Healthy U

Issue 12

April 7 , 2006

Upcoming Events

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students. Approximately 1,100 U.S. college students take their own lives each year. You can help reduce this number and perhaps even save the life of a friend or classmate.

The best way you can prevent a friend or classmate from taking his or her own life is to know the warning signs and how to respond.

Warning Signs
There is no foolproof way of determining whether a young person is considering suicide, but the following signs could be an indication:

• Sudden worsening in school performance
• Fixation with death or violence
• Unhealthy peer relationships
• Violent mood swings or a sudden change in personality
• Signs of an eating disorder
• Difficulty adjusting to gender identity (if gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender)

more info

Protect Your Eyes from Computer Eye Strain

Nearly 75 million Americans spend many hours a day working in front of a computer. Over 50 percent report some form of eye strain, including eye fatigue, dry eyes, burning eyes, light sensitivity, blurred vision, and headaches as well as pain in the shoulder, neck or back.

If you are one of those suffering from computer eyestrain, here are some steps to take to protect your eyes and reduce eyestrain:

• Have your eyes examined annually by an eye doctor. If you wear glasses, consider a pair of glasses specifically designed for computer use. Also consider glare coating on your lenses.
• Select a computer monitor with a larger and flat screen.
• Place your screen 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes and the top of the screen at or a little below eye level. The monitor distance should allow you to read the screen without leaning your head, neck, or trunk forward or backward. Adjust text size as needed for ease in reading.

more info

There are CD’s, and tapes available to help you learn more about and cope with a number of emotional health issues. The following can be checked out for 2 weeks at a time from the Wellness Resource Center in the lobby of the Ambrose Health Center.

Anger: Deal with it before it deals with you. Learn to understand anger, deal with the cause, express it in healthy ways, and release it. Explore the problem of anger addiction, suppression and depression. CD

Anger and Forgiveness: Designed to promote feelings of acceptance and forgiveness, of self and others; motivate and heal; reduce anger and blame; evoke compassion and empathy; encourage feelings of safety and support; encourage future success. Guided imagery and affirmations. CD

more info

College Suicide (cont.)

• Depression (Depression and suicide have many common warning signs. While most depressed people are not suicidal, most suicidal people are depressed. )
• Sadness or anxiety
• Feelings of guilt, helplessness or hopelessness
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Feelings of being out of control
• Trouble eating or sleeping
• Withdrawing from friends and/or social activities
• Loss of interest in hobbies, work, school, etc.
• Increased use of alcohol or drugs
• Anger

Warning Signs of Suicide That Need Immediate Attention:

• Talking openly about committing suicide
• Talking indirectly about “wanting out” or “ending it all” and saying such things as:
  I wish I were dead.
  You will be better off without me.
  What’s the point of living?
  Soon you won’t have to worry about me.
  Who cares if I’m dead, anyway?
• Taking unnecessary or life-threatening risks
• Giving away personal, prized possessions
• Neglecting personal appearance and hygiene
• Obtaining a weapon or other means such as prescription medications to hurt him- or herself.

How to Respond

• Take a suicide threat seriously.
• Talk to your friend, express your concern, and be willing to listen. Having someone to talk to can make a big difference. Be persistent if your friend is reluctant to talk.
• Do not attempt to argue anyone out of suicide. Let the person know you care and understand and that he or she is not alone. Let the person know that depression can be treated and problems solved.
• If your friend tells you he or she has a detailed suicide plan or the means to hurt him- or herself, stay with your friend until he or she will go with you to see a responsible adult who can help.
• If you have talked with a friend or classmate and you think that person is in danger, but the person refuses to get help, talk to a responsible adult who understands young people and can intervene. If your friend refuses to talk with you or you do not know the person well enough to talk personally, seek out a responsible adult who can help.
• Don’t be afraid of being wrong. Even the experts have difficulties determining who is at serious risk of suicide. A friend with problems that may be warning signs for suicide perhaps may not actually be suicidal, but he or she will still need help. You can help by talking to your friend and assisting your friend to find a qualified person who can help solve his or her problems.

Free counseling and crisis intervention services are available to students at UHCS, M-F, 8:00 am- 4:30 pm

24 hour help is available from National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Hopeline is 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433)

Sources: “College Students,” Suicide Prevention Resource Center, www.sprc.org; “For Students,” The Jed Foundation, www.jedfoundation.org; “When You Fear Someone May Take Their Life,” American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, www.afsp.org

Resources (cont'd)

Anxiety Disorders. Videotape

Body Image: This tape guides the listener through five relaxing visualizations that promote positive self-image, size acceptance and personal empowerment. Audiotape

College Anxiety Disorders Screening Video. Videotape

College Suicide Prevention. Videotape

Depression: Designed to mobilize energy; reduce hopelessness; reduce fatigue; inspire feelings of love, hope and gratitude; connect with inner strength. Guided imagery and affirmations. Audiotape

Depression and Manic Depression: Real Stories, Real Hope. Videotape

Depression and Women: Dispelling the Myths and Finding the Answers- Inspiring profiles of five women ranging from age 18 to 80, who share the stories about their successful battles with clinical depression. Videotape

Grief: Designed to release grief, find peace and feel less isolated; accept feelings; regain energy and focus; encourage hope and inspiration for the future. Guided imagery and affirmations. Audiotape

Healing Entertainers & Entertaining Healers- Two world famous comedians join their physician sons in a lighthearted look at human health and their families’ gift of laughter. Videotape

Healing Trauma (PTSD): Designed to reduce isolation, terror, shame and despair from past trauma. It helps restore a sense of inner goodness, hope, growth, purpose, and connection, not be reliving the trauma, but by metaphorically shifting it incrementally over time with repeated listening. Guided imagery and affirmations. CD

Healthy Relationships Videotape

Just for Fun- Offers a concise and emotionally powerful analysis of the issues surrounding homophobia and violence against gays and lesbians. Videotape

Life After Trauma: What Every Person Should Know. You’ll learn about Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and treatments. Videotape

Moving Back Into the Light- Will help expose the myths and correct misconceptions about Clinical Depression and its treatments. Videotape

Personal Empowering: Discover a box of inner resources for meeting life’s challenges or take a quiet visit to a timeless desert canyon that restores a sense of perspective, power and strength. Audiotape

Self Confidence: Increase feelings of self-esteem, confidence and worth; improve mastery and performance; reduce anxiety, and fear of failure; heighten self-reliance, creativity, endurance and ability to focus within; and enhance optimism and trust in the future. Guided imagery and affirmations. CD

Successful Relationships: Four different imagery exercises designed to help explore inner difficulties non judgmentally, promote empathy, release grief and open the heart... CD

The Self-Esteem Workout Video- Makes you feel great and helps you create the life you want. Videotape

Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder. Videotape

 

Eye Strain (cont'd)

• To reduce glare, place your monitor perpendicular to a window, adjust or add window blinds, and reduce interior lighting to lower glare and reflections. Use a task light that shines only on your paper.
• Use an antiglare screen on your computer.
• Take a vision break every 20 minutes or so and look at an object 20 feet or more away to relax your eye muscles.
• Blink your eyes regularly and more often to rewet your eyes and avoid dryness and irritation. Use artificial tears if needed to lubricate your eyes.
• Use a document holder placed next to your computer screen so you do not have to turn your head back and forth or constantly refocus your eyes.
• Alternate your computer work with non-computer tasks to give your eyes a rest.

Sources: Prevent Blindness America, www.preventblindness.org; Occupational Safety & Health Administration, www.osha.gov; National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health, www.cdc.gov/niosh/.