Author: Spire Advertising

While social media and TV commercials tout the joyful hustle and bustle of the holidays, you may be finding yourself struggling to get into the spirit, leaving you with the holiday blues. 

Whether you have lost a loved one, are experiencing abundant stress, missing friends and family, or on an uphill battle, we understand this season can be especially difficult. While we know we can’t erase these feelings (and you shouldn’t try to), our team has a few tips for balancing grief and gratitude. 

Acknowledge Your Grief. It’s okay to acknowledge that the holidays may look and feel different this year, and that missing someone or struggling with loss is part of your journey. Suppressing feelings only leads to harsher emotions that eventually boil over. Rather than suppressing those emotions, allow them to coexist with moments of joy, remembering that grief is not a sign of weakness, but a reflection of love and connection.

Go Easy on Yourself. It’s important to be gentle with yourself, recognizing that healing doesn’t follow a set timeline, and that it’s okay to take up space for both sorrow and celebration as you navigate this season. Think of how you’d treat a grieving loved one—and then be just as patient and kind with yourself as you would be with them.

Consider a Gratitude Exercise.  Take time to notice and appreciate the beauty and goodness in your everyday surroundings. If you see someone in need, lend a helping hand—small acts of kindness can be a way to “pay it forward” and recognize the blessings in your own life. Not only does offering kindness show appreciation for others, but it can also inspire gratitude in them.

Another simple yet meaningful way to express your gratitude is through words. A heartfelt compliment or “thank you” can have a big impact. You can also write a note or letter to someone, sharing what you appreciate about them. This small gesture takes little effort but can deeply convey your gratitude.

Lean on Family and Friends. Our closest family and friends want to help us, but before they can, they need to know we need it. Schedule time to connect with them, and let them know how you’re feeling. Being vulnerable can be difficult, but it’s the best way to ensure you get the help you need. If being face-to-face is too intimidating, consider making a phone call, or even just sending a text. 

Honor Lost Loved Ones. Did your loved one have a favorite holiday dessert or a special tradition?  Continuing to include these familiar elements in your celebrations might offer a comforting way to honor their memory. 

However, if revisiting these traditions feels too painful, it might be healing to create a new tradition that allows you to remember them in a way that feels more manageable. There’s no right or wrong approach—this is your time to grieve in the way that feels best for you. Whether you choose to keep old customs or start fresh ones, the important thing is to do what brings you peace and supports your healing.

Finding the balance between grief and gratitude is a long, winding road. If you or a loved one are experiencing any mental health struggles this holiday season (or any time) explore our resources or call the Crisis Hotline at (419) 289-6111.

Parenting would be so much easier if children came with instruction manuals. In the absence of a manual, the Mental Health Recovery Board of Ashland County is proud of our longstanding partnership with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Cleveland, to offer a series of programs dedicated to educating and mentoring parents in Ashland County! 

While these programs stand to benefit today’s parents and their children, we had a bigger picture in mind when forming this partnership. For many years, these programs have sown seeds of resiliency here in Ashland County, and we hope to continue cultivating resilience in our children for generations to come.

An Overview of Our Parenting & Early Childhood Programs

While all programs focus on building resiliency, each one approaches this goal from a unique angle. 

• The Resiliency Project is a parenting program that “doesn’t tell you how to be a parent.” Instead, this program provides strategies for parenting using the Triple P curriculum, which stands for “Positive Parenting Program.” As a parent, you decide how to employ these strategies at home to raise happy, confident kids—while staying grounded in your parenting endeavors. This program is available through individual consultations, private sessions, public seminars, and group courses to suit a variety of needs.   

• Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: This program, which is free to child care professionals and families, equips individuals to address a child’s emotional and social needs. When parents learn how to handle challenging behaviors, they position their children to excel in daycare and preschool.  

• Healthy Kids Strong Families: This program strengthens children and parents alike with tools developed through research, using trauma-informed practices to encourage social and emotional growth in all who participate. If you prefer telehealth, home, community, or office visits for sessions, you’re in luck—all of these options are available. Also offered through this program are Parenting Made Better classes, which allow parents of children under 12 to learn about positive parenting practices, building bonds, and more over the course of four nights. Childcare is free and dinner is provided for you and your family during this class.

• Redbird Resilient: We’re also partnering up with Loudonville-based non-profit organization Redbird Resilient to improve emotional health and prevent addiction for people of all ages. Through Redbird Resilient, people discover that adversity is an invitation to learn resilience. Participants learn all they need to know to bounce back when they experience setbacks!  

Sign up for these programs today. In doing so, you and your children will embark on a journey together to become stronger, closer, and more resilient. Your kids will also be able to pass what they learn to their own children someday, too, so your legacy of resiliency will live on.

Together, we’ll sow the seeds of resiliency in our county. When the flowers of those seeds spring forth in the days and decades to come, we can celebrate together!  

