Jeff Burkhead, Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center

Note: September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide should call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or (785) 841-2345.

As soon as they received the text message, they knew. And in that moment, everything changed. Forever.

I want you all to know I love you. Its my time to leave. Thank you so much for being such a supportive and loving family. Im sorry I have to do this. I have been planning this for a while and the time is here. I hid it well but I have been depressed for so long I dont even know when it first began. Just know theres nothing you could have done and this is my choice. As much as I love you I cannot be on this earth anymore. Theres something wrong in my head and I cannot bear it anymore. I love you. Thank you for all the laughs and good times we have all had together. You are the most amazing people and the best family anyone could ever have. Im so sorry to do this.

April and Richard Ramos

For April and Richard Ramos, Dec. 2, 2018, was a parents worst nightmare. Thats the day their second oldest child, Adam Miguel Juan Ramos, killed himself. He was 24.

Thats a day we will never forget, Richard said. Its so vivid in my mind, finding him.

Adam was alone when he died. His parents found him in the basement of his house.

Ive never cried so much in my life, Richard said. But thats OK, Adam deserves every teardrop.

The day before Adam died, he and his father watched Adams younger brother, Anthony, wrestle at a tournament in Kansas City.

We had a great day watching Anthony compete and cheering him on, Richard said. Adam was so supportive of his younger brother, true brotherly love.

Adams younger sister, Allison, was the last person in the immediate family to see Adam. They went together to a University of Kansas basketball game on a Saturday night. Adam died the following day.

I remember that night so well because he seemed so happy, Allison said. I made him take a selfie with me, which is now the last picture we have of him, so I am forever grateful I took that picture.

That smile was always on his face; he hid behind it really well, said Abigail, Adams older sister.

Behind his ever-present smile, though, Adam was hurting on the inside. He tried to kill himself by driving off the road when he was a freshman in college, though his family didnt know it was a suicide attempt at the time. His mom, April, who works in the mental health field, convinced Adam to see a therapist. He went a couple of times, but then stopped going, saying he didnt think therapy was for him.

Allison Ramos

I struggle with blaming myself, especially being in mental health, April said. The guilt has been really hard. My family has been great, reminding me that it wasnt anyones fault. They said he kept it from all of us.

After Adam died, Richard received a phone call from a high school classmate whose brother had died by suicide.

One thing he said that stuck with me was to imagine the pain they must have been in to want to end their lives, April said. Thats what has gotten us through it, that hes no longer in pain. I wish we could have helped him deal with that pain. But it helps to think that hes no longer in pain.

On what would have been Adams 25th birthday, Feb. 4, 2019, the Ramos family gathered with friends to celebrate Adams life.

Adam deserves to be remembered, Richard said. He brought us so much happiness in his short 24 years. We need to keep talking about him.

Talking about suicide can make people uncomfortable, but its important to talk about, to bring the subject out into the open.

This has to be talked about, Richard said. I know suicide happens way too often and I want to help change that.

Growing up in Charles Town, W. Va., Carter Gaskins family didnt talk about their feelings. His father was the strong, silent type.

My father was a big guy and he was the type of person who thought men didnt cry, Gaskins said. So I kept my feelings hidden. I think more of the black community holds this topic of anxiety and depression inside. We are taught to be strong and not to be emotional. Unfortunately, in the black community, we have to run faster to get ahead, so we don't have time to feel emotion. We just must keep running to be successful.

Carter Gaskins

Gaskins was a skinny, quiet kid growing up. From first grade through the 11th grade, he was bullied. Pushed off his bike. Punched in the chest. Called names. He didnt tell anybody about what was going on. He put on a good front, but when he was by himself, he would cry.

I would think, why am I not good enough? he said. Why cant I be a normal kid?

In his senior year of high school, Gaskins chose a different path. He started hanging out with people who were on the streets. They were his protection. He started sticking up for himself.

Thats when I got into things I shouldnt have, He said. Street life, fighting, hanging out all night, going to clubs and parties.

But he wasnt happy.

Depression hits you in different ways, Gaskins said. I was angry, frustrated, didnt care about nothing.

When his father, this big, strong guy who seemed invincible, became sick and started having his own mental health issues, Gaskins sunk deeper into depression. His father, because of his physical problems, ended up going on dialysis.

Seeing my father on dialysis, helpless, hopeless, I started having a nervous breakdown, shaking, crying, Gaskins said. In March 2009, I had my first panic attack and Ill never forget it.

Three months later, Gaskins father died after suffering a stroke during dialysis.

The depression was still there, Gaskins said. I used to ride motorcycles. I would sometimes ride at a high speed and think about killing myself. I had no fear.

One year after the death of his father, Gaskins met Shanice, the person who would become his wife. About a year later, they were expecting a child. The child passed away shortly after birth.

Thats when everything went black for me, Gaskins said. Everything was numb. It was like there was a huge cloud sitting over me. There were a lot of times I would be in the car holding a gun and just wanted to end it. I really didnt care about anything.

Gaskins and his wife separated and she moved to Lawrence, while he stayed behind in West Virginia. He ended up joining her here in Lawrence. The move changed his life.

It took my wife to get me out of that place. I put her through hell, but shes such a strong woman, Gaskins said. I had to deal with all of my pain and my frustration and face those things head-on.

And he discovered a new passion.

Thats the reason I got into photography, he said. There are a lot of people who deal with anxiety and depression and suicidal thoughts and they think no one cares about them. I take it upon myself, that its my job to show them how beautiful they are with my camera. You never know what someone is going through. I went through it, and I understand it.

When she was 13, Sierra Two Bulls contemplated killing herself.

It was really more self-harm; I cut myself, she said. What I really wanted was for the problems to go away, but not necessarily my life. I never attempted after that, but that became part of my journey. It was my familys addiction problems that really made me want to kill myself when I was 13.

Sierra Two Bulls

Two Bulls, an alumna of Haskell Indian Nations University and the University of Kansas, is an Oglala Lakota from the Oglala Sioux Tribe on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. She grew up around her culture and traditions, but the poverty, addiction and despair are also a reality for her and her tribe.

As a Native person, we have ongoing intergenerational trauma caused by European colonization, the genocide, the boarding schools, and the forced removal from our land, Two Bulls said. Theres a saying, I have attended more wakes and funerals than graduations and other celebrations. That speaks to my reality. Suicide rates among American Indians/Alaska Natives are historically higher than those of the total U.S. population. We have that ongoing trauma.

Two Bulls experienced trauma in other ways as well. She is a sexual assault and domestic violence survivor.

Even though I come from a long line of resilient people, we still have ongoing trauma, she said. I have seen the effects of that.

In 2015, when Two Bulls was in graduate school at the University of Kansas, one of her best friends killed himself. Motivated by the loss of her friend and to earn her masters degree in Social Welfare, Two Bulls applied to do her practicum at Headquarters Counseling Center. Shes been a volunteer counselor ever since.

Its been a long journey, she said. Trauma and resilience have played a huge factor in my life. Thats what brought me to Headquarters and why Ive stayed.

Chris Maxwell has been working in the field of suicide prevention since 2013. His personal experience with suicide goes back further.

I had my own experiences between high school and college with a couple of suicide attempts myself and then went through my own recovery process, Maxwell said.

Chris Maxwell

Maxwell, who is director of public relations and media for the American Association of Suicidology in Washington, D.C., began working in the area of suicide prevention when he went through training to become a counselor for Headquarters Counseling Center in Lawrence, which is now Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ.

Now, looking back, I would say it absolutely influenced me to get into this line of work, Maxwell said. Through the Headquarters training, it became clear that this was something that was not only helpful for others but was helpful for me in processing and coping and connecting with others who had experienced similar things.

Maxwell found that opening up about his experiences was helpful when he was going through his own struggles.

Being more open and sharing how things are going and asking for help when I needed it was really big, Maxwell said. Its really hard to reach out and ask for help, and suicide is a hard topic to talk about. It can make you feel like youre a burden to those around you. But I found out I wasnt a burden; people really did want to know what was going on with me.

Maxwell said it is important for people to check in with each other, especially now during a pandemic.

With COVID-19, that isolation factor is huge, Maxwell said. We know that people are being impacted, we know that people are feeling worried. People are suffering in silence and not feeling like they have any way of dealing with their emotions. We need to be checking in on our loved ones all the time.

Amy Hammer is a member of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy team at the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center. She experienced bullying and suicidal ideation when she came out as gay in high school. After taking a psychology class, she knew she wanted to help people who were struggling with mental health.

In college, she volunteered at Headquarters and learned a lot about talking to people who were considering suicide. She has been a DBT therapist for almost 20 years now; for the past five years, focusing on transgender individuals and how to help them. The transgender population is at a higher risk for suicide; though research shows that trans people are less suicidal when their families are supportive.

I love DBT because its a respectful treatment for people who have suffered from traumatic, invalidating experiences and environments, Hammer said. DBT has shown in many studies over the past 20 years to be really helpful for people who are struggling with intense emotions, suicidal ideation and self-harm. Ive watched countless people get much better, stop wanting to die, and build lives worth living.

Like cancer, most people know or know of someone who has died by suicide.

Almost everyone is touched by suicide, in some way, said Allan Bunch, vice president of communication and development for Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ. I challenge anybody to meet someone who has never been impacted by suicide.

For many years and still in some circles, suicide isnt talked about. Adding to the stigma and shame.

Suicide is OK to talk about, Bunch said. When were talking about suicide were not talking about anything that anyone should be ashamed of. Someone died because they were in pain and they sought to end their pain. Most people who are considering suicide actually dont want to die; its just the only way they can see ending their deeply intense emotional pain.

Like every other business and organization has had to do during the pandemic, Headquarters Counseling Center has adapted and adjusted. But its counselors remain as dedicated as ever.

Were all focused on day-to-day living and staying safe while we experience a global pandemic, and our volunteers are not an exception to that, said Jared Auten, training coordinator for Headquarters. Theyre certainly having their capacity stretched and challenged. So were conscious of trying to keep them supported. Weve been so grateful for our volunteers.

Typically, Kansas Suicide Prevention HQ has about 55 active volunteers at any given time. A standard shift is four hours; the overnight shift is eight hours. The number of calls per shift varies. Headquarters is part of a national network of more than 160 crisis centers that answer calls to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Our volunteers are regular people in the community who have an interest or a passion for suicide prevention, Auten said. The volunteer opportunity attracts people who have some connection to suicide.

Jared Auten and Rachel Schmidt

For Auten, it was his father.

My main motivation for getting involved with Headquarters was the death of my dad in 2006 by suicide, Auten said.

Auten was 13 at the time of his fathers death.

I wasnt initially told that he had killed himself; I was told a day or two later, Auten said. When I was told that my dad had died, I knew that he had killed himself, but no one was saying it. I didnt think it was a hunting accident, which is how it was presented to me. Every family, every community is impacted by suicide. But those stories arent always told. The other reality is as a society we really arent comfortable talking about suicide.

Talking about suicide isnt easy but its necessary, Auten said.

Mental health issues, like suicide and depression and anxiety, are not talked about among men. The attitude is that asking for help is not masculine and that its a sign of weakness, Auten said. We as men have to acknowledge there are aspects of masculinity that get in the way of us doing things that promote health and wellness.

When someone is experiencing suicidal thoughts, its important to have open and honest conversations about access to services as well as access to firearms and other lethal means, and to encourage family members to work collaboratively with the person who is at risk.

When someone died by suicide, its easy for others, particularly family members, to blame themselves.

Even when someone displays warning signs and ultimately dies by suicide, its no ones fault, Auten said. But that blame is definitely something that suicide loss survivors experience. You start questioning, what could I have done? Could this have been prevented? A lot of survivors go through the mental gymnastics of trying to make sense of it. Its important to be reminded that its no ones fault.

When Matt Jackson started as a counselor at Headquarters Counseling Center, he encountered something he had never experienced before.

Its a safe place, Jackson said. Its the first safe place Ive ever known.

Matt Jackson

Like other suicide counselors, Jackson has his own history with the issue.

I have a history of depression, a history of anxiety, Jackson said. At one point in my life, I actually got to the point where I had gone and bought a knife. I think I was maybe 18. I had given away possessions; there were certainly warning signs.

