Signs That a Loved One May Commit Suicide

Photo credit: Shutterstock

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 44,193 Americans commit suicide

every year, making it the 10^th leading cause of death in the U.S. If you’re worried that someone close to you may commit suicide, please check to see if they exhibit any of the following warning signs:

• Withdrawal from social activities, including reduced contact with friends and family members.
•  Missing school or work.
•  An increase in drug or alcohol use.
•  Sleeping either too much or too little.
•  Little to no physical activity (e.g. laying in bed all day).
•  Giving away possessions.
•  Displaced aggression.
•  Mood swings.
•  Talks about suicide.
  

According to Mental Health America, 80% of people who contemplate suicide show signs of their intentions. But do keep in mind that this is not a one-size-fits-all checklist, meaning that your loved one may only exhibit one of these signs or they may exhibit none of these signs, which brings me to my next point.

If you have an inexplicable feeling that something is wrong—a gut feeling as some may call it—trust it. Reach out to your loved one and check in on how they’re doing. There’s a good chance that the simple act of reaching out and showing that you care can save that person’s life.

Along that same note, I want to talk about how to properly respond to someone who is contemplating suicide. This person may be direct about their intentions (e.g. “I want to kill myself”) or indirect (e.g. “I hate my life and I wish I’d never been born”). Both comments should be taken seriously.   

Whatever you do, do not—I repeat: do not—respond with cynicism or judgment. Statements such as, “you’re being over dramatic” or “you’ll be fine, toughen up” will only push the person more towards suicide. Instead, respond with statements such as, “I’m here for you, you are not alone” or “I care a lot about you and I want to help you in any way that I can.”

To learn more about what you can do to prevent your loved one from committing suicide, visit helpguide.org.

4 Easy Ways to Stave Off Dementia

Keeping your brain sharp with activities like crosswords
could help prevent Alzheimer's.
Image: Shutterstock

Alzheimer’s is a nasty disease. For those of us who have seen it at its worst, we know it’s something we never want to experience for ourselves. Watching a loved one struggle with dementia is more painful than I would have ever imagined. It’s terrifying as well; what may have started off as repeating simple questions or telling the same story a few times in one setting very quickly becomes forgetting who your children are and how to get home.

There’s still a lot we don’t know about Alzheimer’s, but one thing researchers do believe is that there are a few simple things you can do to help stave off dementia. And you know me; I’m all about prevention. Check out these 4 tips from the Alzheimer’s Association.

To All the Angelina Jolie Haters: Mind Your Own Business

Jolie was criticized for "ruining her looks" when she got
a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

 It’s been two weeks since Angelina Jolie announced that she had gotten a preventative double mastectomy. Jolie’s mother had fought a decade-long battle with cancer and died at age 56 from the disease. And now, just a month after the completion of her own preventative procedures, Jolie’s aunt has passed away from breast cancer. She was 61.

In her op-ed for the New York Times, Angelina Jolie explains her reasoning behind getting the procedure done: her genetics left her with an 87% risk of breast cancer and a 50% risk of ovarian cancer. She carries the BRCA1 faulty gene that raised her risk by about 65%. Her mastectomies brought her chances of developing breast cancer down below 5%. The procedures and following reconstructive surgery left her with some small scars, but that’s a small price to pay for your life.

I was dismayed and shocked to hear of the people who had criticized Jolie’s personal medical decision. It is her body and her choice. Her family supported her. Her children will grow up without having to worry about their mother dying from cancer. These are all fantastic things.

Some women unable to afford reconstructive surgery
have covered their scars with beautiful tattoos.
Image: Bodies of Subversion

But instead of congratulating her on being strong and intelligent about the matter, people lamented that she had “ruined” her looks. They said she got what she deserved for “stealing” Brad Pitt from Jennifer Aniston. Essentially, they told her she should have taken her 13% chance and kept her breasts.  

Are we such a superficial and cold-hearted society? I guess in some ways, we are. It’s inexcusable that someone’s entire worth as a person be judged completely on physical appearance, but occurrences like this remind me that not everyone believes the same as I do. Why can’t we set our judgments aside for a moment and consider a person for who they really are—for what they do and what they affect?

Jolie’s personal decision and openness about it will hopefully encourage other women to get the facts and make an informed decision when facing the prospect of breast cancer. The choice belongs to each woman—but it’s sad that it is a decision tainted with societal constraints. It’s sad that a woman would choose the 13% chance because she was more afraid of being judged than of dying.

Gwyneth Paltrow suffered a miscarriage and stroke scare
before taking on a more proactive role in her health.
Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com

For someone in a position like Angelina Jolie’s, the decision becomes even harder. With a career that is often focused on physical appearance and the entire world as an audience, there are far more judgments coming in. I personally applaud her decision. Not only was she making the difficult decision to have a painful and lengthy procedure, but she was also doing so knowing that millions would be judging her for it.

