Meant to Live

I attended an amazing Mental Health First Aid Training course, taught by Amy Stern, supervisor of Community Education and Professional Development, last week.

And I learned so much about mental health, like the fact that severe depression, dementia and schizophrenia have been rated even more debilitating of diseases than having cancer or being a paraplegic. Amy said this is because, if we see someone in a wheelchair, we'll open the door for him or her, help carry groceries, etc. If we see someone in a parking lot, wearing ragged clothes and talking to him or herself, likely we'll run away as quickly as we can.

I think Mental Health First Aid Training is very important because it teaches people that mental disorders ARE chemical imbalances in the brain and how to react when you find out someone suffers from a disorder or is considering suicide.

And Amy described the chemical imbalance in such an understandable way.

She used an analogy comparing the brain to a cell phone. She said, if a friend sent her a text message, asking her to meet for dinner that night, and she never received the text message on her phone, she wouldn't show up to where she was supposed to meet.

Like this, in the brain, two neurons "communicate" to one another. One neuron emits neurotransmitters, like endorphins, which tells the brain to be happy. For people suffering from depression or anxiety, the other neuron doesn't receive the "message." Instead, the neurotransmitters remain trapped in the synapse, or the space between the two neurons.

Since the transmitting neuron thinks it sent out too many neurotransmitters, since they are floating in between the neurons, it takes back the neurotransmitters, also called "reuptake." Now the other neuron doesn't even have a chance to receive the "happy feelings."

This proves that people with mental illnesses aren't choosing to feel this way. They can't just "snap out of it." And I think this is an important fact that everyone should know — which I think could eliminate the stigma society still seems to hold.

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I recently bought the movie "It's Kind of a Funny Story." I've wanted to see it for a long time, ever since I saw the first preview. After all, it's a movie about a teenage boy who checks himself into a mental hospital...and his journey toward overcoming depression. If you know me, you know the theme of hope and overcoming depression is my "catnip."

And the movie was as excellent as I thought it would be.

The main character's life isn't a tragedy. Craig wasn't abused as a child, his parents are still together and his family is the picture of middle class suburbia. Yet he still has this strong urge to kill himself.

That's something that I think many people don't understand. Depression doesn't have to stem from some horrific event. It's a disease. Are you more likely to be diagnosed with leukemia if you just went through a nasty divorce or were sexually abused? No. In the same way, depression is a disease that doesn't stem from any earthly events.

And I love that this movie addressed that. I think a lot of movies that take on the topic of depression show a character with this gruesome back story. But that's not always the way it works. And I think that's why some people wrongly say to people dealing with depression, "Just get over it," or "Nothing that bad has happened to you," or, the worst, "My life is harder than yours, and you don't see me getting depressed."

Since I have started raising suicide awareness, I have met several families and friends of teens who have lost their lives to suicide. And all of the teens had loving, tight-knit families. All of them had a lot of friends. They were involved in extracurricular activities. And all of their friends and family members had one similar thing to say -- that they never would have suspected that this person would kill him or herself.

Don't ever feel ashamed that you have depression. Don't keep it bottled up inside. And never think, "Oh, my problems aren't big enough. I shouldn't be feeling this way." Having a mental illness, in and of itself, is a "big enough problem." It's a disease. It doesn't make you weak. It doesn't mean you can't handle your problems. Just like any other disease, it's not your fault that you have it.

This movie does a great thing -- tries to erase the stigma of going and asking for help. If you found a lump on your body, you would go to a hospital to seek treatment. In the same way, like the main character Craig, there should be no shame in seeking help if you have symptoms of depression.

And, with the right treatment, you may learn how to take on each day again, to breath again without a constant aching in your chest and how to live.

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Birth control is one of the most commonly used prescription drugs — taken by more than 10 million women across the nation. It's used to treat acne, to make women's cycle regular and, of course, the obvious reason — not to have children.

I don't know about you, but one rumor I have heard of is that birth control can cause mood disorders. Which, to me, is a big side effect.

