Find a Suicide Walk in Your Area

Out of the Darkness Walks are coming to your area.  I have noted there is one in San Jose, and there is one in Modesto.  This is an effort to put light on suicide, and to raise money for suicide prevention efforts.  This walk is sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.   Even if you don't intend to walk, check out the website as it provides information on suicide and efforts to prevent suicide.  Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, and fourth leading cause in adult 16-65. In 2014 there were over 40,000 reported completed suicides in the United States.  The website says that 90 percent of people who complete suicide have a diagnosable mental health problem.  It then goes on to say:

The best way to prevent suicide is through early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of depression and other mental health conditions.

Elizabeth Smart Talks About Pornography

This story is so terrible and so wonderful at the same time.  I know Utah has been made fun of for declaring pornography a public health crisis.  However how many women's lives will be ruined before we come around to seeing this is true.  There is hope at the end of this presentation.  I encourage you to give it a listen.

Family Systems

Here is a little chart I developed long ago, for people to map their family system, internal and externally.  The large circle in the middle allows the family to map their primary family, while the circles without allows them to map those influences outside the home, which also have a significant effect on the family.  Al

though this map I did, I did not develop the idea of mapping a family, internally and externally.  This is a good tool for allowing people to look at their families, and is a springboard for discussion of the influence of family.

**The History of Methamphetamine in the U.S.

Amphetamine was first produced in Germany in 1887.  However it was mostly a drug without a problem to treat, and used for many different things.  Methamphetamine, which is cheaper to make, was first produced in Japan in 1919.  It too had difficulty finding a home, but was used extensively in WWII to keep soldiers going.  Kamikaze Pilots used the drug before suicide missions.  It was used on both sides.  It was also used extensively during the Vietnam War by U.S. Servicemen.  After WWII there was an epidemic in Japan, which had surplus drugs which were released to the public during this period.
Legal use in the United States centered on depression and weight loss.  Legal sources of these drugs are still on the market, but highly controlled.  During the 70s, when the drug became a controlled substance in the United States, illegal distribution of the drug was mostly through Hells Angels.  However with the advent of cold formulas containing Ephedrine it became very easy for people to manufacture the drug at home, and “Meth labs” popped up in many places to supply the drug.  It is easy to make, but difficult to control for toxic wastes.  Also fires from manufacture became common for a time.
More recently, cold remedies with these substances have also become increasingly controlled.  However control has not lessened the availability of methamphetamine.  The major supplier now is Mexican drug cartels, and the drug is readily shipped from Mexico with common carrier routes.  The drug is manufactured in Mexico, but also in California and other states by the cartels.
In the United States, the spread of the drug began on the West coast, where it was produced in large amounts by home manufactures.  Oregon and California lead the country in production.  The use of methamphetamine has slowly spread to the East.  Other western states noted for methamphetamine use include Nevada, Utah etc.  Also states in the Midwest have had problems with the drug.
This is a dangerous drug.  It is poison that people are taking, and trying to control the amount for the most positive effect, without consequences.  However it is highly addictive and the negative consequences become worse over time.
http://www.narconon.org/drug-information/methamphetamine-history.html
http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/crystalmeth/history-of-methamphetamine.html

Medications for Mental Health

Medications are such an integral part of treatment for mental illness.  This brochure gives a brief overview.  Of course information is given about specific medication when is is prescribed.

Each category includes specific medications.  Of course each medication comes with benefits.  Medications are taken to reduce symptoms, prevent relapse and improve quality of life.  Successful medication treatment requires taking them as prescribed, take them at the same time each day, do not change you dose, follow instructions with regards to take with food or not, do not stop taking or reduce the dose without talking to your doctor.  Report to your doctor and allergies you may have, if you are taking other drugs , including street drugs, are pregnant or breast-feeding, have diabetes, kidney liver or heart disease, are on a special diet, drink alcohol or smoke, experience side effects.

Card: Know the Signs

Sheri says saying suicide is preventable is not sensitive to survivors of suicide.  However, I think the message is that our actions may prevent a future suicide.  There is some good information in this little card.

Flossing?

OK, so the dentist lied to me?  When I was a child, and we did the dental course at Lincoln Elementary in fourth grade, the issue was to brush correctly, there was nothing said about flossing.  Then, flossing became the big thing, and continued so for the past 40 years or so.  And now today the paper, and Drudge (from Associated Press) say flossing has no proven benefits.  What are we torturing ourselves for if there are no proven benefits.  To be honest, I do see some benefit from flossing.  When there is something like popcorn or meat stuck between my teeth driving me crazy, flossing is the only think that can get that thing out.  It works better than a tooth pick.  It says the evidence of health benefits from flossing is unreliable at best.  The government has removed flossing from its dietary guidelines.  The Associate Press looked at 25 of the best studies and concluded :the evidence for flossing is” weak, very unreliable and of very low quality.”  The conclusion is there is no real evidence that flossing provides much health benefit, except that it can reduce gum inflammation which can lead to gum disease.  I am an as you need it flosser.  I do not floss every day.  
I guess floss is big business; about $2 billion annually.

Substance Abuse Line, Santa Clara County