I hope that others will find courage in Jolie’s decision—whether or not they like her as a person (at least as the person the media portrays). Socioeconomic status, celebrity, and looks do not make us immune to disease or misfortune—a fact that Gwyneth Paltrow knows as well. Know your risk factors, and be informed.

WebMD is a wonderful resource for those seeking information about breast cancer, causes, risk factors, treatments, and more. Please check it out—you might be surprised at some of the risk factors, preventative practices, or other information available. Be safe, not sorry.

5 Common Headaches

We’ve all likely had headaches in our lives. They come in different forms and can be caused by a wide array of things. One-time occurrences are common, but so too are recurring headaches. It’s important to recognize different types of headaches and what’s causing them so you can minimize the chance you’ll get another one as well as determine proper treatment.

Headache types by location
Image from ufandshands.org

Let’s start with the common, self-induced hangover headache. Doctors aren’t positive what exactly causes hangover headaches. Alcohol can cause blood vessels to become inflamed and dehydrates us, both common causes of headaches. Circumstances like staying up late and missing out on morning caffeine can also be contributors. Drinking extra water while drinking, before bed, and after waking up can help reduce hangover headaches. Over the counter painkillers can also be used.

Tension headaches are also common and are characterized by their “behind the eyes” location. If your headaches just behind your eyes or forehead, it’s likely a tension headache and can be treated using over the counter products. Likely causes of these headaches are eyestrain, bad lighting or fluorescent lights. They are generally mild.

Massage can treat and prevent migraines

Image: Shutterstock

If your headache is just behind one eye or much more severe, it could be a migraine. Migraines are triggered by a number of things, including common food additives, caffeine, aspartame, sulfites, tannins, nitrites, alcohol, hidden additives (Tyramine or Phenylethylamine), and even leftovers (higher levels of Tyramine). Non-food causes can include stress, sleep deprivation, dehydration, fluorescent or bright lighting, and more. Migraines are often treated using prescription medication, though massage therapy is also a viable method for prevention.

Cluster headaches and migraines share many symptoms, but cluster headaches are unique in that they usually awaken someone from sleep. The also often last for a much shorter period of time—15 minutes to 3 hours—than migraines do (they can go on for days). Like migraines, prevention is key for cluster headaches and regular pain medications won’t have an effect. Treatments can include inhaling oxygen through a mask, local anesthetics, and prescription medications.

Cause or cure?
Image from memegenerator.net

Caffeine headaches can be brutal if you’re used to ingesting a lot of caffeine. They are most common in the morning and can be a catch-22 for the sufferer. While an occasional cup of coffee to cure the headache can help, doing so more than twice a week may call for additional treatment. Caffeine can also be a cause of headache, so be careful not to get caught in this cycle.

Living Healthy: Knowing Your Key Indicators

I often ponder the thought that each of us is unique, both in body and mind. Yet we continually make mass generalizations of what is “right” or “wrong” for our health, without any respect to individuals. Of course, there are things that are generally good for most people, and I can understand why we fall into the habit of applying those truths to everyone. But I think the single most important key to living a healthy life is knowing your unique situation.

Image from dare-mighty-things.tumblr.com
"Health is a relationship between you and your body."

For example, my workout buddy and I run together several times a week and attend exercise classes one to two times per week. She also lifts weights and does core strength training at home. She stretches every morning, as well as before and after our runs and classes. I would like to say I am as vigilant as her, but I’m not—which is part of the reason she is more fit than I am.

But though she has a stronger core and body in general, she is constantly hurting herself. Not the pushed-too-hard kind of hurting. The “I sat down and now my back is tweaked out” kind. She is a thousand times more careful than I am, yet she is always getting injured.

Another friend has cut most carbs, grains, and sugars out of her diet because when she eats them more than occasionally, she finds that she puts on extra weight. I have been on a low-carb, low-grain, and low-sugar for the better part of a year and it doesn’t affect my weight at all.

One of my roommates can’t eat or drink anything with aspartame in it because it gives him bad migraines. I also get migraines, but aspartame doesn’t have that affect on me—but alcohol does, if I drink more than one. He can drink several and not end up with a headache.

Image from exp.lore.com
"Self knowledge is no guarantee of happiness.
But it is on the side of happiness
and can supply the courage to fight for it."

I think as we grow, we learn more about ourselves, and sometimes that includes learning about our health. But too many people rely on the doctor when they are feeling down and out rather than proactively managing their health. I read about an interesting program the other day that is coming out of Henry Kravis’ company, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. It works with employees to help them recognize and understand their own key health indicators and better manage their health.

Now, I’m lucky enough to have health insurance, but there is certainly no program like this that helps me understand my health. What’s my normal blood pressure? No idea—they never tell me so I assume it’s normal. It’s things like that which I should know but don’t.

What do you think? Is it our doctors’ jobs to essentially fix us when we’re sick, or should they be working to help us understand our own health? Do you know of any other programs out there like KKR’s that work with employees to do this? I’m interested to find out what people know and want to know about their own health.