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Posted on June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 by James — 1 Comment

Ridgewood to Launch Stigma Free Campaign With July 4th Parade Participation

June 28,2016

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, The Ridgewood Health Department will launch their new Stigma Free campaign with a marching group in the Ridgewood Fourth of July parade. Dawn Cetrulo, Ridgewood Health Department Supervisor, invites participants to join the group. Those interested should contact her at [email protected].

The Bergen County Stigma-Free Campaign is a county-wide program which aims to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness. We are dedicated to raising awareness of the disease of mental illness and create a culture wherein residents who have the disease feel supported by their community and neighbors and feel free to seek treatment for the disease without fear of stigma.

The World Health Organization ranks mental health disorders as the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada. Mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety or alcohol and substance use disorders, are extremely common in America. 1 in 4 adults experience a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year [approximately 61.5 million Americans] and 1 in 17 adults live with a serious mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Yet more than half will not seek treatment. Why?

Despite its prevalence in our society, mental health still has stigma attached to it. The primary reason individuals fail to seek the help they need is due to the stigma associated with the disease of mental illness. Main reasons cited are shame and fear of judgment from friends, family and co-workers. Such judgment is often rooted in a lack of knowledge or training. It is our goal to disseminate information and foster a stigma-free environment where people are free from judgment and can get the help they need to recover from disease.

Stigma-Free Zones aim to inspire public interest and open dialogues about stigma. The County of Bergen and several Bergen County towns have already passed Stigma-Free resolutions. Establishing Stigma-Free Zones will raise awareness of the local mental health resources available so no resident needs to feel hopeless or alone. Stigma-Free Zones will encourage residents to break down barriers and be mindful of their mental health and ask for help when needed. The disease of mental illness has the potential to worsen if left untreated and complications arise when individuals do not seek help. It is essential that residents engage in care as soon as the need is identified so recovery can begin, hope is inspired and tragedies are avoided.

The Ridgewood Health Department hopes to gather a team of dedicated residents who can help enhance the culture of caring in our community. The Ridgewood Health Department hopes to involve municipal alliance leaders, government leaders, local business owners, the board of education, Rotary clubs, FW/American Legions, faith communities, school service groups. Anyone interested in being a part of the Ridgewood is Stigma Free Task Force should contact Dawn Cetrulo, Ridgewood Health Department Supervisor, at [email protected].

Posted on December 3, 2014April 28, 2022 by James — Leave a comment

Mindfulness helps teens cope with stress, anxiety

By GOSIA WOZNIACKA, Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — As the morning school bell rings and students rush through crowded corridors, teenagers in one Portland classroom settle onto mats and Meditation Pillow . They fall silent after the teacher taps a Tibetan “singing bowl.”

“Allow yourself to settle into the experience of being here, in this moment,” teacher Caverly Morgan tells two dozen students at Wilson High School.

The students are enrolled in a for-credit, year-long mindfulness class meant to ease youth anxiety and depression and to prevent violence. For 90 minutes, three days a week, they practice a mix of yoga, sitting and walking meditation, visualization techniques, deep breathing, journaling and non-judgmental listening .

The idea behind mindfulness is that focusing on the present moment helps a person deal better with stress, difficult emotions and negative thoughts.

Mindfulness, yoga and meditation have gained popularity among Americans in recent decades, buoyed by studies showing their benefits to emotional, mental and physical health. The centuries-old practices have roots in Buddhism and Hinduism, but Western culture has secularized them to focus on physical postures, breathing and relaxation techniques.

Such practices are now offered by corporations like Google, Target and General Mills to their employees. Prison inmates, hospital patients and the U.S. Marines are using them to combat stress and illness, increase focus and well-being. And now schools all over the country are introducing the practices.

Some people have greeted the move with less than enthusiasm.

Last year, an elementary school in Ohio ended its mindfulness program after parents complained it was too closely linked to Eastern religion and a conservative Christian law firm unsuccessfully sued on behalf of a couple in Encinitas, California, arguing their school district’s yoga classes indoctrinate children.

https://hosted2.ap.org/ORBEN/b9c78830725e4646849871a247322f76/Article_2014-12-02-US-Mindfulness-In-Schools/id-fb894e7ffe9c4df9bab2e392a61887f2#.VH5XTWTF9LY

Posted on September 2, 2014September 2, 2014 by James — Leave a comment

A new school year brings anxiety for many kids

A new school year brings anxiety for many kids

AUGUST 31, 2014 LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, AUGUST 31, 2014, 1:21 AM
BY KARA YORIO
STAFF WRITER
THE RECORD

The child’s eyes well up and lip starts to quiver. The worried “what ifs” start almost immediately.

What if my teacher is mean?

What if Joey teases me?

What if the work is too hard?

What if nobody sits with me at lunch?

As a parent, instinct kicks in.

“Don’t be nervous, there’s nothing to worry about,” you tell her. “Everything’s going to be OK.”

For an anxious kid that’s exactly the wrong thing to say, according to licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist Lynn Lyons, who co-wrote the book, “Anxious Parents, Anxious Kids: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children.”

“The external reassurance is a quick fix but it doesn’t last,” said Lyons, who practices in New Hampshire. “The error that parents make is trying to tell kids that everything will be OK rather than equipping them with the skill to handle things when they’re not OK.”

This time of year, a lot of kids are getting nervous. The approach of Labor Day in North Jersey brings worried faces and frequent complaints of stomachaches.

“It is completely normal and expected for children to have a little bit of anxiety when starting the school year,” Pompton Plains licensed clinical psychologist Peter Berzins wrote in an email.

For some children, however, anxiety can be overwhelming. If a child consistently doesn’t want to go to school, can’t concentrate while there, avoids normal activities like birthday parties or the school bus, won’t sleep in his own bed, if there is a lot of distress, crying, stomachaches and headaches, it is time to seek professional help, according to Lyons and Berzins.

“Too much anxiety can lead to a slew of problems including trouble focusing at school and downright refusal to go to school,” wrote Berzins, founder of Birch Tree Psychology, who is an expert in treating anxiety disorder.

He agrees that downplaying a child’s concerns and telling them everything will be fine is the wrong way to deal with an anxious child — as is ignoring a kid’s issues with anxiety.

“Basically parents unknowingly lie to their kids because they wish everything would be all right,” he wrote. “But being honest with your kids and seeing them for who they are … anxious … worried … is the best strategy.”

– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/education/professional-advice-on-kids-and-back-to-school-anxiety-1.1078626#sthash.57g0YSqv.dpuf

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