As the holiday season approaches, Guidance Care Center is reminding Florida Keys residents to pay attention to their mental health and look out for friends, family members and neighbors who may be struggling.
Maureen Dunleavy, regional senior vice president for Guidance Care Center, joined Good Morning Keys on Keys Talk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about the organization.
The holidays can bring a mix of emotions, particularly for people dealing with grief, loneliness or other personal challenges.
While Thanksgiving is traditionally a time to reflect on the things for which people are grateful, practicing gratitude can also be an important tool for managing stress and improving mental health.
“Oftentimes we can get stuck in our own thinking, and we can end up in a dark place,” Dunleavy said. “There are things that we can do for ourselves to manage that stress and mental health. And gratitude is one of them.”
People naturally tend to focus on negative experiences, sometimes overlooking the positive things happening in their lives.
“If five good things happen today and one bad thing, our natural tendency is to call and complain about the one bad thing and forget about the five good things,” Dunleavy said.
Intentionally recognizing positive experiences can help people retrain their brains and change their outlook, particularly when they are facing difficult circumstances.
Mental health is something everyone has and must manage throughout life.
“We all have mental health, and your mental health is not cured; it’s managed by what’s going on in our lifetime,” Dunleavy said. “We all have stressors, and all of us have the potential to get to that place where we can’t see a way out, where we can’t find solutions.”
People experiencing significant stress can sometimes become isolated, withdraw from others and feel as though their problems are impossible to solve. Those feelings can become particularly difficult during the holidays, especially for people experiencing their first holiday season after losing a loved one.
Dunleavy said connecting with others is one of the strongest protective factors in suicide prevention.
“Connection is our number one strongest protective factor for suicide prevention,” she said.
That connection does not have to involve hosting a gathering or attending a large event. Dunleavy suggested attending community activities, volunteering, helping at a food pantry or simply finding opportunities to spend time with other people.
Even a short period of connection can help someone get through difficult times.
Dunleavy also encouraged residents to watch for warning signs in those around them, particularly withdrawal and isolation.
“Withdrawal and isolation is the number one warning sign when people are struggling,” she said. “If you haven’t seen someone in a while, reaching out, even if it’s as simple as a text or a phone call, can make a huge difference.”
She also encouraged people not to be afraid to ask someone directly whether they are thinking about suicide.
Asking the question does not put the idea into someone’s head. Instead, it opens the door for an honest conversation and an opportunity to connect that person with help.
“Just because we talk about it or ask about it, we’re not going to put the idea in someone’s head that they need to do that,” Dunleavy said. “We are going to open the door so that we can then connect them to the help that’s so needed.”
People do not have to solve every problem for someone experiencing a crisis. Their role can simply be to listen, show compassion and help connect that person with appropriate resources.
Guidance Care Center offers several resources for people experiencing a mental health or substance abuse crisis, including a 24-hour mobile crisis response line.
Residents can call 305-434-7660 and press 8 to reach a live person for mobile crisis assistance. The national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is also available around the clock.
Guidance Care Center operates a crisis stabilization unit and detox center in Marathon for adults, as well as an assisted living facility for people with severe mental illness who cannot live independently. The organization also has three outpatient centers, provides substance abuse treatment services in the local jail and offers services at area schools.
Dunleavy said the organization’s services are available regardless of a person’s insurance status or ability to pay.
“Mobile crisis response is free,” she said. “We do not turn anybody away for their ability to pay. We don’t send people to collections. The goal is to help our community and not to lose one more life.”
The organization’s outpatient locations are generally open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., while its crisis services remain available 24 hours a day.
More information about services and locations is available at guidancecarecenter.org.
Dunleavy said the most important message for the community is that help is available and people experiencing a mental health crisis do not have to face it alone.