And it made me wonder — do women have to choose between not having children…and being happy?

So I decided to do some research on this. Does birth control really cause depression?

According to the latest research, the answer is no.

American Journal of Epidemiology looked at birth control use and depressive symptoms in 6,654 sexually active women between the ages of 24 and 34 from 1994 to 2008. And Women's Health Magazine reports that those taking hormonal contraception had lower levels of depressive symptoms and were less likely to report a suicide in the past year.

Dr. Katherine Keyes, lead study author, told Reuters, “This counters somewhat some of the prevailing wisdom that hormone contraceptive use in general is associated with adverse mental health outcomes in women. When you look at it on a national scale, certainly there’s no evidence that at a population level hormonal contraceptive use is associated with an increased risk of mood problems.”

But although Keys says that birth control doesn't cause thoughts of suicide — she doesn't deny that a side effect of birth control could be mood swings — which she says is a lot different than depression.

I know some women who say that, when they started taking a new birth control, they would start crying out of the blue, for no reason. To me, this makes sense. After all, changing the levels of estrogen and progestin in your body is bound to have more effects than just on your reproductive organs.

This doesn't mean you have to be afraid of taking birth control — for whatever reason you need to take it. And, by all means, don't just stop taking it. Instead, keep in contact with your doctor during the first few months. Don't be afraid to tell him or her if you are noticing changes in yourself. There are many different birth controls out there and some affect people in different ways than others. Your doctor can help you find the one that works for you.

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The people sitting at a desk with their headsets on, taking a deep breath every time the phone rings, have one of the most important jobs.

They are the staff and volunteers for suicide-prevention call centers. Their voices could literally mean the difference between life and death. To me, they are just as brave as police officers and firefighters. I believe they are nothing short of heroes.

These employees and volunteers help people who need referrals of psychiatrists and counselors to treat their mental illnesses— trying to prevent them from becoming suicidal in the first place. The volunteers also help those who are on the edge of a bridge, ready to jump.

An article in last week's Time magazine followed the operators at the 24/7 LifeNet hotline in New York City, which is part of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. And these volunteers are not just twiddling their thumbs, waiting for the phone to ring. According to the Time magazine article, the National Suicide Prevention line is expected to receive 1.2 million calls this year. That's more than 3,000 calls a day! And each year the number of calls rise by about 15 percent.

Founding Director John Draper, PhD, told Time, "If your calls are increasing, does that mean more people are in distress? … That's not necessarily true. It means more people may have been in distress all along but didn't know this resource was there."

I think for many people who are suffering from depression, just having someone to talk to can be life saving. Someone who won't turn them away. Someone who won't ever tell them, "Just get over it." I know a man who said he was considering suicide. And when he was about to do it, a friend called him. She told him, for some reason, she felt like she needed to call him and that he needed her.

That one call saved his life.

But some people aren't that lucky to have someone call when they need it most. I think it is comforting to know though that there are people out there who are there when you need them most — waiting for your call and waiting to help you. You don't even know them but they care about you enough to want, more than anything, to save your life.

If you are considering suicide or are looking for help, call 1-800-273-TALK and you will be routed to the call center closest to you.

Suicide prevention line workers are heroes

The people sitting at a desk with their headsets on, taking a deep breath every time the phone rings, have one of the most important jobs....

Mental Health First Aid Training is just as important as CPR

Beauty writer: When someone criticizes you, say, 'Thank you!'

What a brave woman! Lindsay Bottos takes a stand against cyber bullying

How to let yourself be happy and stop expecting the worst

Heather Von. St. James teaches that life is worth fighting for

Many people are codependent without realizing it

The movie 'It's Kind of a Funny Story' teaches that depression can happen to anyone

Why am I afraid of being alone?

Don't be afraid to stand up for yourself

If we treated physical illness like we treat mental illness

Can birth control affect your mood?

'I like you...just as you are'

Suicide prevention line workers are heroes

"Like" Meant to Live

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