti’s speech, Mayim Meyers from Jewish Family Service of Metro Detroit provided a mindfulness activity for the group. There was also a testimonial from Tasha Henson who used the skills she learned as a safeTALK workshop participant to help a client and their family. SafeTALK is an online training course that teaches participants to recognize the signs that a person is thinking about suicide and to take the appropriate steps in connecting that person with support from trained community resources.

The event’s panel discussion featured Samuel Milner, a Case Manager at Easterseals of Michigan; Kristen Smith, the PRiSMM (Preventing Suicide in Michigan Men) Program Coordinator; Regina Murray, an Army veteran; and Sarah Charow, an individual with a child who survived attempted suicide. The day ended with an option to participate in Suicide Prevention 101 training presented by the Oakland County Health Division.

Upcoming Suicide Prevention Discussion

The Oakland County Suicide Prevention Task Force will be holding a suicide prevention training opportunity on Saturday, Oct.15 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Calvary Lutheran Church in Clarkston. The event will cover safeTALK training and prepare participants ages 15 and older to become trained helpers when they notice someone struggling with thoughts of suicide.

Oakland County community members are invited including parents, grandparents, high school and college students, teachers, police officers, fire fighters, medical providers, and more. Those interested in attending can email Kat Polmear at polmeark@oakgov.com.

Oakland County Suicide Prevention Task Force creates safe space to spread awareness

In its first in-person event since the onset of COVID, the Oakland County Suicide Prevention Task Force held a suicide prevention community ...

When someone is considering suicide, we tell them, "It will get better." We tell them how great they are, how much potential they have, and how much the world would miss them. But, the thing we don't really talk about is — what do we tell people who made a really big mistake in their lives? When they are considering suicide, how can we help?

We don't talk about the person who posted something stupid to social media — and now they're officially "canceled" by society. We don't talk about the person who cheated on their spouse — and now their entire family is leaving them. We never talk about the person who decided to get behind the wheel drunk — and then got in a car accident. And we never talk about the person who did something illegal at work — and the whole world finds out and they're blacklisted from their career.

We've all made mistakes in our lives. Some obviously worse than others. But, when people do things that are, well, really bad, does that mean they deserve to die? No. No matter how big the mistake, that never warrants ending your life.

I'm talking about this because, over the weekend, Gustavo Arnal, the CFO of Bed Bath & Beyond, jumped to his death from the 18th floor balcony of his Manhattan apartment. This happened in the midst of a lawsuit against him and other large stakeholders, claiming they engaged in a "pump and dump" scheme to artificially inflate the price of the company's stock, according to CNN.

So, yeah, this guy may have screwed up; the verdict is still out on that, so I'm not going to accuse him of anything. But, no matter what, he didn't deserve to die. His wife didn't deserve to lose her husband, she didn't deserve to witness his suicide, and his daughters don't deserve to not have a dad.

Arnal was going through an insurmountable amount of stress at the time of his death — not only the fraud accusations but also the recent announcement that Bed Bath & Beyond is closing 150 stores and laying off 20% of its corporate and supply-chain workforce. We will probably never know the true reason for his death, but shame, guilt, social humiliation, actual/threatened reputation damage, and feelings of hopelessness — these are all risk factors of suicidal ideations.

So, for anyone who is considering suicide because you don't see another way out, what do you do?

First and foremost, if you are at risk of suicide, call or text the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. Trained crisis counselors are on-hand, 24/7, to provide support for people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress. Maybe you don't feel comfortable talking to your friends and family about your mistakes, but counselors and therapists are unbiased, and they can help you move from crisis to hope. They can help you learn how to forgive yourself.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Samantha Rodman writes on Talkspace, "A client can come in with something that feels shameful and awful, and if they finally get over the hump of not being able to mention it out loud or in writing, their shame decreases steadily over time. Speaking about a shameful thing to a kind, objective person, whether a therapist or a friend, can almost immediately give you some distance and objectivity yourself."

There's a scene from season one of "This Is Us" that has always stuck with me — a man getting ready to jump off the balcony of a building at a work Christmas party. He sets down his drink and a letter to his daughter and takes off his watch and wedding ring right before the character Randall comes outside. He admits to Randall that he cheated on his wife and that he lost a lot of money making huge risks in trading stocks.