As our community grapples with the ongoing opioid crisis, raising awareness about overdose prevention has never been more critical. Substance use disorders have had a staggering impact on our society. In Ohio alone, there were 4,915 drug overdose deaths in 2022. While that was a 5% drop from 2021, that still means that thousands of Ohioans are still dying from unintentional drug overdose, highlighting the need for increased awareness, education, and intervention.

Ashland County isn’t immune to the dangers of overdose. Overdose tragedies—whether from opioids or other substances—can strike anyone, regardless of background. To support our community, the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County (MHRB) is committed to providing essential resources and information. 

September is National Recovery Month, a time to celebrate recovery, raise awareness about substance use disorders, and reduce the stigma that often surrounds them. This month also includes National Opioid and Substance Awareness Day on September 21—a day dedicated to shining a light on the opioid crisis and the importance of prevention, treatment, and recovery support.

How to Recognize the Signs of an Overdose

Unintentional overdoses can happen to anyone. We all need to be aware of the signs of an overdose so that we can promptly intervene in a crisis situation. This awareness and action can potentially save a life.

Watch out for these indicators of a potential overdose so you know how to help:

1. Unresponsiveness or unconsciousness
2. Shallow or irregular breathing
3. Bluish skin or lips
4. Pinpoint pupils or dilated pupils
5. Slow or erratic breathing

Local Resources for Substance Use Treatment

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, local resources are available to help. The Ashland County Council of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (ACCADA) and Appleseed Community Mental Health Center are key providers of substance use-related treatment services in our community. These organizations offer a range of programs designed to support individuals on their journey to recovery, including counseling, therapy, and support groups. 

Consider saving the Appleseed 24/7 Crisis Helpline number—(419) 289-6111—to your phone for easy access to support and resources. For immediate help in an overdose situation, dial 911.

Additionally, Narcan, a life-saving medication that can reverse opioid overdoses, is available to the public at no cost through several local organizations. You can obtain Narcan at the Ashland County Health Department, ACCADA, and Appleseed. 

Narcan is FREE, compact, and easy to use—all you need to do is peel back the package, place the tip of the nozzle in a person’s nose, and press the plunger firmly to release the dose. 

Having Narcan on hand can mean the difference between life and death in an overdose situation.

Overdose Prevention and Awareness at the Ashland County Fair

The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County will be attending the 2024 Ashland County Fair from September 15 to 21. The fair is an exciting opportunity for us to engage directly with community members and raise awareness about overdose prevention, substance use treatment, and recovery resources. 

As part of our outreach efforts, we will have educational radio spots through our three partner agencies—Appleseed, ACCADA, and Catholic Charities—in partnership with iHeartRadio. We will also be hosting a special podcast episode with the Ashland County Health Department and ACCADA, where we’ll discuss the importance of overdose awareness and available local resources.

“The fair is an exciting opportunity to engage directly with our community members and reach many people for awareness efforts. We will also be raising awareness about Suicide Prevention and the walk at the fair!” shared Sandy Hoffman, our Community Relations Coordinator.

Stop by our booth at the fair to learn more about the resources available in our community. Together, we can make a difference in the fight against substance use disorders and support those on the path to recovery.

Promote Overdose Awareness: Get Involved and Stay Informed

As we observe National Recovery Month, let’s come together to support our friends, family members, and neighbors who are affected by substance use disorders. Whether it’s through learning how to use Narcan, seeking treatment, or simply starting a conversation, every action counts.

For more information on local resources and events, visit the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County’s website or contact ACCADA and Appleseed directly. Let’s work together to build a healthier, stronger Ashland County.

What if you could have a lifesaving impact on someone standing by death’s door, thinking of ending it all? 

With QPR Training, it’s possible. 

QPR is an emergency mental health intervention, which stands for “Question, Persuade, Refer” and it can be used to bring people back from the brink of death. QPR Gatekeeper Training is offered at no cost to you through the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County, and it lasts about an hour.

Over the past two decades, the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County has trained thousands of people to perform QPR—people just like you. 

“You don’t have to be a psychologist, a counselor, or a social worker to do it,” says David Ross, Executive Director of the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County. “If you’re a human, we can teach QPR to you.” 

“We can come into any business organization—big or small—and provide suicide prevention training in as little as one hour,” Ross continues. “We just teach you three basic skills: How to ask a question, how to persuade somebody, and how to refer someone to a professional.”

These skills may sound like things you already know how to do, but people who are thinking of suicide often times cannot directly communicate their needs, resorting to messaging that might be difficult to recognize if you’re not QPR-trained. QPR Gatekeeper Training teaches participants to recognize telltale signs. 

“All you have to do is notice these changes in your friend or worker,” Ross explains. “They’re talking or behaving differently—they’re giving away a prized possession. A little light bulb needs to go off to prompt you to say, ‘Hey, are you doing okay? What’s going on right now?’” 

