Create Open Communication

Creating open communication between you and your child is an essential step towards providing them support. There are many ways to help create this open and safe dialogue, including the following:

• Make opportunities to talk by spending one-on-one time with your child and speaking to them in an environment that they feel comfortable in
• Encourage conversation by starting with open-ended questions, such as “how was your day?” or “what did you do at school today?”
• Listen carefully to what they say and give them your full attention
• Encourage their questions to help them learn it is okay to ask you questions, and reassure them you will answer as truthfully and as best you can

Learn the Warning Signs

Although it is normal for your children to feel stress, worry, or even sadness about returning to school, it is important to also know the warning signs of mental health conditions. If these feelings persist, they may indicate your child needs further support for their mental health. In this case, it is important to speak with your child’s healthcare provider to better understand what they are experiencing and what forms of treatment may be beneficial. 

The following are important to look out for, as they may indicate signs of something more serious:

• Becoming increasingly socially withdrawn
• Falling behind academically 
• Missing multiple days of school
• Expressing interest in harming themselves (if your child is expressing this, it is important to get them immediate help from a healthcare provider)

Discuss Coping Techniques and Self-care

By helping your child learn techniques for coping and self-care, you can help them better manage their mental health. These techniques are not only beneficial for those with a mental health condition, but can also benefit anyone who is experiencing stress, worries, or sadness. There are many ways to practice self-care including, but not limited to:

• Spending time doing physical activities
• Eating nutritious foods
• Working on crafts, playing music, or other activities that allow for creativity
• Allowing for downtime
• Getting enough sleep at night

Finding TREATMENT AND RESOURCES

• To learn more about how to provide support to your child’s mental health, we recommend speaking with their healthcare provider.
• To read more about supporting back to school wellness, the following resources are suggested:
  • NAMI: https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/PDFs/NAMI-Back-to-School-One-Sheet.pdf
  • NIMH: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USNIMH/bulletins/2971479

Mental Health by the Numbers

For those struggling with a mental illness, you are not alone. Millions of Americans are affected by mental illness each year. It is important to understand the prevalence of mental health conditions, and the suicidal thoughts that might follow.

The following statistics on mental illness have been found by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

• Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S (when looking at all ages)
• 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness each year
• 1 in 6 of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience mental illness each year
• 46.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2020   
• 11% of U.S. adults with mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2020
• 150 million people live in a designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area
• 12+ million U.S adults had serious thoughts of suicide (2020)

Warning Signs

Warning signs that someone may be at immediate risk for attempting suicide include, but are not limited to:

• Often talking or thinking about death
• Talking about wanting to die or kill themselves
• Feeling intense emotional or physical pain
• Withdrawing from friends and/or family
• Taking extreme risks, such as driving extremely fast or recklessly
• Talking about feeling empty and/or hopeless
• Giving away important processions or creating a will
• Saying goodbye to friends and/or family

Other serious warning signs that someone may be at risk for attempting suicide include, but are not limited to:

• Rapid, extreme mood changes
• Researching methods of killing themselves
• Consuming alcohol often or abusing other substances
• Acting anxious or on edge
• Talking about feelings of guilt or shame

Risk Factors

People of all ages, gender, and background can be at risk of suicide. There is no single cause of suicidal behavior. Although the risk factors vary, they commonly include: 

• Family history of mental illness or substance abuse
• Depression or other mental disorders
• Chronic pain
• Individual history of suicide attempts, or attempts of family members
• Exposure to abuse, including physical and emotional
• Presence of firearms in the home

Supporting Those in a Crisis

It is common for family and friends to have trouble supporting an individual in a crisis. This is commonly due to a lack of understanding, and lack of preparedness. Although the behaviors of those in a crisis may be unpredictable, there are ways to help support a loved one in a crisis. 

• Professional help is likely necessary to help someone in a crisis. Family members should contact the individual’s healthcare provider, or call 911 if in immediate danger.
• Create an open dialogue, and don’t be afraid to ask questions
• Show support and concern
• Be patient
• Do not argue or raise your voice
• Remove any firearms from the home

Crisis Lifeline

If you or a loved one is in a crisis, it is important to get help immediately. If in danger of suicide:

• Call 911
• Go to the nearest emergency room
• Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988

Finding TREATMENT AND RESOURCES

• To learn more about suicide and suicide prevention, we recommend contacting your health care provider.
• To read more about National Suicide Prevention Week, the following resources are suggested:
  • NIMH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention
  • NAMI: https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Common-with-Mental-Illness/Risk-of-Suicide
  • AFSP: https://nspw.afsp.org/
  • Know the Signs: https://www.suicideispreventable.org/

Mental Health by the Numbers

For those struggling with a mental illness, you are not alone. Millions of Americans are affected by mental illness each year. It is important to understand the prevalence of mental health conditions, and the suicidal thoughts that might follow.