"She filed (for divorce). It's broken; I broke it. And for no reason. ... My wife, my best friend is gone; my kid is gone; my career is gone. ... I lost a lot of money, mine and other people's. ... And I'm dealing with it all by myself," he said. And Randall responds, "God, man, you made a mistake. ... But there's always a chance that things will get better."

I will always remember those words: "There's always a chance that things will get better." I want you to remember that. I want you to remember that there's always a chance things will get better. No matter what happened to you or what you may have done, you can always turn things around.

Don't believe me? There are so many examples of people who have hit rock bottom and made huge mistakes — and, still, they turned things around.

There's Kevin Hart, who admitted to his then-pregnant wife that he cheated on her, publicly saying, "I'm hoping that she has a heart to where she can forgive me and understand that this is not going to be a reoccurring thing and allow me to recover from my f***ing massive mistake." He owned up to his failure, and his wife stayed with him, saying, "He's a better man now because of it."

There's Martha Stewart, who served a five-month prison sentence for lying about her sale of ImClone stock. She has since rebuilt her career — debuting her "Martha Stewart Kitchen" food line, judging the reality show "Chopped," and becoming business partners and best friends with Snopp Dogg.

And, of course, there's actor Robert Downey Jr., who cycled in-and-out of jail for possession of heroin and cocaine and for repeatedly missing court-ordered drug tests. He has since become one of the most successful leading actors in the United States and celebrates more than 15 years of sobriety.

These are just a few examples out of countless others where people didn't let their mistakes define them. And you — no matter what you've done in your past — can do the same. I just wish we would've had the chance to see Arnal's comeback. I wish he could've grown old with his wife, and I wish he could have met his future grandchildren. But, now, we'll never know.

When you make a huge mistake, that doesn't mean you deserve to die

When someone is considering suicide, we tell them, "It will get better." We tell them how great they are, how much potential they ...

About seven or eight years ago, I went through a bad bout of depression. I remember sobbing in my living room in my apartment by myself. I wasn't thinking about my future. I wasn't thinking about the people who loved me. All I could think was, "I just want the pain to stop."

Although I wasn't in my right mind, thankfully I had a brief flash of clarity when I realized, "I need help." Since I am active in the mental health community, I had a crisis line volunteer's phone number programmed in my phone. And I called her.

She was the one who talked me off the ledge. She was the one who validated my feelings and reminded me, "These feelings will pass. It may not feel like it now, but things will get better." And obviously things did get better, but, at the time, I couldn't see past that moment until someone who was trained and knew the exact right thing to say helped me through it.

When you're considering suicide, you don't have time to make an appointment with your psychiatrist or counselor. When you're considering suicide, it's all-consuming and you probably don't have the critical thinking capabilities to sit there and research resources. When you're considering suicide, you need help immediately! And most people don't have the luxury of an expert's cell number, programmed into your phone, like I did.

That's why having a quick, accessible, easy-to-remember resource can mean the difference between life and death. So, the fact that, as of July 16, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline has its own three-digit number — 988 — is huge for the mental health community.

When someone is in the middle of a crisis, chances are they won't remember the Lifeline’s previous number at 1-800-273-8255 (although calling that number will still get you to the same services). But, if you have even a second of lucid thought in the middle of your suicidal ideations, you will likely remember 988 — which will hopefully become just as engrained in our brains as "911."

When you call or text 988, you will be connected with a counselor from a Lifeline crisis center who will listen, work to understand the problem, provide support and share resources that may be helpful.

“This is one of the most exciting things that has happened (in mental health care)," Dr. Brian Hepburn, a psychiatrist who heads the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, told the Associated Press.

With this change to a three-digit number, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration expects calls to more than double within the next year. So the lifeline is in need of more counselors and volunteers to help with their mission. For those interested, visit SAMHSA’s 988 jobs page.

The new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline will help save lives

About seven or eight years ago, I went through a bad bout of depression. I remember sobbing in my living room in my apartment by myself. I w...

In the series finale of the show "This Is Us," these words said by the character Randall Pearson stuck with me: "A depressing thought for a depressing day: It all seems so pointless. ... Now she's gone, and yet the birds are chirping, and I'm aware that I'm hungry, and five minutes ago I thought about work. It all seems so pointless."

Randall was talking about how pointless life seems after someone dies. And these words hit home especially hard since, earlier that same day on Tuesday, May 24, an 18-year-old walked into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Tx. and fatally shot 19 students and two teachers. Then, only eight days later, a gunman opened fire at Saint Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Okla. — killing two doctors, a receptionist, and a patient's husband.

And it's hard to feel like anything matters when so many people with so much life left to live had their futures ripped away from them. Everyday life and all the stupid little worries that come with it — I couldn't help but think, "What's the point when life can abruptly end for absolutely no reason at all?"

So, how can you find joy or even want to leave the house when it seems like you just keep hearing bad news after bad news? Being prone to depression myself, it scares me when I start to think, "I don't want to live in a world where people treat each other like this," because this thought starts with the words, "I don't want to live..."

First and foremost, pay attention if you have symptoms of depression — which are different than just feelings of sadness. Sadness is a natural human reaction to loss, but it is temporary and doesn't affect your daily life. Depression, on the other hand, lasts for at least two weeks and can continue for months and even years without treatment.

Symptoms of depression include: Constant feelings of sadness and worthlessness, loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy, abnormal sleeping and eating patterns, feelings of unwarranted guilt, and difficulty concentrating. Depression can affect all aspects of your life — your relationships, your work and even your will to live.

If you think you may be experiencing depression or another mental illness, talk to your primary care physician, who can treat mental health issues or refer you to a psychiatrist or therapist for additional help. You can also visit Psychology Today and click "Find a therapist" to find someone located within your zip code. If you are experiencing suicidal ideations, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which is available 24/7 by calling 800-273-8255, or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat to chat online.

Below are some other things you can do when life feels pointless. These suggestions are supplementary to therapy because, just like you can't treat diabetes or asthma or another physical illness on your own, you also can't treat depression without the help of a health professional.

Make a list of the things you can control

Oftentimes, life feels pointless because so much of it feels out of our control. So, instead, focus on the things you can control and the goals you can work towards. You can't control how/when the people you love will die, but you can control the time you spend with them and the things you say to them today. You can't control how/when YOU will die, but you can control how you spend the time you have before that happens. You can't control how others treat you – but you can stop wasting your time on people who treat you poorly and less than you deserve.

"Recognizing the control you do have over some things in your life might help you feel better. It might help to do what you can and surrender the rest," Edie Weinstein, a licensed social worker and journalist in Philadelphia, told PsychCentral.

Do something good for someone else

One way to help make your life feel less meaningless is to do something that will help someone else. It's hard to feel like your life is pointless when something that you directly did made a difference or helped someone else feel better. That's why I'm writing this blog – because it makes things feel less pointless when I know I can help even one person who is feeling similar to the way I'm feeling.

For you, maybe it's joining a cause that's important to you – like gun reform, in lieu of the recent tragedies (click here for some ideas of what you can do). It could also mean volunteering somewhere or reaching out to someone you know who is struggling and asking "How can I help?" Or it could be something as simple as complimenting a stranger on their outfit, or seeing your child's face light up when you take them to get ice cream.

Get out of the house and engage in activities you used to enjoy

You may not feel like it – but do it anyway. Last Saturday, I spent all morning/early afternoon, in bed or on the couch, alternating between tears, anger and anxiety. Finally, I made myself get up, put on rainbow make-up, and go to the local Pride festival. Even though, at the time, I just wanted to stay at home in my pjs and not do anything, making myself get up and go somewhere that non-depressed me would have loved, it made me forget about my sadness and made me smile, at least for a few hours.

For those who work at home, like me, it may be hard to escape your sadness and feel motivated when you're stuck inside the same four walls, alone, each day. I would suggest that you start working from a coffee shop or a library to get out of the house and experience a change of scenery. On a particularly hard day last week, I walked around downtown during my lunch break and then finished out the day at a nearby coffee shop, and it really helped.

If you can't find the motivation to leave the house or participate in activities, then find someone else to hold you accountable. Make plans with a friend to meet at the park or at the gym to exercise in the morning, RSVP "yes" to a friend's event instead of waiting until the last minute, join or start a book club, etc.

Change your self-talk and focus on the things you like about yourself

I know that practicing positive self-talk is easier said than done because it often feels like we can't control the way we think. That evil little voice in your head that says, "Ugh I suck! I'm worthless!" seems to pop into your head without any warning. But, instead, when you find yourself thinking that way, force yourself to refocus your thoughts. Maybe it's taking out a pen and paper and writing all the things you do like about yourself. Maybe, after every negative thought, it's forcing yourself to repeat the words, "This is my depression talking. It's not true. I am a wonderful, bad-ass human being."

Catherine Goldberg, contributor for the Greatist, wrote, "Recognizing and dispelling the 'Negativity Gnome' in your brain and replacing it with encouraging statements will start to reshape how you feel about the world. Try talking to yourself with compassion. For example, instead of telling yourself you’re not good enough, remind yourself that you are worthy of love and attention, or that it’s okay to make mistakes — we all do!"

Recognize your importance in the life of others

Your child wouldn't exist if it wasn't for you and relies on you to care for them. Or maybe it's your pet, who you gave a forever home and a better life. Your family and friends would be devastated if you were no longer here. What greater proof that life is not pointless than recognizing the meaning your life holds for the people and animals in it.

For Nic Sheff, producer of Netflix's "13 Reasons Why," he stopped his suicide attempt and made himself throw up the pills he consumed when he heard his dog scratching on the bathroom door.

"I opened it and saw the stray hound dog I’d recently found under a truck on the outskirts of town. She’d been close to death herself when I took her in. She cried and whined now, looking up at me. It was like she could sense she’d almost lost me. And I held on to her and cried," he said in a letter written for Vanity Fair.

"(I had) stopped just long enough to remember my dog in the other room—and to remember that if I can just hold on, and not give up, eventually, one day, it does get better. Every time."

Do something lighthearted

While I'm a big proponent for talking about your emotions, sometimes when you keep focusing on the sadness, it only makes things worse. For instance, when I'm having a panic attack, talking about my panic attack doesn't help. People fussing over me and asking me what's wrong, it only makes things worse. What does help is someone telling me a joke or talking to me about a TV show/movie, or literally anything but the panic attack. So ask your friend to text you a funny meme or gif. Turn off the news and, instead watch a funny TV show or your favorite comfort movie. Stop sitting in silence and turn on an upbeat song and dance like a crazy person around the house.

Remember that you're not alone

As they say in "High School Musical," we're all in this together! Life is hard. Really hard. And it's random. Oh god, life is so freaking random. But that doesn't mean it's pointless.

According to an article on the United We Care mental health platform: "Life does not need to have a grand purpose. Individual human beings have to add smaller objectives and personal meanings to make life meaningful. The most valid reason for life not being pointless is the unique existence of every human being."

"There is so much to do if you look around. Humans have unique attributes to enjoy life more than any other life form. Life can be hardly pointless if one appreciates its little joys."

When life feels pointless, what should you do?

In the series finale of the show "This Is Us," these words said by the character Randall Pearson stuck with me: "A depressing...

Physical activity has been proven to relieve stress, improve memory, boost your overall mood and also treat mild to moderate depression and anxiety. For Mental Health Awareness Month, local dad and middle school teacher Mike Lerchenfeldt shares how he gets to spend more time with his family while fostering a healthy lifestyle by prioritizing playtime.

By Mike Lerchenfeldt
Meant to Live Contributor

Exhausted. Tired. House is a mess after our kids pull out every toy that we own.

Kids are a tornado that can hit at any moment without notice. Not only do they destroy our house, but they suck up all our energy and time. Of course, we still love them, right?

This is our crazy, fun, yet exhausting, life.

After we have taken care of our kids, we must find time to take care of ourselves. When we barely have time to see friends, read, or watch Netflix, we must try to squeeze in a workout – usually at the end of a full workday, which includes grading papers, working on lesson plans, and having virtual meetings with parents or students in addition to meal preparation and household chores. Not to mention our favorite activity, which is playing with our kids.

This is the lesson that I have learned through being a parent over the past five years: It is all about PLAY! I want to live a long, healthy and fun-filled life with my children. For this reason, I have learned how to incorporate play time into my fitness routine. Utilizing fitness trackers and home workout apps, my family is heading in a healthy direction.

When we are playing on the floor or wrestling with the kids, we are doing a workout alongside them, including variations of burpees, push-ups, planks or squats. The kids see these activities and want to be a part of them.

Mystery workouts can be exciting, as well. Try using workout dice specifically designed for young children, which can offer numerous combinations of activities that will get everyone moving and improve balance, flexibility and motor skills. Our daughter will enthusiastically do jumping jacks now. Our son is the perfect size for a kettlebell when we are doing squats.

As a family, we enjoy going on walks, hikes, jogs and runs outside with our dog. For winter, we bundle up with snow pants and other waterproof gear to stay warm. We go for a Christmas light viewing walk in our subdivision. Our 5-year-old daughter has become one of my favorite running partners. While she can’t necessarily run long distances, she loves to sprint with me back and forth throughout our yard.