When the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County began to explore evidence-based suicide prevention programs, QPR Gatekeeper Training ranked highly in research, reliability, and effectiveness. After offering this powerful training to thousands in Ashland County, Ross sees encouraging evidence that it’s working.

“QPR trainers say to me, ‘David, I used it, and it worked. I was able to get this person the help they need,” Ross says. “Other people call and say, ‘David, I just wanted you to know this person asked me the question about feeling suicidal and gave me the information and it saved my life.” 

These interactions indicate that QPR is impacting residents of Ashland County, but so many remain at risk. The Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County wants to train as many people as possible to save lives.

“We train all the way down to the high school level—even the middle school level,” Ross explains, “because if you look at the statistics, there are a very high number of suicides in the 16-to-26-year-old age range.” 

The vulnerability of this demographic led the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County to partner with Ashland University in offering QPR Gatekeeper Training. 

“Our ultimate goal is to have 100% of all faculty, staff, and students receive this training,” says Janel Molnar, Director of Recreation & Wellness at Ashland University. “It’s our dream to one day incorporate QPR into training modules the students receive upon first joining the university and to offer it yearly to faculty and staff.”

Goals like these seem reasonable when considering the succinctness of the training.

“The time QPR Gatekeeper Training takes is small, but its impact is large,” Molnar explains. “It only takes an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes, but it can literally save lives.”

The Recreation and Wellness Department has been coordinating training sessions with the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County to encourage groups on the Ashland University campus to learn QPR. 

“To ramp up efforts on campus this past spring, we promoted the ability to offer QPR Training at any time to any group,” Molnar says. “Knowing when and where these trainings are taking place on campus allows us to provide an ‘Ashland University expert’ in the room to point to resources on campus and in the community.”

Molnar is already seeing results.

“Through our efforts this spring and summer, we have had 174% more people go through QPR training than those who went through training during the fall 2023 semester,” she says. 

Together, the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County and the Recreation & Wellness Department at Ashland University are equipping residents of Ashland to breathe hope into the lives of those who are considering suicide. 

If you would like to join the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County in saving lives in Ashland, call (419) 281-3139 to schedule QPR Gatekeeper Training at no cost to your organization. To schedule training for a group at Ashland University, contact Janel Molnar at (419) 207-6172. 

“Even one person lost to suicide in the county is too much,” David Ross concludes. “Our goal is zero.” 

This is a goal that everyone in Ashland County can work toward—and we can do it one QPR Gatekeeper Training session at a time. 

Contact the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County to schedule a training session for yourself or your team.

The 15th Annual Pat Risser RSVP Conference will explore “The Art of Wellness” on March 27, 2024. This year’s conference will offer a dynamic and informative exploration of creative arts therapies for trauma recovery and holistic health. 

Participants can attend in person at Mount Vernon Estates in Ashland, Ohio, or virtually via Zoom from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The conference will showcase a lineup of distinguished speakers, with a special focus on creative arts therapies and their impact on mental health and wellbeing.

Utilizing Creative Arts Therapies to Facilitate Trauma Recovery and Holistic Health

The conference will be headlined by Dr. Katherine Jackson, widely known as “Dr. Kate,” Associate Professor and psychotherapist with over 35 years of experience. Dr. Kate is a board-certified art therapist, registered yoga teacher, health coach, and a trained telehealth provider.

Creative therapeutic approaches—such as music, drama, dance/movement, and art therapies—have taken off in the last 80 years, all geared to help individuals cope, heal, and deal with stressors as well as acute and chronic mental health issues. 

Recent research in the last 20 years has shown that not only do creative therapies help in healing, but there is evidence to suggest that these types of therapies help in brain neuroplasticity. Not only have creative arts therapies been shown to improve neuroplasticity but also contribute strongly to holistic health and general wellness in folks who practice some form of creativity on a regular basis. Additional research has shown that adding creative approaches within a talk therapy venue can enhance and strengthen cognitive learning.

Dr. Kate will provide examples of ways to incorporate creative arts to help individuals dealing with trauma and other mental health challenges. 

About Dr. Katherine Jackson

Dr. Katherine Jackson, or “Dr. Kate,” works with clients who are experiencing depression, anxiety, life transitions, body-image issues, health at every size/body positivity, ADHD, trauma, and couples and family therapy. She uses holistic, creative arts, and wellness principles to help individuals, couples, and families realize their full potential and learn to cope with life stressors.

She teaches as a full-time Associate Professor at Ursuline College in the Master of Counseling and Art Therapy Program. She started the service-learning program at Ursuline College in 2012, where she takes students, alumni, and community members to Nepal, South Africa and Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota, to volunteer with underprivileged and marginalized people.

Dr. Kate has presented nationally and internationally on various topics including multicultural competency, service learning, creative arts therapies, anxiety/depression, and holistic wellness.

About the Pat Risser RSVP Conference

The Pat Risser RSVP Conference is an annual gathering that provides a platform for professionals and individuals interested in mental health and wellness to explore innovative approaches, share knowledge, and foster collaboration. Sponsored by the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County, the conference covers a wide range of topics related to mental health, with a focus on inclusivity, creativity, and holistic well-being.

Visit LINK to register for the RSVP Conference March 27. We look forward to an enlightening and informative day together!

When December arrives and brings with it the brightest time of the year, it also brings darkness in equal measure to those grieving the loss of a loved one. 

If that describes you, you may not know how to navigate this season that once brought so much joy. When you see others celebrating, their families, lives, and hearts intact while yours feels fractured, you may find it difficult to do much of anything—and this is more than okay.  

If you’re not sure how to endure the holidays when they hurt, you’re not alone. The following tips may help you find your way through December’s darkness. 

HELP WHEN THE HOLIDAYS HURT  

Be extra kind to yourself. Don’t judge yourself for grieving while others celebrate. Accept all your feelings, regardless of how unpleasant they may be, as valid parts of the grieving process. Think of how you’d treat a grieving loved one—and then be just as patient and kind with yourself as you would be with them. 

Make room for your grief. While it’s tempting to try and push away the pain that comes with loss—as if it could be banished simply by shoving it out the door and telling it to take a hike—it’s likely to show up again, ever the unwanted guest. 

Instead of pushing it away, make room for grief during the holidays. Expect to experience it. Set aside time to sit with it—looking at pictures of or letters from your lost loved one. In doing so, you’ll recognize grief’s ongoing presence as proof of your enduring love for the one no longer with you. 

Lean on your loved ones. Before December arrives, let your nearest and dearest loved ones know you need their help during the holidays. Make it official by scheduling time with them, knowing they’ll understand if you need to cancel. Don’t worry about being a burden—the thought of you suffering alone would be more of a burden to the people who love you most and best. 

Honor lost loved ones through holiday observations. Did your loved one have a favorite holiday pie, tradition, or perhaps a cherished Christmas carol? You may find that continuing to include these elements in your holiday observations is a meaningful way to acknowledge the memory of your loved one. 

If including them would only cause grief, however, consider instituting a new holiday tradition that might honor his or her memory instead. It’s up to you—do whatever is most comfortable or helpful for you as you grieve. 

HOW TO HELP SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS HURTING DURING THE HOLIDAYS

If you have a loved one who is grieving during this holiday season, there are many things you can do that may prove helpful. 

Just check in. Call, email, text, or visit your grieving loved one to see how he’s doing. Checking in reminds him that he’s not alone in the world, and affirms that you’re a person he can turn to if he needs help on a particularly dark December day. 

Offer to make food. People who are grieving struggle to take care of themselves. Offering to make food for your loved one is a wonderful way to help him stay afloat. Inviting him over for dinner may also address his social needs, which also tend to go by the wayside when grief enters the picture. 

Another option: Set up a meal train for your loved one. With this option, a whole group of people who care about your loved one can take turns providing meals for him when he’s too blue to cook for himself. Being taken care of this way is something he’ll never forget, too.

Offer to help with everyday tasks. Just as grieving people sometimes struggle to eat regularly, your loved one may also find himself behind on laundry, buying groceries, or running other errands. Ask him if there’s anything you can help with, and let him know it’s not an inconvenience. 

Listen. If your grieving loved one reaches out to you, be prepared to listen. Lend him both ears. While you’re at it, lend him your shoulder to cry on, too. 

If you or your loved one need additional help, but are not sure where to find it, check out the many helpful resources available on the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County’s website. Visit us online—or call us at (419) 281-3139—and let us know if you need help. Just remember: When the holidays hurt, you don’t need to endure the pain alone. 

If you feel like the weight of the world is pressing down on you, you aren’t alone. 

In 2021, SAMHSA reported that young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 had the highest prevalence of any mental illness (any mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder, regardless of severity). 

Every third person you pass on campus, every third friend in your social media feed, every third fellow high school graduate trying to make it in a new and overwhelming world—33.7% of all 18-25 year olds are carrying silent burdens.

And only 44.6% of those people received mental health services in 2021.

What Kinds of Issues Are Young Men Facing?

Some of the most common mental health issues men in this age range are facing include:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Stress
• Substance misuse
• Body image issues
• Identity and self-esteem issues
• Social isolation and loneliness
• Relationship challenges
• Academic pressure
• Financial stress

These issues can affect any generation, but they seem to be particularly prevalent for young men between the ages of 18 and 25. 

Maybe you’re feeling pressure to live up to and curate a life that matches the images and lifestyles you see on social media. 

Maybe economic uncertainty surrounding career prospects or student loan debt are contributing to stress and anxiety about the future.

Even though you’re connected digitally all day and night, you can’t help but feel disconnected and alone. 

Family relationships have changed, you have (or don’t have) a serious partner, you are (or aren’t) making major life decisions, and your friend groups have evolved or completely turned over. Maybe you don’t even see those people anymore. 

New jobs in the adult world following high school or college have made it difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. What does that even mean?

Maybe the changing landscape surrounding traditional gender roles has left you feeling unsure about what society expects of you. How are you supposed to behave? What is your role? Who are you, really?

And don’t even mention the barrage of constant news, wars and rumors of wars, raging political opinions, and melting ice caps.

But Doesn’t Everyone Feel This Way?

Everyone feels anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed at some point in their life. These are common human experiences. 

There are a lot of reasons why you might be feeling anxious, irritable, stressed, worried, or angry. 

But that doesn’t mean you need to feel this way all of the time. That doesn’t mean you have to stay in those emotions. That doesn’t mean those emotional reactions have to rule your life.

Your emotions aren’t bad, and they aren’t anything to be ashamed about. But when you try to carry those burdens by yourself for too long, they can build up and start negatively affecting your day-to-day life.

Resources to Support Your Mental Health

There are lots of things you can do to support your own mental health. Here are a few simple places you can start that can make a world of difference for how you’re feeling:

• Talk about it. Remember, a third of your peers are likely also dealing with similar thoughts and emotions. Just talking to someone can be a powerful way to alleviate stress. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to a friend or family member, you might seek out a mental health professional, pastor, or counselor.

• Eat, sleep, and move your body. Your diet and your sleep affect your mental health in substantial ways. Establish a regular sleep schedule, maintain a balanced diet, and make time for physical activities.

• Disconnect from screens. You don’t have to go cold turkey, but take a break from social media and other streaming content services every once in a while. Set boundaries for yourself and unplug regularly to engage in the non-digital world.

• Connect with people. All that time you gain from reducing your screen time can go into maintaining and cultivating real-life relationships, face-to-face. We are social beings. We need to be with each other.

Oh, and Also, You Can Seek Professional Help

If you feel like you’re in a rut you can’t get out of, there’s no shame in seeking help from a mental health professional. Therapists can provide you with a wealth of tools and coping mechanisms that can help you manage stress and navigate your mental health concerns. 

Counselors aren’t going to pick your brain and make you go somewhere you don’t want to go. They’re there to hear you out, help you sort through your thoughts, and offer you a few tips for finding your way forward. 

They’re basically your professional friend.

There are lots of different mental health professionals available here in Ashland County. Explore area providers and find more resources to support your mental health on our website.

And, remember, you’re absolutely not alone.

Some people anticipate the “golden years” with joy and excitement. For others, growing older is met with dread and resignation. If you’re unsure of what the future holds for you—wherever you find yourself along that spectrum—chew on these ideas to make sure your golden years don’t become fool’s gold.

1. Throw Away Archaic Ideas about Getting Older

Due to medical advancements in disease prevention and treatment, increased awareness about preventative health, fewer wars, improved standards of living, and a significant decrease in infant mortality rates, people are living longer. 

Much longer. 

From 1860 to 2020, the United States’ median life expectancy from birth has doubled, from 39 years to nearly 79 years.

Plus, it isn’t just that we’re living longer, we’re also staying active and healthier longer. The National Council on Aging says that on average, a 65-year-old man can expect to live an additional 17 years. “For most older adults, good health ensures independence, security, and productivity as they age.”

So, try to stop thinking about getting older as a countdown to death. Instead, think of it as the next stage of your life.

2. Work Smarter, Not Harder

That being said, our bodies don’t always move the way we expect them to now, the way they did when we were younger. 

Rather than fight through and keep doing things the way you’ve always done them, or worse, give up, look for every opportunity to make your daily chores and activities easier and simpler.

Simplify Bill Pay and Banking

Technology can help you simplify daily tasks that used to take up a lot of your time and energy. Solicit one of your grandkids or tech-savvy sons or daughters to help you find ways to manage your bills easier, set up auto-pay, etc., or stop by your local bank here in Ashland County to ask the attendants what tools are available to you.

Hire or Solicit Help with Hard Labor

Hand over some of the more physically demanding tasks you’ve managed most of your adult life, like taking care of the lawn, or scrubbing the house and windows. Contact a local landscaper, or, better yet, a grandchild, to manage this work for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with these tasks—time spent helping their elders is a valuable investment in their character as humans.

Find Modifications for Your Favorite Hobbies

Sometimes our favorite activities slip away from us because we are no longer physically or mentally able to tackle them, but just because you need to modify an activity doesn’t mean that it is no longer of value to you. For example, many older adults who used to love tennis are picking up pickleball, and there are even new courts at Cahn Grove Park in Ashland! 

Browse all of the different courts and activities available in the City of Ashland Parks, and don’t forget about our 18 excellent Ashland County Parks you can explore. Getting out in nature is a great way to boost your mental and physical health, and staying active in general will help you continue to feel vibrant and alive, even if your favorite hobbies have changed.

Seek Support from Available Ashland Resources

When you find yourself struggling, don’t wait until a crisis happens to connect with help. There are ample resources available in Ashland County to support your physical and mental health needs. The Mental Health and Recovery Board can help you find support. The Ashland Council on Aging can point you in the right direction for help. And many other social service organizations in our community exist to make sure that your needs are adequately met.

3. Retire into New Purpose and Meaning

So many older adults anticipate the days when they can set aside their regular work life and enter into a new phase. Before you say goodbye to your boss, though, you need to figure out what you plan to say hello to after you retire.

Retirement might mean more time to relax, but once you’ve caught up on your sleep and other small projects around the house, what will you have to fill your time? Spend some time outlining the things that give you the most pleasure and sense of fulfillment. Perhaps it’s traveling, spending time with grandchildren, or gardening. Maybe you’ve always wanted to be able to volunteer more at church or in the community. 

Identify what the future after retirement looks like so that you can enter into retirement eager and ready for the next adventure.

4. …Or Don’t Retire at All

Because people are living longer and healthier lives, some folks have said, forget it, I’m never retiring! 

No one says you have to pull the plug on your professional life at 65. If you find a sense of joy and fulfillment through work, perhaps retirement isn’t for you! 

The Wall Street Journal recently interviewed many different older adults who have made the decision not to retire. Their philosophies range from maintaining a sense of purpose to keeping busy and beyond. Reading their stories may help you envision a different kind of older adulthood than you thought possible.

5. Stay Connected to Your Community

One of the greatest dangers to older adults is becoming isolated from community. People need each other to support their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual lives.

The Ashland YMCA, The Salvation Army Kroc Center, Ashland Council on Aging, and other organizations in Ashland can help you stay connected to other members of the community. If you don’t already have a church or faith community, consider seeking out a church family to connect with. If you are a military veteran, connect with the local Am Vets or VFWs. If you want to know how you can help serve the rest of the community, join the Rotary Club or Lions Club. 

Find healthy outlets in which you can build relationships with others in the Ashland area.

6. Plan for the Next Next Stage of Life

We’ve all heard (and maybe even experienced) the horror stories of loved ones who left behind a legacy of poor financial management, no advance directives or care plan for end-of-life, and no guidance for how they wanted to be remembered. 

And we’ve all thought to ourselves, “We won’t do that to our children.”

Well, now’s the time to start planning for the next next stage of your life. End-of-life care, age-in-place care, advance directives, and last will and testaments aren’t exactly fun table talk, but what many people find when they enter into this kind of planning is that it is actually quite empowering. You get to decide how you want to spend your last days. Your last gift to your children is a well-organized plan for how to handle your estate.

With this roadmap in place, you can have peace of mind that when your time does come, your loved ones can grieve without the burdens of managing messy books and complicated relationships.

7. “Keep Death Daily Before Your Eyes”

While we’re at it, let’s talk about death some more.

One of the temptations of growing older is to enter old age kicking and screaming. But none of us can stop the sands of time. 

Instead of denying that your life will have an end date, take a word of advice from fifth century monk Saint Benedict, and “keep death daily before your eyes.”

“Memento mori,” or remember death, seems perhaps like a morbid and unhealthy fixation on your eventual demise, but in truth, according to Tracy Rittmueller, recognizing and accepting our own mortality changes the way we think and live. It reminds us that life is fragile. And, perhaps oddly enough, it heightens our experience of joy.

Tracy writes in her article “3 things nuns, monks, and poets know about why you should ‘keep death daily before your eyes,” “When we know death and the possibility of loss, the magnitude of our joy increases.” 

What happens when we remember death?

“We try to live the majority of our days as if they were our last, enabling us, when we come to the moment of our deaths, to know that we have lived a good life—a life surrendered to love,” writes Tracy Rittmueller.

We all want to live a good life, even to the end. The best way to ensure that happens is to live today, fully.

The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County strives to support the mental health of all members of our community. Explore our website to learn about how we operate, our partner agencies, and more resources that are available for all ages and stages of life.

Dr. Joanna Moncrieff will join the 2023 RSVP Conference to present a talk on “Challenging misperceptions about psychiatric drugs and appraising their role in recovery.”

As more and more drugs are prescribed to treat mental health conditions, it is imperative that health professionals take a close look at the efficacy of these prescriptions. Practitioners assume that these drugs target an underlying brain abnormality, such as a chemical imbalance or abnormality of neurogenesis. Dr. Moncrieff will present evidence for this idea during her talk and explore an alternative explanation that suggests that psychiatric drugs cause alterations in thinking, emotions, and behavior in anyone who takes them, regardless of whether or not they have a mental disorder diagnosis.

Dr. Moncrieff will also explore the mental and behavioral changes produced by different types of drugs and whether these have helpful or harmful effects in different situations. There are social and political drivers that have influenced our understanding of drug action. The more we understand the scientific evidence of disease-centered and drug-centered models of drug action, the better equipped we will be to evaluate the use of psychiatric drugs to treat individuals with mental health conditions.

Dr. Joanna Moncrieff studied medicine at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, qualifying in 1989. She trained in psychiatry in London and the southeast during the 1990s. During her undergraduate years, she conducted research on parents’ fears about substance misuse, and during the course of her psychiatry training, she worked on a trial investigating the use of the drug naltrexone in people with alcohol problems. Dr. Moncrieff also investigated the prevalence of previous sexual abuse among people attending alcohol treatment services.

Dr. Moncrieff took up her current post in 2001. For 10 years, she was a consultant for a psychiatric rehabilitation inpatient unit, helping people with severe and long-lasting mental health problems. For the last three years, she has been based in various community mental health services in Northeast London. Dr. Moncrieff teaches and conducts research at University College London.

Dr. Moncrieff is one of the founding members and the co-chairperson of the Critical Psychiatry Network. The Critical Psychiatry Network consists of a group of psychiatrists from around the world who are skeptical of the idea that mental disorders are simply brain diseases and of the dominance of the pharmaceutical industry.

We look forward to Dr. Moncrieff’s research and presentation. Those interested in attending the MHRB of Ashland County’s annual RSVP Conference on March 29, 2023, can register here.

This spring, the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County welcomes Rob Wipond as our 2023 RSVP Conference featured speaker.  Wipond will present his talk, “911 and 988: Both Help and Horror on Everyone’s Speed Dial.”

Asylums are supposed to be a thing of the past, but unfortunately, many of the same practices that happened in these institutions live on across the United States. In fact, according to Wipond, “more law-abiding Americans today are being involuntarily committed and forcibly treated ‘for their own good’ than at any time in history.”

Wipond’s presentation will address the various factors that influence involuntary psychiatric interventions today. His findings challenge some of the common beliefs about institutionalization, demonstrating that there are actually far more inpatient beds and people being subjected to coercion than ever before. Mass-scale psychiatric detention fraud for profit is on the rise, and flexible mental health laws and tranquilizing drugs are increasingly being used to help manage schools, workplaces, guardianships, and other institutions, frequently for explicitly politicized purposes. Wipond will challenge our audience to evaluate our psychiatric treatment practices, advocating for improved collection of data alongside greater honesty and transparency.

Wipond is a freelance journalist and author of the book, Your Consent Is Not Required: The Rise in Psychiatric Detentions, Forced Treatment, and Abusive Guardianships, published this winter by BenBella Press. His book is the first comprehensive, journalistic exploration of people’s experiences of civil commitment in the United States and Canada in decades. As a journalist, Wipond writes frequently on the interfaces between psychiatry, civil rights, policing, surveillance and privacy, and social change. His articles have been nominated for 17 magazine and journalism awards for writing in medicine, science and technology, business, and law. He has taught journalism and creative nonfiction at the University of Victoria and Royal Roads University, and also works and volunteers with nonprofit groups that do neighborhood community building.

Rob Wipond will speak at the MHRB of Ashland County’s annual RSVP Conference on March 29, 2023. Mark your calendars and come prepared to be awakened to behavioral health treatment challenges when we don’t prioritize the role of the person receiving care.

Grief During the Holidays

For some, the holiday season is the best time of the year, with lots of gatherings, festive music, sparkly lights, joyful memories, and good cheer. But for those who have lost a loved one, the holiday months can feel especially overwhelming and difficult.

Bereavement occurs when someone close to us has died, a state of being deprived of something that is precious to us. The word comes from Old English bereafian, meaning to deprive, to seize violently, to plunder, to rob. Grief is our reaction and the feelings that we experience in response to losing someone whom we deeply care about. As painful and debilitating as it can feel, grief is a normal and healthy response to loss. Grief is hard during any season, but for many, grief is felt more intensely during the holidays.

There is no right or wrong way to grieve during the holidays, but here are some tips to help you cope:

Acknowledge your grief. It’s ok to feel sad during the holidays. You don’t have to bottle up your feelings and pretend you don’t feel the way that you do. Crying is healthy. Whether you cry when you’re by yourself or with others, let it happen.

Tolerate your limits. Grief can leave you feeling drained and fatigued. Listen to your body, and don’t expect yourself to be at your peak during the holiday season. Take breaks when you need them. Rest.

Talk about your loved one. Many people find comfort in keeping the memory of their loved one alive. Share stories about your lost loved one with the people. Memories are one of the best legacies that exist after one dies. Instead of blocking those memories, try sharing them with your family and friends.

Keep their spirit alive. Decorate in their favorite colors. Play their favorite holiday songs. Make their favorite dishes. Say a prayer for them. Make memorial ornaments. Light a candle in their memory. Find whatever way suits you best to include your loved one in your holiday traditions going forward.

Take things one day at a time. Don’t try to rush the process. Some days will be better than others and that’s ok. Acknowledge how you feel and lean on your support system.

Take care of yourself. When people grieve, they sometimes start to unintentionally neglect their physical and emotional needs. Eat regular, healthy meals, get rest, and find ways to manage your stress.

Do what feels right for you. The holiday might look different when you’re grieving and that’s ok. Maybe you need some time to yourself, or maybe it’s comforting to be around others. Do what feels right to YOU. How you feel about the holidays themselves might change from day to day. It’s ok to cancel plans, change traditions, or even leave a gathering early if it feels overwhelming.

How to Support Someone Who is Struggling with a Loss

Acknowledge their loss. It’s ok to talk about what has happened. Avoid phrases like “at least” or “it was for the best.”

Listen. Sometimes the best thing you can do for someone who is grieving is just listen. Let them talk about their loved one and their grief. Avoid giving advice or telling them how they should feel.

Offer practical help. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. Even things like running errands, cooking a meal, or just sitting with them can be helpful. The holidays can be particularly busy and overwhelming. Maybe you could help them make a Christmas list, pick up some things from the busy store, so they don’t have to, or offer to watch their kids for a couple of hours so they can take a break.

Let them know you care. Sometimes it is most helpful just to let them know that you care and that you’re here for them in whatever way they need you to be.

If you or someone you know has lost a loved one and are experiencing grief this holiday season, we hope you will find something in this post to lift even a tiny bit of the burden you carry.

Please know that you are never alone. If you need help, reach out to one of the many caring and compassionate professionals in Ashland County.

This holiday season, let’s take good care of one another.

If you or someone you know is having a hard time and experiencing suicidal thoughts, please do not hesitate to call the local 24/7 hotline at 419/289-6111 or text 4HOPE to 741741 for support.

You can reach out to us for more information at the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Ashland County at 419/281-3139 or find resources at ashlandmhrb.org

The Significance of Gratitude

“Let our lives be full of thanks and giving.” -Author Unknown

Each year in November, many of us gather with loved ones and reflect on the blessings in our lives to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday. This is the perfect time of the year to talk about the meaning and importance of gratitude, but we hope you will consider using the information in this blog to find new ways to instill gratitude in your daily life, beyond the holiday season.

The word gratitude stems from the Latin word ‘gratia’- which also means grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. The Webster’s Dictionary definition of gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” A large body of positive psychology research has indicated that people who are more grateful have higher levels of subjective well-being; they’re happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives and social relationships. Grateful people also report greater personal growth, purpose in life, self-acceptance, and more positive ways of coping with the difficult things that happen in their lives.

Other Mental Health Benefits of Gratitude:

Boosts self-confidence
Improves patience
Improves resiliency
Greater level of optimism
Enhances vitality
Improves mood and increases positive emotions
Can help manage grief
Contributes to Happiness
Strengthens relationships with partners, friends, and loved ones
Enhances productivity and improves satisfaction at work
Gratitude is also related to better physical health; there is a strong relationship between gratitude and cardiovascular health, lower stress and inflammation, fewer trips to the doctor, increased sexual satisfaction, and better sleep quality.

Here are some things you can do to build gratitude into your daily routine:

Take a few minutes each day to reflect on the things in your life that you are grateful for
Slow down and observe the beauty and goodness of something you encounter in your daily life
If you see a stranger struggling, offer a hand. Random acts of kindness are an opportunity to “pay it forward” to acknowledge your own blessings that can be used to help others. Offering kindness is also a great way to express your appreciation for others- and it is likely to elicit their feelings of gratitude toward you!
Express your gratitude verbally. Words are the most direct and sometimes the most powerful way to express gratitude to the people in our lives
Write a gratitude letter or note. You can write down the things you appreciate about a friend or loved one in a letter or thank you card. It takes very little time but can be a powerful, sincere expression of gratitude

Ask how they’re doing and really listen to their response. The simple act of listening to your friend or loved one is a great way to show them how much you value them. Put down your phone, offer your full attention and a bit of your time, and let them talk freely to you
Pay attention to the small things in your life that bring you joy and peace. If you enjoy writing, a journal can be a great way to reflect on gratitude consistently
Spend time in meditation or prayer focused on giving thanks.

Gratitude Can Be Hard

Gratitude has many emotional and physical benefits, but that doesn’t mean that it comes without challenges or that it’s easy to shift your thinking in this way. