Crisis

We at Mind Your Self Counseling are deeply saddened by the recent increases to every demographic by suicide. We believe now is the time to stand together, and start a conversation geared towards actual efforts to do more to stop these often preventable deaths. We want more than anything to increase awareness of the severity of this crisis and to ensure that help is sought out and obtained.

Death by suicide is not a new problem. It is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States (the second leading cause of death among people ages 15-24). More years of life are lost to suicide than to any other single cause except heart disease and cancer. Every day, more than 22 veterans die by suicide; 44,000 Americans die by suicide each year.

Regardless of race, age, or socioeconomic status, it is true that most people who die by suicide have a mental or emotional disorder which may or may not be diagnosed.  Furthermore, eight out of ten people considering suicide give some sign of their intentions. People who talk about suicide, threaten suicide, or call suicide crisis centers are 30 times more likely than average to kill themselves. For emergency contact information, or if you are in immediate need, please see our Crisis Resources below.

Warning Signs of Someone Considering Suicide

Any one of these signs does not necessarily mean the person is considering suicide, but several of these symptoms may signal a need for help:

• Verbal suicide threats such as, “you’d be better off without me” or “maybe I won’t be around”
• Expressions of hopelessness and helplessness
• Previous suicide attempts
• Daring or risk-taking behavior
• Personality changes
• Depression
• Giving away prized possessions
• Lack of interest in future plans

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If You Think Someone Is Considering Suicide

• Trust your instincts that the person may be in trouble
• Talk with the person about your concerns. Communication needs to include LISTENING
• Ask direct questions without being judgmental. Determine if the person has a specific plan to carry out the suicide. The more detailed the plan, the greater the risk
• Get professional help, even if the person resists
• Do not leave the person alone
• Do not swear to secrecy
• Do not act shocked or judgmental
• Do not counsel the person yourself

If you or someone you know is considering suicide or showing warning signs of considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or Bexar County 24 Hour Crisis and Substance Use Helpline 1-210-223-7233 (SAFE).

If you are ready to get help or need more information about mental health services for yourself or a loved one, please give us a call for a free mental health consult. We can perform suicide assessments for anyone and have a trained staff that can assist you immediately.

Crisis Resources

Many times we find ourselves lost without a place to turn for help. We have compiled a list of local and national resources for you to utilize, should you find yourself in crisis.

Here are national hotlines for crisis. Please scroll down for apps that may help with depression, anxiety, and anger management.

HOTLINES

Crisis and Suicide

Girls & Boys Town National Hotline
(800) 448-3000

National Hopeline Network
(800) SUICIDE

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
(800) 273-TALK (8255)

National Youth Crisis Hotline
(800) 442-HOPE (4673)

Military Crisis Line (Active Duty)
(800) 273-8255, then press 1

Veterans Crisis Line
(800) 273-8255, then press 1
Send a text message to 838255

Domestic Violence

National Domestic Violence Hotline
(800) 799-7233

National U.S. Child Abuse Hotline
(800) 422-4453

Rape and Sexual Assault

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)
(800) 656-HOPE

Abuse Victims Hotline
(866) 662-4535

Running Away

National Runaway Switchboard
(800) 231-6946

National Hotline for Missing and Exploited Children
(800) 843-5678

Substance Abuse

Poison Control
(800) 222-1222

Cocaine Anonymous
(800) 347-8998

National Institute on Drug Abuse Hotline
(800) 662-4357

Others

Shoplifters Anonymous
(800) 848-9595

Eating Disorders Awareness and Prevention
(800) 931-2237

Teen Help Adolescent Resources
(800) 840-5704

APPS

Breathe2Relax
Breathe2Relax is an app developed for stress management. It walks users through breathing exercises that help reduce stress, stabilize mood, control anger, and manage anxiety. The app’s developers note that it can be used on its own to reduce stress or in combination with their other therapies. Breathe2Relax is free and available on both iOS and Android.

PTSD Coach
PTSD Coach is an app developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Center for PTSD, intended for use by Veterans, military personnel, and civilians experiencing symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress disorder. It provides a self-assessment tool that allows users to track symptoms over time as well as tools for managing symptoms. Users can also store contacts for personal support, locate nearby treatment programs, and contact he National Suicide Prevention Hotline quickly in emergencies. PTSD Coach is a free app for both iOS and Android.

Optimism
Optimism is a family of applications that focus on self-tracking as a tool for coping with mental illnesses including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and PTSD. The app helps users detect patterns in their mood, creating a way to identify triggers and other things that affect their mental health. Users can create a customizable wellness plan to chart their coping mechanisms, and this can be updated as they come to a deeper understanding of what they need to tackle their mental illness. Optimism is available for download on Mac OSX, iOS devices, and various web browsers.

SAM: Self Help for Anxiety Management
SAM is an app designed to help people manage their anxiety. Users can record their anxiety levels and identify different triggers. The app includes 25 self-help options to help users cope with physical and mental symptoms of anxiety. Users can create a personalized anxiety toolkit, adding in the features of the app that they find most useful for easy access. The app also has a social cloud feature that allows users to anonymously share their experiences with other SAM users. SAM is available for free on both iOS and Android devices.

IntelliCare
IntelliCare is a suite of apps developed by the researchers at Northwestern University to target symptoms of anxiety and depression. The suite includes the IntelliCare Hub app and 12 mini-apps. The Hub helps users manage their preferences and recommends apps based on their concerns. The mini-apps include things like Worry Knot (worry management techniques), Thought Challenger (to help reduce negative thought patterns) and iCope (for inspirational messages and reassurance). The IntelliCare apps are available free on Android devices.