Dealing with being gay and growing up in the South as well as working through childhood trauma that he had to unpack over time, Jackson has healed and grown. As a counselor, he has shared from his own experiences when its appropriate and he thinks it will be helpful, but, mostly, he listens.

We provide a mirror of self-reflection that allows people to open, Jackson said. Its all anonymous. We do everything to protect the callers anonymity and our own anonymity. So its a forum, almost like a confessional. My role, as I see it as a volunteer counselor, is to be an assistant. Im assisting people, Im here to hear you. That person, whether they realize it or not, by calling, by reaching out, theyve already made a step toward surviving, toward life.

In 2019, Bill Harkness, a longtime board member of NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) Kansas and board president, died by suicide.

It was a shock to everybody who knew him but a reminder that suicide can affect anybody, said Bill Wood of NAMI Douglas County.

After Harkness death, Gov. Laura Kelly issued a statement: Im deeply saddened to hear of Erics passing. He was a tireless advocate for the Kansas mental health community. He touched many lives with his unbridled passion for helping people who deal with mental illness every day access the help and support they need.

Eric inspired us during Mental Health Advocacy Day at the Capitol and other activities as part of his unwavering commitment to educate and increase awareness about mental illness.

Wood remembers his own personal experience with suicide, which occurred years ago.

It would be pretty unusual if somebody hadnt at least thought about it sometime in their life, Wood said When I was younger and not getting along with my wife very well, I was driving down the road one day and thinking about which telephone post am I going to hit. Fortunately, a little voice said, youre listening to a lie here; you can work this out. So, Im still alive.

Rachel Wolfe, an urgent care therapist for Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, has talked with many clients whose lives have been upended by the COVID-19 pandemic.

While working with clients over the past several months, I have noticed a topic that frequently comes up in session routine, Wolfe said. In crisis therapy and individual outpatient therapy alike, we often support clients in developing healthy, supportive routines which are shown to positively impact one's mental health.

The pandemic has dramatically changed those routines.

Throughout the pandemic, people have had their lives, and specifically their routines, flipped upside down without any notice, Wolfe said. Clients have told me that they feel like their mental health, physical health, and lives as a whole are out of their control; and this is often where suicidal thoughts come in. Whether they live or die becomes one of the only things they feel they can control.

Although the pandemic has posed our clients with many unforeseen challenges, I also am hopeful that it has shown them that they are resilient, resourceful, and well-equipped to overcome life's inevitable challenges, Wolfe said.

See the article here:
Suicide prevention awareness: Stories of hope and resiliency | LMH Health | Lawrence, KS - LMH Health

Look at the spastic! a voice sneered. It was the first time someone had mimicked my twitches an older kid at school attempting to impress his friends in the most malicious way possible. I was eight-years-old.

My head began to fog up and I felt like a circus act, as he continued to taunt me. I was too scared to cry. I put my head to the ground and walked away. The rest of that week I spent every break sitting alone in a classroom. Its unbearable to think that children still endure these traumatic experiences. But they do, not least because theres such a lack of awareness about my condition.

I have Tourette syndrome a neurological disorder that causes involuntary movements and vocalisations, called tics. Your mind may jump straight to people shouting obscenities - as is so often depicted on television, such as Channel 5s recent documentary Teacher with Tourettes but coprolalia, as its called, affects only six per cent of people with TS. Despite that, swearing is inaccurately portrayed as our defining characteristic, which makes it incredibly difficult for the other 94 per cent who have the condition.

Around 300,000 people in the UK have Tourettes, each with their own twitches and noises. These tics come and go in phases (mine last around eight months) and can be both conscious and unconscious.

The unconscious kind can be as simple as unknowingly jiggling your knee. As soon as someone mentions it, you become aware youre doing it and try to stop. The conscious type feels more like an electric buzz inside your body, urging you to make a particular movement or sound. The more you resist, the stronger it grows. You finally cave in to experience a moment of relief, but the buzz returns. If youre stressed, emotional or unwell, it gets worse. If youre relaxed, focused or feel like youre in a safe environment its reduced.

I was diagnosed at seven after developing a whooping noise, cough and neck jerk. My parents knew something was up, but the lack of research made it difficult to pinpoint. After a teacher guided us in the right direction, it was the specialist neurological department at Great Ormond Street Hospital who worked it out.

The medication I was forced to take made me put on weight, and then the bullying began. Some kids were really nasty, others protective. Same with my teachers. A twelve, I had an induction day before starting senior school. With a smile on my face I approached a new classmate to say hello. Dont talk to him, he has Tourettes, hes weird interrupted a pupil from my junior school. Being made to feel insignificant had become a way of life. But this time was different, Id had enough.

On my first day, I asked the headmaster to address the entire school of 800 pupils and staff about TS and to explain that I had it. My hope was that more awareness would curb my emotional battles I faced. I left the room to avoid everyone staring at me the whole experience was terrifying. But my courage came through. For the most part, the bullying stopped.

Over the years, as many with TS do, I learnt how to mask my tics with other body movements: a cough, a sniff or sitting in a particular way. I have also developed a number of coping mechanisms, such as breathing exercises, meditation, positive mental attitude techniques and cognitive behavioural therapies.

Sadly, theres a stigma that people with TS will never make anything of themselves. I remember discussing my university choices with a tutor. He scanned the page and upon seeing Oxford on the list let out an uncontrollable laugh. Children with Tourettes are burdened with the false reality that they cannot achieve success. They think the best thing to do is hide in the shadows to avoid the embarrassment they bring to themselves and others.

But what many at this young age dont realise, is that they also have a superpower. Tourettes is not a weakness, it can be a gift. At 15 I began to realise, when I focused my attention on what I truly enjoyed doing, I would excel. I discovered DJing and theatre studies. The moment I was on stage, or speaking into the microphone, my tics would reduce and the excess energy that would have otherwise gone into them became a catalyst to my success.

Ill be honest. The chances of being accepted for a major show or play was slim. So, I did what Id learnt to do: I took things into my own hands.

If I asked that little boy in the playground what hed be when he grew up, my answer would have been a world away from my reality. Today, I create and present TV series on Amazon Prime, most recently, an award-winning travel show called The Three Drinkers. I write a drinks column and travel the world to host events. You see, when we focus on our passions, our tics are almost non-existent. Watching me, youd have no idea I even had Tourettes.