The following statistics on mental illness have been found by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

• 1 in 5 adults in the United States experience mental illness each year
• 1 in 6 of U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience mental illness each year
• 46.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2020   
• 11% of U.S. adults with mental illness had no insurance coverage in 2020
• 150 million people live in a designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Area
• 12+ million U.S adults had serious thoughts of suicide (2020)
• Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death overall in the U.S (when looking at all ages)

Warning Signs

Warning signs that someone may be at immediate risk for attempting suicide include, but are not limited to:

• Often talking or thinking about death
• Talking about wanting to die or kill themselves
• Feeling intense emotional or physical pain
• Withdrawing from friends and/or family
• Taking extreme risks, such as driving extremely fast or recklessly
• Talking about feeling empty and/or hopeless
• Giving away important processions or creating a will
• Saying goodbye to friends and/or family

Other serious warning signs that someone may be at risk for attempting suicide include, but are not limited to:

• Rapid, extreme mood changes
• Researching methods of killing themselves
• Consuming alcohol often or abusing other substances
• Acting anxious or on edge
• Talking about feelings of guilt or shame

Risk Factors

People of all ages, gender, and background can be at risk of suicide. There is no single cause of suicidal behavior. Although the risk factors vary, they commonly include: 

• Family history of mental illness or substance abuse
• Depression or other mental disorders
• Chronic pain
• Individual history of suicide attempts, or attempts of family members
• Exposure to abuse, including physical and emotional
• Presence of firearms in the home

Supporting Those in a Crisis

It is common for family and friends to have trouble supporting an individual in a crisis. This is commonly due to a lack of understanding, and lack of preparedness. Although the behaviors of those in a crisis may be unpredictable, there are ways to help support a loved one in a crisis. 

• Professional help is likely necessary to help someone in a crisis. Family members should contact the individual’s healthcare provider, or call 911 if in immediate danger.
• Create an open dialogue, and don’t be afraid to ask questions
• Show support and concern
• Be patient
• Do not argue or raise your voice
• Remove any firearms from the home

Crisis Lifeline

If you or a loved one is in a crisis, it is important to get help immediately. If in danger of suicide:

• Call 911
• Go to the nearest emergency room
• Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988

Finding TREATMENT AND RESOURCES

• To learn more about suicide and suicide prevention, we recommend contacting your health care provider.
• To read more about suicide prevention, the following resources are suggested:
  • NIMH: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention
  • NAMI: https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Common-with-Mental-Illness/Risk-of-Suicide

SIgns and SYmptoms

BPD can affect one’s self image, how they relate to others, and how they act or behave. Common symptoms include, but are not limited to:

• A pattern of unstable intense relationships, that alternate between idealizing someone and believing someone doesn’t care or is cruel
• Intense fear of abandonment, and often frantic efforts to avoid the real or imagined abandonment by friends or family
• Distorted or unstable self image that can often affect mood, goals, relationships, and more
• Impulsive behaviors that can often have dangerous outcomes, such as gambling, reckless driving, substance abuse, unsafe sex, and more
• Self-harming behavior including self injury, suicidal threats, or attempts
• Wide mood swings that can last a few hours or days and include intense feelings of happiness, depression, irritability, or anxiety
• Dissociative feelings, such as feeling cut off from one’s self or out of one’s own body

Causes

The exact causes of borderline personality disorder are not fully understood yet but, experts agree that the disorder is the result of a combination of the following:

• Genetics
• Environmental factors
• Brain function

Treatment

Treatment varies by person, but the most common types of treatment used for BPD include the following: 

• Medication
  • Although there is not one medication specifically made for the main symptoms of BPD, several medications can be used off-label to help treat symptoms.
• Psychotherapy (often called “talk therapy”)
  • Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Psychodynamic psychotherapy

CRISIS HELP

If you or a loved one is in a crisis, it is important to get help immediately. If in danger of suicide:

• Call 911
• Go to the nearest emergency room
• Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988

RESOURCES and Learn More

• To learn more about BPD, or find out if you may be affected by the disorder, we recommend contacting your health care provider.
• To read more about BPD, the following resources are suggested:
  • NIMH:  https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder
  • NAMI: https://nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions/Borderline-Personality-Disorder