![]() No one really wants to talk about it, but suicide is the number 2 cause of death for individuals between 10-34 years old, and it remains common for older adults as well. Suicide does not just impact the individual and it sends out shock waves through families and our community. Contrary to popular belief, there are usually signs when it comes to suicide. Suicidal individuals may make comments or gestures about what they plan to do. They do this because some part of them wants help. For those of us who encounter these comments and gestures we should watch for these warning signs:
The best thing that you can do if you see these signs in friends and loved ones is to start the conversation. Do not wait for them to bring up suicide or depression. Some people openly express this but not everyone does. If you find out that someone is suicidal please act quickly. If you know that someone is about to end their life you may decide to call 911 and express your concerns. There are also crisis centers that you could take this person. In the Palm Desert area one location is RI International (442) 268-7000. There are also 24 hour hotlines for Suicide like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255. The most important thing you can do for a suicidal friend or family member is to listen and ask questions.
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In an emotionally intimate relationship, powerful attachments and bonds are shaped. Not only does the bond let us know that we are understood, unconditionally accepted, and appreciated, it tells us we are safe. Betrayal by an intimate partner shatters these core human needs and desires. It pulls apart the core assumptions upon which all enduring relationships must rest. Why does it hurt so much? Betrayal by people you care about hurts because it destroys your self-esteem. If you are to get over this pain, which may be extremely difficult, it may require readjusting your values. It might be necessary to begin to reassess who you thought their life partner was and what you thought "was unique" about your life and your marriage/relationship. The betrayed partner will look at how they learned to trust and then interpret what this betrayal means about them and their attractiveness and worthiness. Finally, they can start to imagine what their life might be like in the future considering the dramatic and traumatic events that have occurred. Can you heal from betrayal from an intimate partner? For healing to take place, the betrayed partner needs, from the person who has broken their trust, to feel heard, understand, and reassured. It requires tangible evidence that you are faithful and working on recovery. You are accessible, open, and actively engaged in the relationship. If you struggle to show empathy to your partner and their needs, then reach out to your therapist for help. Find a clinician who specializes in Partner Betrayal Trauma to help educate you. Symptoms of Intimate Partner Betrayal Trauma · Anxiety. · Hypervigilance. · Feeling overwhelmed. · Withdrawal & isolation. · Difficulty concentrating. · Difficulty regulating intense emotions. 6 Ways to Heal Betrayal Trauma 1. Do not blindly blame yourself. 2. It's okay to look back on the relationship to find things you would have done differently. 3. Avoid rebound relationships. 4. Seek out success. 5. Take care of your physical health. 6. Think about keeping a daily journal. When clients come into my office struggling with anxiety symptoms, including panic attacks, I ask them what they do to manage them. Many say they don't know what they do; they simply suffer through the discomfort of the physical and emotional symptoms. Before we begin to explore the reasons behind anxiety, I want to teach clients to use available resources and coping skills, even while we are discovering the roots of these symptoms.
These include breathing exercises for calming, grounding techniques, exercise, and mindfulness techniques. Here's a grounding exercise you can do to distract yourself from the unpleasant feelings of anxiety quickly: How to do it using your five senses? Look: look around the room and see five things and say them out loud. You might say, "I see a TV, a plant, a bowl, a photo, and a lamp. Feel: Pay attention to your body, then think of four things to feel and say them out loud. For example, you might say, I feel a rug under my feet, I feel the wall's texture, I feel the smoothness of a table, I feel the softness of a pillow. Listen: Listen for three sounds. Maybe you hear a fan blowing, a car horn outside, a bird chirping in a tree. Smell: Say out loud two things you smell. You might move around the room, and notice coffee brewing, or grass being mowed outside a window. If you can't move around, just say two of your favorite smells. Taste: Find one thing that you can taste. Maybe it's the orange juice you poured for breakfast. If you can't taste something, say your favorite thing to taste. I get asked all the time why I chose to name my counseling company after a car. I think Scion is a strange word but it means “a grafted plant”, so in my view, Scion means something new growing from something old. This is a metaphor for counseling because so many people come into counseling for help making real changes in their lives. However, sometimes people want to throw out many of the qualities that I believe are their strengths. Research shows that 30% of success in counseling comes from the relationship you have with your counselor. 40% of the success in counseling comes from the strengths you brought with you and only 15% of your success in counseling comes from the theories and techniques used by your counselor. So, you may not know it but you bring your future success in treatment with you as your strengths.
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