Dont get me wrong - I still have everyday struggles. Public transport, for example. If Ive had a bad day, my tics (currently a pseudo-cough, discreet eye-roll and twitch in my abdomen) might be more pronounced. Ive lost count of the number of people who will glance over, before moving away from me. You cant begin to imagine how emotionally draining that is to be feared.

Relationships can be tricky, too. At what point do I tell someone about my TS? Even though my symptoms are now fairly mild, they do get worse when Im stressed. On first dates its not obvious, but as we spend more time together, I will put a twitch or cough down to allergies. Im still figuring out when to let someone in. Id be lying if I said there wasnt a small concern of will anyone truly love me?. But I do think the right guy is out there.

Thankfully, for many, the older you get the more your tics calm down, but they will never fully disappear. I suppose my life will never be normal, but I am happy. I might be one of the only TV presenters in the world with Tourettes - but I certainly wont be the last.

So, what next? If you learnt something from this article, please share it. Tourettes needs all the awareness it can get.

For my fellow Touretters. You are not alone. Find your coping mechanisms and in doing so, find yourself. Even though you might not know it just yet, you are capable of so very much. Talk to others experiencing similar things and channel your energy into what you love. Give The Tourettes Podcast a listen, its a great start to finding comfort.

Finally, to the parents of children with TS. Educate those around you; schools, clubs, friends and family. Amazing resources such as Tourette.organdtourettes-action.org.ukare out there. Embrace it, normalise it. Don't hide your children away. It's imperative we experience what it's like to be in public, no matter how tough it may seem. And most importantly, help them find their passion. Because one day you will look back and know that, against the odds, they accomplished their dreams.No one should ever feel alone.

There is a severe shortage of TS specialists in the UK and waiting lists are long. Recently, Alder Hey Hospital in the North West shut their doors to TS sufferers after the specialist left, with no plans to replace them. Waiting lists for the other three centres in the country make it difficult for children in desperate need to get the help they deserve and at this age, it's essential they embrace their Tourette's rather than running from it. Local parents have set up a petition to force the local government to take action but need help from people throughout the country. Please help us make a paramount difference to these kids' lives by signing a petition at Change.org.

Aidy Smith is an award-winning TV presenter and journalist. You can follow him@Sypped

Go here to read the rest:
'Tourette's is my superpower I've used it to forge a TV career' - Telegraph.co.uk

Technology is at our fingertips. Think of all the health monitors or wearable fitness trackers that people are using today. Virtual healthcare practices have changed our attitude towards the medical and healthcare industry. While there are loyalists as well as dissenters who rue the lack of personal connection with the doctor and quality care, tech innovations are breaking barriers meanwhile.

Technology in Healthcare

It could be as simple as information sharing between doctors and patients, or something as profound as robotic aid in a high-risk surgery. Better still, make it a remote surgery where the patient and doctor are separated by miles in between them! Clearly, recent tech advancements are disrupting the medical and healthcare industry with its dynamic applications.

It started with the online consultations and took off from there.

Telemedicine or virtual consultations are a thing of the past now. Even when they started, the dramatic impact it had on traditional healthcare roles has changed our collective attitude towards the industry. As these technologies develop further, more applications for professionals and patients stand to promote the overall wellness. Today, apps on the phone track our exercise and calorie intake, check obesity development, and monitor heart health.

Here are 5 recent tech innovations that have disrupted the industry for the long haul:

1. Virtual Reality or AR/MR/VR in Healthcare

Both medical professionals and patients stand to benefit from the multi-sensory, immersive experience that VR provides.

Think of realistic and low-risk simulated environment for training surgeons. On the other hand, in the arena of pain management or mental health, immersion in virtual worlds can produce better results. VRs therapeutic potential and rehabilitation chances in acute pain and anxiety disorder cases are far-reaching.

2. Nanomedicine

This is the stuff of sci-fi genres. Nanotechnology and nanodevices are arming the healthcare industry with control on the molecular level. Nanopharmaceuticals are aiming at smaller drugs and more precise delivery systems. For instance, delivering chemotherapy to targeted tumours rather than poisoning the whole body.

3. 3D Printing

Creating medical tools from buildable materials ranging from plastic to stem-cells, 3D printing has revolutionised the medical industry. Aided by the custom-friendly aspect of 3D printing, organ transplants and tissue repair, prosthetics and braces, even layered stem-cell organoids are possible today. Faster prototypes at a fraction of the traditional cost is a huge leg-up in the healthcare scene. The most dazzling innovation through this method is the poly-pill that holds several drugs for multiple illnesses with different release times!

4. Internet of Medical Things or IoT

Connected devices, cloud-computing, and the internet have allowed a larger the exchange of data, convenience, and automation. The IoT is significantly changing how healthcare professionals can manage patient records, control inventory, monitor and provide preventative care. In a way, this could be the most significant disruptive technology as a lot of other tech advancements have been possible only through this.

5. Precision Medicine

Diagnosis, treatment, and preventive care based on an individuals environment, lifestyle, and genetic makeup is a big shift from the all-purpose generic approach. Precision medicine is suggested based on diagnostic and molecular genetic testing processes such as genome sequencing and DNA mutation investigations. This will revolutionise preventive measures reducing treatment time and expenditure as well as healthcare requirement.

As healthcare and technological advancements grow together, the industry becomes more optimised providing quality care. It is evident in the cosmetic health industry where non-surgical procedures have advanced significantly. You can get Botox in Perth with breakthrough serums and great aftercare with minimal or no recovery time.

In fact, tech innovations have disrupted the healthcare industry so significantly, it is impossible to see it survive without them.

Continue reading here:
5 Recent Tech Innovations Disrupting the Medical and Healthcare Industry - HealthTechZone

There is a physical explanation to Caleb Fergusons emergence this season.

Second among frequently-used Dodgers relievers with a 0.66 ERA, the left-hander has added velocity to a mid-90s mph fastball hes able to locate at the top of the strike zone. Hes changed his secondary offering too, replacing a slow looping curveball with a firm sliding cutter that has generated six strikeouts and only one hit.

It's just a harder pitch, Ferguson said. I can remember talking to AJ Pollock, who told me that whenever I would throw a good curveball, it was slow enough where they would still have enough time to react and foul it off or even put it in play. So having a harder breaking ball like that, keeps the hitters guessing a little bit more.