If sprinting doesn’t sound fun, try going on a walk or jog while your little one rides a bike or scooter. We listen to music, sing and have an amazing time together. Sometimes we will stop in the grass to do yoga stretches. She always tells me, “We have some fun, Daddy.”

Not only are we having fun together, but we are developing our relationship with healthy activities. Overall, when we are outside, we are calm and happy.

Gardening outside with family can also be a form of exercise and meditation that has a positive effect on our mental health. Physical activity decreases cortisol, the stress hormone, and increases endorphins. Unfortunately, the Detroit Metropolitan Area is often ranked as one of the unhealthiest places in the United States. Studies show that exercise not only improves our physical health, but it can also help our mental health.

I believe in the magic of working out. It is my meditation. It is when I take deep breathes while slowing down my thoughts. It relieves my stress and nurtures my soul. It is when I think about what I am thankful for. It helps me feel better physically and mentally. I want to pass this passion on to my kids.

We need to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. One way we can combat anxiety, depression, and suicide are with fitness. Exercise – and play – is such a good tool not only for our physical health, but for nurturing our mental health and family relationships as well. We show our kids how and why it is important to brush our teeth. Why not show them the importance of physical activity?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mike Lerchenfeldt is a freelance writer from Detroit. This Dad of two likes exploring places and supporting local businesses. Through teacher exchanges, he has traveled to Japan and New Zealand.

Playtime and physical activity can improve yours and your children's mental health

Physical activity has been proven to relieve stress, improve memory, boost your overall mood and also treat mild to moderate depression and ...

I love that, in the last two phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we aren't just watching the stories of big tough white guys. Now, we're seeing different perspectives. I think these stories — whether it's Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Black Widow, the Scarlet Witch, Shang-Chi and, now, Moon Knight — are so important because they show people who aren't men or who aren't white or who aren't neurotypical that they, too, can be superheroes.

I was instantly drawn to Marvel's latest TV show "Moon Knight" after hearing it was about a superhero with a mental illness. I immediately started watching because I knew, then and there, that this show would definitely be my cup of tea!

Not to give too much away for those who haven't yet watched, but Moon Knight is the alter ego of a man with dissociative identity disorder, a mental health condition characterized by the presence of at least two separate and distinct personalities. The disorder affects about 1% of the population, and it usually develops in response to childhood abuse or another traumatic event.

Moon Knight's identities are Steven Grant, a quirky British museum gift shop employee, and Marc Spector, an American mercenary and avatar for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu. Actor Oscar Isaac, who portrays Moon Knight, expertly switches between these two very different personalities (give this man an Emmy immediately)!

Issac said he did a lot of research on the disorder so he could respectfully represent it and put mental illness at the forefront of the show. He said that the memoir “A Fractured Mind" by scholar Robert B. Oxnam, who also has dissociative identity disorder, became his Bible while preparing for the role.

"I think it was just about being honest to what Dissociative Identity Disorder is, and honest to what a lot of people have to deal with. I think for us it was about authenticity, more than even story communication," he said. "I really wanted to do a character study, a point of view experience, so you’re not sitting back and just watching the story unfold, you are within the eyes of Steven and experiencing this thing that’s happening to him."

Isaac said doing this show hit close to home for him because his uncle suffers from mental health issues.

"He started crying watching an episode of 'Moon Knight' because, I think, it just felt like being seen," he said in an interview with Esquire Magazine.

I also recently learned that Max Bemis, the former frontman of one of my all-time favorite bands Say Anything, wrote several "Moon Knight" comic book issues as part of the Marvel Legacy publishing initiative. Bemis calls Moon Knight, "A book written by a mentally ill Jew about a mentally ill Jew," and said that writing it became his therapy. I have followed Bemis and his struggles with bipolar disorder for at least a decade; in fact, his openness about the disorder was one of the reasons I had the strength to first open up about my own struggles.

As the TV show expands Moon Knight's reach to a whole new following of fans, maybe it will become like therapy for others with mental illnesses — causing them to stop being ashamed, stop feeling alone and to find the inspiration to open up about their mental health as well.

Across social media, you'll see that people have fallen in love with both personalities of the Moon Knight. My hope is that, because of this show, people will show the same love and acceptance when they meet someone in real-life with this or any mental disorder.

Moon Knight, a superhero with a mental illness, joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe

I love that, in the last two phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we aren't just watching the stories of big tough white guys. Now, ...