Hospital Corner

May was Mental Health Awareness month. It is fitting that as a community, we focus on Mental Health as we suffered the tragic loss of a youth recently to suicide. This is the beginning of a series of mental health related articles from Columbia County Health Systems and Blue Mtn Counseling. We aim to bring awareness to mental health and to have continued awareness every day and every month of the year, not just for one dedicated month. Our goal is to reach out and connect with the community as a form of prevention, to engage with you before the pain is so bad that taking your life becomes a viable option. Although losing a youth tears out our hearts, we are finding that suicide is increasing, and it is impacting our students, doctors/medical providers, our American soldiers, those with low pay or high pay, job stressors, and those with access to lethal means like medication and firearms. A 2020 survey of pandemic essential personnel (medical workers, teachers, grocery workers, EMS, police, caregivers etc.) showed up to 21% had considered suicide and Trauma/Stressor-Related Disorder symptoms (TSRD). The CDC reports that in 2020 suicide was the 2nd leading cause of U.S. deaths among ages 10 to 34 years old! We lost 45,979 Americans to suicide that year, but 12.2 MILLION were suffering enough to consider it, 3.2 million made a suicide plan, and 1.2 million actually attempted to end their own lives. But there IS help ready to talk! Suicide Prevention and Crisis Lifeline 1 800 273 TALK (8255) **July 16, 2022, will change to dial 988.

In future articles, we will discuss risk and protective factors, clarify what a mental health condition is, ideas to maintain good mental health, and how to recognize when you may need help with your mental health. If you are interested, you may also go to http://www.mhascreening.org and take online screenings for various mental health conditions. Mental Health America is a great resource for education as well.

Dawn Miecher, ARNP Columbia County Health System

Chrissan Christensen, Blue Mountain Counseling