Locations     For Physicians Only     Español     Contact
In Case of Psychiatric Emergency: 1.970.201.4299
HealthFlex
×
  • About
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsyJTW8DnW4
    • How We Work
      • Benefits of Togetherness
      • Our History
      • Our Philosophy
      • Locations
      • Annual Reports
      • In The News
    • Our People
      • Boards of Directors
      • Leadership Team
      • Medical Providers
      • Therapists & Counselors
    • Partnerships & Collaborations
      • West Slope Casa
      • Health Info Exchange
      • Mesa Health Needs
      • Zero Suicide
      • Community Partnerships
  • Treatment & Services
        • Therapy & Counseling
          • What We Treat
          • Making the 1st Appointment
          • Adults & Seniors
          • Children, Teens & Parents
          • Metricovery™
          • Therapy & Counseling FAQ
        • Other Programs & Services
          • Oasis Clubhouse
          • Supported Employment Service
          • Women’s Recovery Center
          • Circle Program
        • West Springs Hospital
          • Refer a Patient
          • Admissions
          • What to Expect
          • Family & Visitor Information
          • West Springs Hospital FAQ

        • Peer Support
          Paying for Services
          Medical Records
        • What to do in a Psychiatric Emergency
        • Find a Location
  • Careers
    • An Exceptional Career Opportunity

      For highly competent & compassionate professionals, the new West Springs Hospital, opening early 2019, offers a state-of-the-art environment and culture in which to make your best possible impact. This is where you should be.

    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCz8XkjEJO8
    • Find Your Dream Job
      • All Open Positions
      • Benefits Package
      • How to Apply
      • Internships & Practicums
  • Resources
        • Mental Health Blog
          • A Peer’s Perspective: Five Self Care Activities
          • Stop and Smell the Pizza
        • Resources for Today’s World
          • Downloadable Resources
          • When Major Events Happen
          • Mental Health First Aid
          • Resiliency Skills Training
          • Suicide Prevention
          • Multiply Your Happy
          • Back-to-School Toolkit
          • Mental Health Care Kit
        • Professional Resources
          • Physician Referral
          • Thought Leadership & Trainings
          • Metricovery™
          • Medication Assisted Therapy
          • For the Media
          • Contact Directory
  • Give
        • If you would like to help us continue to offer critical behavioral health services to anyone who needs quality care, please consider making a financial gift to the Mind Spring Foundation.  Your support will truly save lives.

        • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWOq7jkcN0o
        • BUILDING SANCTUARY
          • Fundraising Priorities
          • Guide to Giving
          • EZ Tax Credit
        • Give Now
  • Espanol
  • About
    • How We Work
    • Our People
    • Partnerships & Collaborations
    • Annual Reports
    • In The News
  • Locations
    • Aspen
    • Craig
    • Eagle
    • Frisco
    • Glenwood Springs
    • Granby
    • Grand Junction
    • Meeker
    • Rangely
    • Steamboat Springs
    • Vail
    • Walden/Jackson County
  • Mind Springs Health
    • What We Treat
    • Making the 1st Appointment
    • Adults & Seniors
    • Children, Teens & Parents
    • Metricovery™
    • FAQ
  • West Springs Hospital
    • Refer a Patient
    • Admissions
    • What to Expect
    • Family & Visitor Information
    • West Springs Hosptial FAQ
  • Other Programs
    • Oasis Clubhouse
    • Supported Employment
    • Women’s Recovery Center
    • Circle Program
    • Peer Support
    • Paying for Services
    • Medical Records
  • For Professionals
    • Physician Referrals
    • Leadership & Trainings
    • Metricovery™
    • Medication Assisted Therapy
    • For the Media
    • Contact Directory
  • Careers
    • All Open Positions
    • Mind Springs Health
    • West Springs Hospital
    • Benefits
    • How to Apply
    • Internships & Practicums
  • Give
  • Contact
  • Mental Health Blog

Takeaways from Tuesday’s Longevity Finale

Takeaways from Tuesday’s Longevity Finale
September 17, 2019

BY JOHN STROUD, POST INDEPENDENT

Frank King and the mythical George Bailey from the film classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” have something in common, the self-proclaimed “mental health comedian” related during Tuesday evening’s Longevity Project finale.

Giving the keynote address before about 80 people at Morgridge Commons to conclude the Post Independent’s series “Striking a Conversation: Mental Health for All Ages,” King said the power of starting a conversation can ultimately save lives.

His George Bailey revelation came after speaking at a dental conference, when a woman who was in the audience approached him and revealed that she, like King, suffered from what’s known as “chronic suicidality.”

The woman explained that, until hearing him speak, she always thought she was the only one who tended to come back to suicide as an option whenever things weren’t going well.

“That’s the power of starting the conversation,” King said. “People need to know they’re not alone, and maybe something I’ve said has taken them just far enough off that path. …

“And it hit me. I’m George Bailey. … I got a chance to see what other people’s lives would be like if I were not there to speak,” he said, using the analogy of that iconic moment in the movie when Bailey gets a glimpse of what life would be like in his hometown had he never been born.

“I cannot kill myself, because I would take all those people with me,” King said.

