Mental Meanderings
Published to my Peer Group with minor editing to protect the guilty:
VLADI'S MENTAL MEANDERINGS
Episode 2 of 12
Recently, we have seen a rise in attention given to suicide by the "MSM", due to the recent celebrity suicides. And, with all the various articles, as well as Facebook memes flying about, I have come to a realization, due to the fact that I have actually been on the "other side of the phone", as it were. Now, I am not going into a whole bunch of different things (after all, I have 10 more sessions to perform for my therapist here :P), so I will only concentrate on one, very important thing, which I believe we have been doing wrong for many many years.
A MILLION.
Even in the best of times, we have a hard time relating to that number. We don't see it, we don't interact with it, we don't experience it. It is a concept to us, really. Sure, we understand it mathmatically, but if we suddenly had a million of .... ummmm... anything, we would have a very hard time dealing with it. (Though some would be challences to accept ... a million DOLLARS, Vladi?? Bring it on!!!)
No, we will go with something a bit more esoteric and even more difficult to quantify, and that is reasons to go on living. Okay, you are in a suicidal crisis, and you have to think of all these reasons in an already chaotic mind and GO!!
Sure, I am being a bit sarcastic here, but you follow my reasoning. I, prior to a year ago, really thought and acted like most of you when dealing with a person in crisis, because of the way that we have been taught and trained. However, realize that this training was designed by communication experts with imput by lawyers, and sometimes with the added benefit of imput by doctors and phsychiatrists What we DON'T usually get, however, is imput from the PATIENTS!
Well, as my experience as one of those suicidal mental health patients will tell you, is that a million reasons is impossible to even start to try to comprehend. And, with the chaos and self-destructive thoughts and feelings that are going on with the person in crisis, you need to give them a POINT of stability and calm, to get that person to concentrate on the ONE thing that gives them hope and safety, until they can begin that slow process of healing. You cannot get them to that point if you have them trying to think of a million reasons of anything.
No, it is far better to have the person concentrate on one thing, than to try to round up a million things.
Now, not saying that you still in the business change any policies or training methods, only that you be aware of this. Think of it as one more tool in your mental health toolbox when helping others!
Now, ENJOY YOUR SATURDAY!!
VLADI'S MENTAL MEANDERINGS
Episode 2 of 12
Recently, we have seen a rise in attention given to suicide by the "MSM", due to the recent celebrity suicides. And, with all the various articles, as well as Facebook memes flying about, I have come to a realization, due to the fact that I have actually been on the "other side of the phone", as it were. Now, I am not going into a whole bunch of different things (after all, I have 10 more sessions to perform for my therapist here :P), so I will only concentrate on one, very important thing, which I believe we have been doing wrong for many many years.
A MILLION.
Even in the best of times, we have a hard time relating to that number. We don't see it, we don't interact with it, we don't experience it. It is a concept to us, really. Sure, we understand it mathmatically, but if we suddenly had a million of .... ummmm... anything, we would have a very hard time dealing with it. (Though some would be challences to accept ... a million DOLLARS, Vladi?? Bring it on!!!)
No, we will go with something a bit more esoteric and even more difficult to quantify, and that is reasons to go on living. Okay, you are in a suicidal crisis, and you have to think of all these reasons in an already chaotic mind and GO!!
Sure, I am being a bit sarcastic here, but you follow my reasoning. I, prior to a year ago, really thought and acted like most of you when dealing with a person in crisis, because of the way that we have been taught and trained. However, realize that this training was designed by communication experts with imput by lawyers, and sometimes with the added benefit of imput by doctors and phsychiatrists What we DON'T usually get, however, is imput from the PATIENTS!
Well, as my experience as one of those suicidal mental health patients will tell you, is that a million reasons is impossible to even start to try to comprehend. And, with the chaos and self-destructive thoughts and feelings that are going on with the person in crisis, you need to give them a POINT of stability and calm, to get that person to concentrate on the ONE thing that gives them hope and safety, until they can begin that slow process of healing. You cannot get them to that point if you have them trying to think of a million reasons of anything.
No, it is far better to have the person concentrate on one thing, than to try to round up a million things.
Now, not saying that you still in the business change any policies or training methods, only that you be aware of this. Think of it as one more tool in your mental health toolbox when helping others!
Now, ENJOY YOUR SATURDAY!!
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