But there is a mental progression Ferguson credits too, a simplicity of purpose that has allowed him to flourish in his third big league season.

Im just sticking to all my strengths now, he said. Im not trying to do something thats not me out there. I think Ive finally realized the kind of pitcher I am and what I do best. ... I know my stuff is way better that day than the hitter. Thats the attitude I roll with.

After combining for eight scoreless innings in a doubleheader sweep of the San Francisco Giants on Thursday, the Dodgers bullpen ranks top three in MLB in ERA (1.90), batting average against (.181), slugging percentage against (.269), walks per nine innings (2.9) and left-on-base percentage (80.4%). Ferguson typifies the improvement.

The 24-year-old, who opened the second of Thursdays games with his 13th scoreless appearance in 14 outings this year, boasts the mix of execution and poise evident across a bullpen that was solid yet at times inconsistent last season.

Mindset has maybe been Fergusons biggest change. The former 38th-round draft pick was a starter in the minors and maintained rotation aspirations even after moving to the bullpen as a Dodgers rookie in 2018, reaffirming the goal as recently as this spring.

Asked again earlier this month, however, Fergusons thinking had suddenly changed.

I think starting is fun, but I also think throwing leverage innings in the back end of a bullpen is a lot of fun too, he said. Those guys are talked about just as much. So I dont know. Its a good question.

"I was very outspoken about wanting to be a starter for the two years Ive been with the team now. Never would have thought I would be questioning that.

That clarity of role has helped him embrace a two-pitch fastball-cutter mix the latter of which he says he throws like a slider with extra velocity specialized for the bullpen. According to MLBs Statcast system, Ferguson is setting a career-low in zone contact and career-high in chase and whiff percentages, and is inducing ground balls more than half the time. Batters rarely hit the ball hard against him.

I think with Fergie, hes really found a routine every day thats really kept him consistent in his delivery, manager Dave Roberts said. That slider-cutter thing hes got now and has confidence in is a real weapon.

"And also, this is his third season. Hes really found his confidence and who he is. I still think theres more in there.

Other Dodgers relievers are undergoing similar transformations.

Closer Kenley Jansen (1.42 ERA, NL-leading eight saves) is effectively evolving in his 11th season, overcoming a decline in velocity with improved command of his cutter and continued incorporation of his fastball and slider.

Free agent signing Blake Treinen (1.32 ERA, team-high six holds) is getting ground balls on his signature sinker. Dylan Floro has been even more effective than Ferguson, allowing one run in 14 innings. And left-hander Jake McGee, signed to a one-year deal in July after being released by Colorado, has surpassed expectations by relying almost exclusively on a mid-90s fastball that has induced a .108 batting average against.

Even though veteran relievers Pedro Baez and Joe Kelly are on the injured list, Roberts has plenty of viable options, as evidenced by the six relievers that followed Ferguson in the second game of Thursday's doubleheader.

Theres some really good arms, Roberts said. Just really doing a great job of preparing and getting outs when theyre called upon.

Original post:
Caleb Ferguson epitomizes the strides made by Dodgers' deep and effective bullpen - Yahoo Sports

Photo by Whitehorse Star

Tiffanie Tasane

Many Yukoners reported worsening mental health due to COVID-19 restrictions, according to a Statistics Canada survey.

By Gabrielle Plonka on August 24, 2020

Many Yukoners reported worsening mental health due to COVID-19 restrictions, according to aStatistics Canada survey.

The survey reports that 52.4 per cent of participants felt their mental health was either somewhat worse or much worse now since physical distancing rules were implemented.

Participants describe several anxiety problems such as becoming easily annoyed or irritable, feeling nervous, anxious or on edge, worrying too much and having trouble relaxing.

The survey was conducted between April 24 and May 11.

Tiffanie Tasane, the executive director of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Yukon Division, told the Star last week she has noticed the downturn in mental wellness.

Those numbers may actually seem a little bit low, Tasane said of the survey results.

The CMHAs counselling team has seen increased anxiety in clients this year, Tasane said. For clients who already had issues with anxiety, the pandemic has exacerbated them.

Its two-fold, in that a lot of coping mechanisms have been removed, things like maybe team sports or social gatherings or travel, Tasane said.

If you dont have your healthy coping mechanisms, then sometimes you replace them with unhealthy coping mechanisms.

Yukoners with traumatic pasts or who struggle with anxiety may be more likely to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, she explained.

CMHA counsellors also saw an increase in clients with relationship issues.

Tasane noted that people spent extended periods of time home together during lockdown, which was straining on couples and families.

Even in a great, healthy relationship, everyone needs time to themselves, Tasane said.

We certainly saw relationship issues become a presenting issue far more often than they have been.

Isolation and the uncertain future are two aggravating factors for mental health during the pandemic.

Tasane noted that while the Yukon has been lucky in its low case count, Yukoners are worried about a potential second wave, the impending flu season and borders reopening.

Living with that uncertainty makes it challenging for people and hard to plan, Tasane said.

Were also grieving things that are lost people had looked forward to travel or seeing family from far away theres this big sense of loss with all of that, as well.

Tasane explained that maintaining healthy habits diet, exercise, good sleep habits are important for maintaining mental health.

Those basic things do go a long way, Tasane said.

Dr. Brendan Hanley, the Yukons chief medical officer, said during a COVID-19 update last Wednesday that ensuring Yukoners have access to mental health services has been a priority for him.

Mental health has been a particular concern of mine for many months now, since really the start of the pandemic, Hanley said.

We are facing an accumulation of restrictions, even as we are opening up, we still know that the impacts are still being felt.

Hanley said he thinks there are sufficient mental health resources in the territory, but Yukoners may not be aware of what those resources are.

This is an ongoing issue, a back and forth of reviewing services, how well they are being provided, Hanley said.

The CMHA currently has a two- to three-week wait list for appointments.

Most appointments are being conducted virtually, but clients are able to book an in-person appointment at request.

CMHA appointments are available within 48 hours for Yukoners in crisis, and there is also drop-in telephone counselling.

The CMHA launched a support line in mid-July that is available from 2 to 10 p.m., seven days a week, at 1-844-533-3030.

The Yukon governments Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services also offers rapid-access counselling.

Tasane recommended that Yukoners look into what employee assistance programming might be available to them, as well.

She said there is room for improvement in the territorys roster of support services.

I think there has been an improvement of resources in the Yukon, for sure, but there are still some big gaps, Tasane said.

One of the gaps I see is mental health services for youth.

Tasane says she heard from parents this year whose children struggled with the lockdown and school closures.

I think the isolation last spring is a huge thing, they are uncertain of their future, Tasane said.

I think they have a fear of COVID of disease but they may not even know that they have that fear.

Read more:
COVID-19 taking a toll on mental health - Whitehorse Star

In recent reports it has been indicated that North Korean households with dogs have been forced to handover their pets to authorities, who consider them to be a sign of Western decadence.

Horrible as this might be, sometimes I feel like Macau authorities are just one step away from banning or confiscating any pet dog in the city, taking into account the general attitude of local municipal authorities towards them.

Full conflict of interest disclosure: I do own a dog.

In general dog ownership in the city is a troublesome and arduous affair.

First of all, the fact that public transport does not allow taking pets on board, no matter how small they are, and taxis also refuse to carry them, its almost mandatory to own a car to be able to provide a decent quality of life to your pet in terms of carrying them with you.

Moreover, available green areas in the city are scarce, and most public parks do not allow dogs to enter.

In most cases, dog owners, especially in the Macau Peninsula area, are forced to either have their dogs do their business in depressingly small enclosed areas packed with dogs, or just walk along trafficked sidewalks.

In some cases, the pet dogs ban in some green areas is just outright absurd. Take for example the Cotai riverside bicycle and walking lanes, one of the only available decent public areas ion that side of the city.

Meters and meters of grass completely out of bounds for any canine, unless its one of the dozens of stray dogs who make the Cotai construction sites part of the local ecosystem, it seems their home.

Maybe having no owner ensures a better life quality for local dogs, since the same takes place on local beaches, mostly also out of bounds for any pet dog.

It is hard to comprehend why civil and respectful dog owners, who hold their dogs on a leash and take care of their droppings, are not allowed in basically any public green area of this city.

Sometimes even hiking trails, one of the only options for people to go on a leisure weekend stroll with their dog, are out of bounds.

A citys life quality is not only measured by how well gardens are kept and how well sidewalks are kept clean and tidy, but also by the good sense of its municipal regulations.

Unfortunately, in some cases the hassles of having a dog lets not even talk of the options available for taking pets outside Macau can even lead some despicable people to just abandon them and stop bothering.

Then theres the already horrible fact that a third of all stray dogs and cats collected by municipal authorities last year and that failed to be claimed ended up being put down.

Its sad, but it does happen, so it would be nicer to see municipal authorities have a more tolerant attitude towards the local four-legged furry city inhabitants.

After all, in these difficult times, they are working overtime to keep the mental health of their owners in check. Its only fair we also take care of theirs.

[MNA Editor-in-Chief]

Read more here:
OPINION - It's a dog's world - Macau Business

Burnout Is On The Rise: Heres How To Avoid It From finding therapeutic relief through hobbies outside of work, to getting a full nights sleep, here are some strategies workers can use to avoid burnout.

A recent survey from FlexJobs and Mental Health America has found that three-quarters of workers have experienced burnout at work, and 40% of them say theyve experienced burnout specifically during the coronavirus pandemic.

Considering that as many as 37% of employees reported working longer hours since the pandemic started, the rise in burnout isnt too surprising.

Add to the longer hours the stress and anxiety that many are currently facing for a variety of reasons: fear of losing their jobs, uncertainty because of the pandemic, increased workload as many companies have laid off employees, the struggle of physical distancing, and getting used to working from home, and youve got a perfect recipe for burnout.

While burnout is a big problem in and out of itself, its not the only problem. More worrying is the fact that only 21% of employees stated that they were able to have open, productive conversations with HR about solutions to their burnout.

This means that almost 80% of employees are not getting the support they need from their employers to cope with burnout and work-related stress.

This is particularly alarming considering that workers mental health has significantly declined since the onset of the pandemic. According to the survey report, prior to the pandemic, just 5% of employed workers and 7% of unemployed workers said their mental health was poor or very poor. Now, 18% of employed and 27% of unemployed workers say they are struggling with mental health issues.

In times when organizations should be lending support to employees, the reality is far from the ideal. The survey found that 56% of employees would go so far as to say that their HR departments did not encourage conversations about burnout.

Mental health as a whole is suffering since the start of the pandemic, but stress is of particular concern to workers. Of employed workers, 42% say their stress levels are currently high or very high, while 47% of those who are unemployed report high stress levels.

Top employee stressors include:

Why should this matter to employers?

Simple. Because mental health and work are intertwined.

For better or for worse, the work environment has a direct impact on mental and emotional health. More than three-quarters (76%) of respondents agree that workplace stress affects their mental health, leading to depression or anxiety, and 17% strongly agree.

Moreover, if organizations want their employees to perform their best and reach their full potential, they need to make sure that they are supporting them in the ways they need it the most.

Currently, that means providing mental health support.

According to the survey, the top ways employers can support mental health of their employees include:

Survey respondents also reported that they would be interested in participating in virtual mental health solutions if these are offered through their workplace:

Below are some strategies that can help you prevent burnout.

Exercise has been proven to be great for our physical health, but also our emotional and mental health.

You dont need to spend hours at the gym or have an intense workout in order to reap the benefits of exercise. Sometimes something as simple as a walk or a few stretching exercises can do the trick. Whats important is that you find some activity that you enjoy and that you stick with it.

It can be hard to set boundaries when youre working from home, especially today as experts continue to advise that people physically distance themselves.

But setting boundaries is key in order to prevent burnout. Otherwise you will find yourself working lingerie hours and having a harder time unplugging from work.

Some ways to create boundaries include:

Studies have found that there is a direct link between stress and lack of sleep. Not only does stress make it harder for people to sleep, but lack of sleep can worsen stress. Its quite the vicious circle.

To prevent burnout, you need to make sure that youre getting some quality shut eye every night. Below are some tips that can help you get a better nights sleep:

Considering how many people are struggling with physical distancing and how many are increasingly feeling lonely, reaching out to those close to you should be part of your weekly routine.

Sometimes the best therapy we can get is talking to those close to us; even if you dont talk about whats stressing or bothering you, simply having a friendly voice and a nice conversation can go a long way in boosting our mood.

When working from home, it can be really hard to turn off our work mindset. This is why its important that you find and engage with activities that you enjoy outside of your work.

Whether you enjoy cooking, reading, coloring, cleaning, organizing, ceramics, etc., the goal is for you to immerse yourself in an activity that you fully enjoy and that provides some therapeutic relief.

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Cecilia Amador de San Jos, Senior Associate Editor of Allwork.Space, is based from wherever her laptop is. She enjoys traveling and visiting new flexible workspaces. If you'd like Ceci to check out your workspace, feel free to reach out to her at [emailprotected] (and send a plane ticket). View all posts by Cecilia Amador de San Jos

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Burnout Is On The Rise: Here's How To Avoid It - Allwork.Space

Cheryl Lawson is known for her long, curly, red hair.

But she is planning to shave it all off for the charity Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide.

The 33-year-old from Scawthorpe, said: My sister's fiance Pete committed suicide on May 21 of this year.

Cheryl want to raise at least 1,000 and raise awareness about mental illness.

Some days he could cope but others were difficult.

Cheryl says that Pete Sims, 34, of Cusworth was an outgoing and joyful man.

He was often described as the life of the party and was a great father to son Edwin.

Pete Sims, aged 34 from Cusworth.

He had struggled for years and gone through so much, Cheryl said.

I know that he would be 100 per cent behind it.

She has wanted to do a head shave for many years but has waited for the right cause which means something personal to her.

Cheryl is known for her long, curly, red hair. All of which she is shaving off to raise money for charity.

Cheryl has so far raised 850 and is planning on doing the big shave when she reaches 1,000.

She said: Im looking forward to shaving it off because I have so much hair and it will be nice to be able to wake up in the morning and not have to tame it.

My hair is how a lot of people recognise me so I thought it would be symbolic to take that away.

When people struggle with mental illness that is sometimes the only thing people can see about them.

Cheryl wants to start more conversations in Doncaster about mental illness and how its treated in our town.

There is a shut up and put up attitude in our town, she continued.

Lockdown has put a lot of extra stress on people and I truly believe that we need to talk and change attitudes around mental health.

If you want to donate to Cheryls head shave you can do here.

Continued here:
Doncaster woman to shave head to raise money for bereavement charity - Doncaster Free Press

BY RICHARD CAWLEY richard@slpmedia.co.uk

Matt Smith is looking to impress this season and that has nothing to do with putting himself in the shop window.

The striker, 31, was top-scorer for Millwall last season with 14 goals and will look to nail down a starting spot again under Gary Rowett when the Championship resumes on September 12.

Smith is due to be a free agent at the end of June but says that doesnt change the way he will approach the 2020-21 campaign.

The big frontman signed a two-year deal when he arrived from QPR in July 2019.

This is probably uncharted territory for me, said Smith. Other than when I moved to Leeds I have never found myself in my final year of a contract.

But it doesnt change my attitude one bit. My approach will always be the same to give everything I can and have the most productive season as possible.

Im not one to sit back, relax and think everything is okay. Im the type of person who wants to keep pushing and do better and better every season. The target is always to have the best season Ive ever had.

Smith is coming off his most prolific goal return in English footballs second tier. He netted eight times in his final season at QPR and bagged 11 for them in 2017-18. While he ended the 2014-15 season with 19 goals, 13 of those came during a productive loan at then League One outfit Bristol City.

Rowett has already said one area that damaged Millwalls top-six prospects is that they didnt score between 65 and 70 goals. Only six clubs netted fewer than Millwalls tally of 57.

The Lions chief did not pin those attacking shortcomings just on his attackers. But Smith is happy to question himself.

While people might be told to contribute from other areas, ultimately it is the job of myself and the other strikers. I look at myself could I have scored more and helped the team out?

While we were very resilient and kept a lot of clean sheets, we didnt score enough goals. That is my job to do that. As a collective we fell a bit short.

I could have got a couple at QPR [in the penultimate fixture] which could have changed the game. Middlesbrough at the start of the season was a catastrophe for me I could have had a hat-trick.

Against Luton I couldve got us the win but had a big miss with a header. You do think about those scenarios but there are probably one or two that go for you, so it balances itself out. But Im never satisfied. You cant let complacency start to creep in.

Rowett has moved to strengthen the striking department with Troy Parrott arriving on loan.

Millwall were so often 4-4-2 under previous boss Neil Harris who was a long-term admirer of Smith but quite often Rowett has employed one out-and-out centre-forward in a 4-2-3-1 or 5-2-3 formation.

There are a wealth of attacking players at the top end of the pitch vying for attacking spots, said Smith.

Ultimately Im hoping I can force my way in and be that person.

Goals dont necessarily guarantee you starting, as weve seen. It is not just delivering the best goal return as a forward its that you can be best for the team and the style of play. Ive always believed I operate better with a strike partner, so seeing the likes of Troy and everyone else we have got makes my eyes light up.

But I also realise that two strikers is becoming less and less fashionable these days.

Hopefully I can be the main man not only deliver goals but also be a platform and catalyst for the team to perform.

Parrott, 18, has arrived with a lofty reputation he has already been capped at senior level by the Republic of Ireland and featured in the Premier League last season under both Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho.

The Lions put out a video last week of the youngster showing a ruthless streak in shooting drills.

Everyone has been really, really impressed with him, said Smith. For an 18-year-old he carries himself as a mature adult.

Hes very much got a mans body for such a young lad. In training he has shown he has got a good footballing brain. He has got some great attributes hes strong, he can turn and he can finish.

On the face of it, it looks a really savvy move and acquisition for the team. Hopefully he scores us a lot of goals. He has come here looking to get experience and game time under his belt Im sure he will do that from what Ive seen of him so far. To be so sought after by other teams and a manager like Mourinho speaks volumes.

Millwall are back in the swing of pre-season training, with minimal downtime. The domestic fixture schedule was rejigged due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

I enjoy getting down to the games that stuff that matters most, said Smith. This is my 10th pre-season and it is never my finest hour to get a condensed version of it was music to my ears.

I dont tend to shine in this period, so the sooner its over the better.

For big guys like myself you get a little exposed and all these youngsters are running rings around you. But at the same time it is as important, if not more, for the big lads to be in peak physical condition going into the games, because it takes a little longer to get up to speed.

When you have several weeks off you feel a bit rusty but this time its felt like wed not been away. I made the most of the limited time off. I managed to get away with my fiance for a couple of weeks in the south of France.

It was brilliant as much for a mental break than a physical one. We were off for the lockdown period but you were always mentally switched on to come back.

So to have that mental respite and not think about football was welcome. Its been a very challenging year for people and were no different as footballers.

Forests end-of-season slump opened the door for Swansea to snatch the final play-off place.

Millwall finished eighth, two points behind the Welsh club.

Smith said: You look back to the QPR and Middlesbrough games which were the two we really let ourselves down in, it makes you think what if?. After the Huddersfield game it showed that we were just a win away.

The league table doesnt lie. It showcases how you perform over the entire campaign and thats what matters.

Whilst it feels like it was down to two games, it really wasnt.

We felt very gutted that we fell just short at the very end. Its something well be looking to rectify going into this season.

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Read more from the original source:
Millwall striker Matt Smith on his contract situation, why pre-season is never his finest hour, Troy Parrott + looking to be a first-choice in attack...

Limpe reflects on her fitness journey in quarantine.

Even before the pandemic hit, staying at home everyday always left me feeling restless. I am the type of person who needs to be out and about doing something productive, whether its finishing errands, meeting with friends or simply walking in the park. So, aware that I would be spending countless monotonous days at home in this new normal, I knew I had to redirect my energy somewhere else. Thats why I turned to working out and learning yoga.

Aside from some research, nonprofit and internship work, I have spent the majority of my time in quarantine exercising, usually seven times a week if my body can handle it. It isnt as if I havent exercised before. In fact, I would say that I exercised pretty consistently even before quarantine; however, I didn't have a regimen in place, and studies and extracurriculars would often get in the way of making substantial fitness progress.

Always known as the short girl with the fast metabolism, l was never really conscious about my appearance until I saw the effects of the dreaded Freshman 15 after my first semester at Hopkins. Realistically, I know it did not affect me as terribly as I envisioned it in my head, but it still made me more conscious about what I ate and how I was working out.

With extra time on my hands and still reeling from the effects of the Freshman 15, I began my fitness journey in quarantine strong. I was exercising everyday and even completed an isolated 10k with my cousins for coronavirus patients. However, with extra time at home in quarantine, my mind would unwittingly wander into the dreaded area of insecurities. Knowing the amount of effort I was putting into staying fit, and seeing photos of the body I aspired to have, soon became very damaging. On many occasions, I had to stop myself from obsessing over the most effective workouts and falling into the dangerous mindset that I needed to eat less or skip meals in order to tone my body.

Deep down, I knew that I had made my core and arms stronger, and I just needed to focus on what I had already accomplished instead of what I was still lacking. Maybe I would never be able to return to my pre-college weight, but did I really want to give up my current healthier lifestyle to backtrack into my malnourished self?

Alongside the physical effort of completing various workout programs, it took a lot of mental effort to start focusing on developing a healthy mindset alongside a healthy body. I attribute part of the process to the materials I learned in my Abnormal Psychology class. Because I was aware of some of the bad habits of a potential eating disorder, I was able to recognize them in my own life and during discussions with friends about shared health issues. From there, I used this knowledge to turn my negative thoughts into positive fuel to make me more conscious about reforming my life for the better. I began by reading countless blogs and watching YouTube videos by verified nutritionists to learn how to eat and work out right.

Of course, it was not a straightforward path. There were still times when my mind would unconsciously drift back to my negative thoughts even after I began making changes to my lifestyle. To counter this, I found foods and exercises that I genuinely enjoyed, so that I would look forward to the changes I was making to my diet and exercise rather than be left dreaming of the desserts I was missing. Transforming my attitude was definitely not an easy thing to do, and I especially do not want to minimize any of the challenges and distress that those diagnosed with an eating disorder go through. I acknowledge that I am lucky enough to have access to resources to educate myself on these topics.

The first step I had to do was determine my own personal goals, which were to tone, get stronger and to plan the right course of action. Rather than obsessing over how much I was eating, I instead redirected my attention toward the kinds of food I was eating. Of course, if your goal is to lose weight, the amount of food you eat does matter. But, in my case, I incorporated more protein and vegetables in my diet to proportionate these food groups with the amount of carbs I ate.

I also had to stop the nasty habit of hating on myself whenever I ate a lot of sweets or carbs (my weakness!), especially during the weekly lunches with my extended family on Sundays, designated as my cheat day. I learned that prohibiting myself from satisfying my cravings only made me want them more. Learning about achieving food freedom not only made me happier but also taught me to listen to my body to control food rather than let food control me.

Most importantly, I learned to focus on myself. The path to fitness is different for everybody, and there are various factors that you need to take into account including genetics, current lifestyle and body type that will affect how quickly or slowly you are able to reach your goals. Chloe Ting and Pamela Reif have seemed to become household names over quarantine, but maybe their workout plans just arent for you.

Dancing, high-intensity interval training workouts, yoga, weight training there are so many options worth exploring! You may draw inspiration from all the fitness queens out there but constantly comparing yourself to others is a fruitless pursuit that may only lead to more self-doubt and negativity. In fact, you can take everything I have said here with a grain of salt if you think that it isnt applicable to your lifestyle. And that is completely okay, as long as you are able to decide on the path that will be most beneficial to you and your goals.

Eat right, listen to your body and focus on your OWN development. These are the three big lessons I have learned while working on my fitness in quarantine. I am still, by no means, the strongest or fittest person out there, but I know that I have definitely improved personally. I am now able to eat healthier and live happier, mindful of how much stronger mentally and physically I have become over the past few months. What used to be a chore has now become a stress reliever for me. I finish my daily workouts pumped with endorphins and filled with a much more positive outlook about a future beyond this pandemic.

See the original post:
Exercising toward a healthy mind - Johns Hopkins News-Letter