JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 More people are reaching out for mental health help, and experts say that\u2019s actually a good thing.<\/p>\n
Dr. Christine Cauffield, CEO of LSF Health Systems, joined In Depth to talk about why more people are asking for help, how the conversation around suicide prevention is changing, and what family and friends can do if they\u2019re worried about someone they love. She also shared details about the upcoming Zero Suicide Summit in St. Johns County.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest takeaways from the interview is that someone thinking about suicide doesn\u2019t always want to die.<\/p>\n
Cauffield said many people feel like they\u2019re in a tug-of-war. They want their emotional pain to end, but at the same time, there\u2019s still something making them want to keep going.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why therapists don\u2019t just focus on the crisis. They also help people find the reasons they\u2019re still here, whether that\u2019s their children, family, future goals or something else that\u2019s important to them.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s something we can build on,\u201d Cauffield said. \u201cWe want to help them keep moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
More people are speaking up<\/p>\n
More people are calling crisis lines today than they were just a few years ago.<\/p>\n
Cauffield says that\u2019s happening for two reasons. More people feel comfortable talking about their mental health, and more people are dealing with anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve worked hard to reduce the stigma,\u201d she said. \u201cAsking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said there\u2019s still a big need for more mental health professionals, especially in rural communities where it can be difficult to find care.<\/p>\n
For people who can\u2019t easily get to an appointment, telehealth can make a big difference. It lets patients meet with a licensed terapist or counselor by phone or computer without leaving home.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t compare your life to social media<\/p>\n
The interview also touched on how social media can affect mental health after a recent incident involving internet personality Perez Hilton.<\/p>\n
Cauffield said it\u2019s easy to look at photos and videos online and feel like everyone else has a perfect life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe compare ourselves to things that aren\u2019t real life,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
That constant comparison can leave people feeling lonely, discouraged or like they aren\u2019t good enough.<\/p>\n
Your mental and physical health are connected<\/p>\n
Cauffield said your mental health and physical health affect each other more than many people realize.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re dealing with physical health problems, it can affect your mood. On the other hand, struggling with your mental health can also take a toll on your body.<\/p>\n
She also talked about trauma and how it can stay with people for years if it\u2019s never addressed.<\/p>\n
Research has shown that difficult experiences, especially during childhood, can increase the risk of depression, addiction and other mental health conditions later in life. She also discussed the growing field of epigenetics, which looks at how the effects of trauma may even be passed down from one generation to the next.<\/p>\n
The good news, she said, is that people can heal.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are strategies to work through trauma,\u201d Cauffield said. \u201cHelp is available.\u201d<\/p>\n
When should someone ask for help?<\/p>\n
Cauffield said it\u2019s important to take suicidal thoughts seriously.<\/p>\n
Some people may have thoughts about not wanting to be here anymore without making a plan. Others may begin thinking about how they would act on those thoughts.<\/p>\n
She said having a plan greatly increases the risk and is a sign that someone should seek help right away. But even if someone hasn\u2019t made a plan, they shouldn\u2019t ignore those feelings.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the time to seek help,\u201d Cauffield said.<\/p>\n
She said treatment can include therapy, medication or both, depending on the person\u2019s situation, and reminded listeners that recovery is possible.<\/p>\n
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. People in Northeast and North Central Florida can also call LSF Health Systems\u2019 free, confidential Access to Care line at 1-877-229-9098, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to help connect people with local mental health resources.<\/p>\n
Zero Suicide Summit coming to St. Johns County<\/p>\n
LSF Health Systems will host its Zero Suicide Summit on August 12 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort.<\/p>\n
The event is open to more than just healthcare workers. It\u2019s also for teachers, coaches, parents, first responders and anyone who wants to learn how to recognize warning signs and help someone who may be struggling.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s keynote speaker is Sergeant Kevin Briggs, known as the \u201cGuardian of the Golden Gate.\u201d During his career with the California Highway Patrol, he helped more than 200 people step away from the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge and choose life instead.<\/p>\n
More information and registration are available at zerosuicidecommunities.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u25b6 Listen to Jacksonville\u2019s Morning News Interviews<\/a><\/p>\n [\u00a0Read more local news from WOKV<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> to download our free news, weather and traffic app. And click here<\/a> to subscribe to our daily 3 Big Things newsletter.<\/p>\n \u00a92026 Cox Media Group<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"JACKSONVILLE, Fla. \u2014 More people are reaching out for mental health help, and experts say that\u2019s actually a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":366108,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[148527,148529,794,28,141673,116,118,117,148534,7429,148533,795,349,148530,148532,8589,148531,3021,148528],"class_list":["post-366107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-jacksonville","tag-988-suicide-crisis-lifeline","tag-dr-christine-cauffield","tag-duval","tag-florida","tag-in-depth","tag-jacksonville","tag-jacksonville-headlines","tag-jacksonville-news","tag-kristine-bellino","tag-mental-health-resources","tag-mental-health-support-in-florida","tag-ne-florida","tag-northeast-florida","tag-st-johns-county-mental-health","tag-suicide-awareness","tag-suicide-prevention","tag-warning-signs-of-suicide","tag-wokv","tag-zero-suicide-summit"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366107"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/366107\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/366108"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=366107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=366107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}