I wanted to talk about interventions...

We ended up talking a lot about honesty, and how many of us just aren’t honest enough with those we love, and don’t appreciate when others are honest with us. We don’t know how accept the discomfort, and use the information. What I thought would be a talk about how to help in situations where some has an addiction or other issue that would require an intervention, ended up being really useful information that anyone could use.

The full video episode of UNASHAMED is on my YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/channel/UC58Xclno_Mf2emYpIjUfXDg

I started this podcast because I think it’s important to talk about mental illness, and you have the chance to STOMP OUT STIGMA too, this weekend. The Mental Health Foundation will hold the annual walk in a virtual and in-person format—- sign up here!

https://www.benice.org/mhf-events. You can also find out more about Sanford House and interventions here: https://sanfordhousegr.com

Addiction and mental illness often go hand-in-hand, as was the case with my sister. My podcast so far has focused on suicide, but I also wanted to explore addiction and how we approach the people in our lives who struggle with it, because that was a huge part of our life with Tara.

I made decisions about Tara that were based on a desire to not “enable” her addiction, and to create boundaries to protect my family. I have since questioned a lot of those decisions…. wondering if I had acted differently, how that would have changed things.

The idea of joining a support group came up before my sister’s death, and although I didn’t have a problem with that idea, I never took the initiative to actually do it. This episode of my podcast, UNASHAMED, is a conversation with someone who belongs to Al-Anon, which is a FAMILY support group for those who have alcoholic loved ones. If you’ve wondered how these groups work, or how you might benefit, this conversation could help! Talking with this woman was very helpful to me, personally, and I hope it sheds light for you too on what might work for you to move forward in a positive way.

The Kent County chapter of Al-anon is online at GRAFG.org

The national chapter is al-anon.org and will direct you to your local chapter

A great support system for people who have loved ones dealing with mental illness is NAMI, at nami.org or namimi.org

You can learn how to approach people in your life about their mental health through the be nice action plan, sign up now at benice.org

*****If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, call the national suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255

You can watch the video versions of all UNASHAMED episodes here: https://youtube.com/channel/UC58Xclno_Mf2emYpIjUfXDg

“Everyone told us, this is beyond what you’re capable of handling. He needs an in-patient facility”

Their son is in crisis, but getting help is only adding to the stress and anxiety for this family. Weeks after seeking help, they’re still waiting.

In my newest podcast episode for “Unashamed”, I talked to Jerry and Jo Ann, whose son is in desperate need of an in-patient facility to treat his mental illness. Jerry posted a video on YouTube that got the attention of state lawmakers, and now he’s working to change the laws in michigan so that other families don’t have to deal with what they’re going through.

You can follow their journey here:

https://www.facebook.com/jgross811

You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel for all of video versions of these episodes!

https://youtube.com/channel/UC58Xclno_Mf2emYpIjUfXDg

Take the pledge to help prevent suicide at benice.org and learn more about the action plan that teaches you how to help anyone dealing with mental illness or a crisis.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255

#suicideprevention #suicideawareness #letstalkaboutmentalhealth #stopthestigma

Dealing with this kind of loss is still relatively new to me... it comes and goes in waves, it seems, but never really ends. The Eardley family has been dealing with it for 12 years, and shared with me what the process has been like for them, and what has helped. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call the suicide prevention lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can learn more about the be nice action plan at benice.org , which includes advice for how to talk to someone dealing with mental illness or a mental health crisis.

A woman who chooses to remain anonymous shares what was going through her head as she tried to end her life. It didn’t work, but ended up being the wake-up call she needed. I wanted to understand if there was anything anyone could have done or said leading up to that day that could have changed her mind.

I’ve talked to her many times, and interviewed her as part of my job as a journalist, about the be nice. action plan (Notice, Invite, Challenge, Empower). I never knew that Christy Buck learned through real-life experience how to help someone in a crisis. She is the Executive Director for the Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan, and in this episode, you’ll learn exactly how YOU can talk to someone who needs help. Resources discussed in this episode: nami.org Al-anon.org. Nar-anon.org Benice.org *and* the national suicide prevention lifeline, which is 1-800-273-8255

Those who lose someone to suicide are left with a million unanswered questions. The most pressing one for me is, could I have saved my sister? If I had done more, would she still be here? I took that question to a psychiatrist who treats people like my sister every day, to try to understand how to move forward. It was one moment that changed all of our lives, but it didn’t start there, and I hope that by trying to understand what happened, I can be a better sister, friend, person to others who might need help. Please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 if you or someone you know is contemplating suicide. Your life IS worth living, and your loved ones will NOT be better off without you. As a family member of someone who struggles with addiction, it can be helpful to join a group like nar-anon.org or al-anon.org as well.