Attendees also heard from a group of panelists, including Carson DeFries, intergenerational program coordinator for the University of Denver’s Knoebel Institute for Healthy Aging; Kevin Patterson, CEO for Connect for Health Colorado; and Jackie Skramstad, clinical operations manager at Mind Springs Health.

Following are eight key takeaways from the event:

1. Connect

Skramstad said it’s critical to “demystify” mental health. That means being open about it and connecting with people who may be struggling, she said.

“We feel much more comfortable talking about other health issues, yet we still have a lot of reticence talking about mental health,” Skramstad said. “But the more we do it, the more comfortable we’re going to be. …

“As human beings we have a desire to connect to others to have a sense of belonging, and to have a purpose.”

2. Socialize

DeFries offered that it’s important to continually find ways to socialize with others and, as people age, to have a support network that can help them continue to engage.

Loneliness can lead to depression and anxiety, she said. That’s especially true for older people.

“If you have a group of friends you can count, it helps with your self-esteem, your sense of belonging and your sense of security,” she said.

3. Intergenerational sharing

Another key to maintaining a healthy mental well-being for seniors is to engage with younger generations, including younger members of the family, DeFries said.

“It’s important to bring different generations together to exchange ideas, share skills, knowledge and stories,” she said.

In particular, “the grandparent-grandchild relationship is really special, and it’s where you see a lot of benefits and impact.”

That also helps with the social development of the younger generations, DeFries said.

4. Unplug

Limiting exposure to the constant barrage of media, and especially that which can be divisive, is one key to maintaining a positive mental well-being, Skramstad offered.

That doesn’t mean not staying up on what’s happening, but knowing when enough is enough and to unplug on occasion.

“When I talk about limiting your exposure, yes, stay informed and know what’s happening, but be able to put your cell phone aside, or turn off the news, and limit how much you’re taking in,” she said.

5. Look for the positives

On the flip side of unplugging is to look for the positives amid all the negative, Skramstad added.

“How many times do people do random acts of kindness, and we just don’t notice, because we’re so busy. And yet we notice all the terrible things that are happening in the world.

“We don’t stop to see people being amazing human beings.”

6. Slow down

Patterson shared his perspective about understanding how the brain is connected to the rest of the body, and to recognize when it’s time to listen to the signals that the body is sending out.

“We have to figure out how to listen to it differently, and how to respond to it differently,” he said. “It’s also about how to help ourselves differently and seek that kind of support, so that we can move forward and try grow a little bit differently in our lives.”

Slowing down means taking time to take care of oneself, Skramstad offered. “Go out and find what brings you joy.”

7. Whole health

Panelists also spoke to the movement within the health-care community to provide a wide array of health services in one setting, including both physical and behavioral health.

“It’s about figuring out what’s missing, and then how do we fund and plug those holes,” Skramstad said.

Integrated health care is crucial, Patterson said.

Sometimes, a patient has a specific physical problem that they need to address.

And “sometimes they might just want to talk,” he said.

“I think that having a place where it’s comfortable and familiar, and that they know they can trust, is really, really integral.”

8. Share the step

Taking that first step to seek help for a mental health issue can be the most difficult part, panelists agreed.

But if someone can help walk that first step with them, it’s much easier, Skramstad said.

“I don’t know of a way to connect with people that doesn’t involve taking a step with them,” she said.

DeFries added that it’s good to “look inwardly” when trying to help someone else. “Think about what you like doing … and are there opportunities to share that with others.”

 

Source

Add Comment Cancel


Recent Posts

  • Stop and Smell the Pizza Feb 9

    February 9 is National Pizza Day! Imagining the aromatic wonders of a hot, cheesy pie cannot only uplift your mood, but it can also help...

  • An Act of Kindness Today May Save a Life Tomorrow Jan 13

    By Dr. Frank Lotrich As you roam the aisles of the local grocery store, look around. You might see an ICU nurse, just finishing her...

  • Enjoying the Holidays in 2020 Dec 3

    Entering the holiday season this year feels funky.  How are we supposed to feel blessed and grateful during such an awful year?  The past year...

Categories

  • Featured (59)
  • In the News (31)
  • Mental Health Blog (51)
  • Mental Health Recovery (29)
  • News & Press Releases (49)
  • Recovery Newsletters (8)
  • Tools and Resources (26)
SEE ALL BLOG POSTS

HELPFUL LINKS

EMPLOYEE PORTAL
PROVIDER PORTAL
FORMS AND DOCUMENTS
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
TREATMENT LOCATIONS
CAREERS
EVENTS
FAQ
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

LEGAL

CLIENT RIGHTS
HIPAA PRIVACY NOTICE
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
PRIORITY POPULATIONS
PRIVACY POLICY
TERMS OF USE
NEEDS ASSESSMENT

The Latest in Behavioral Health

  • A Peer’s Perspective: Five Self Care Activities Feb 17

    While February brings hearts, flowers and well-placed prose to every gift shop around for Valentine’s Day, here’s a challenge to...

  • Stop and Smell the Pizza Feb 9

    February 9 is National Pizza Day! Imagining the aromatic wonders of a hot, cheesy pie cannot only uplift your mood,...

  • An Act of Kindness Today May Save a Life Tomorrow Jan 13

    By Dr. Frank Lotrich As you roam the aisles of the local grocery store, look around. You might see an...

©2019 Mind Springs Inc. All Rights Reserved
Site Design by Nover Marketing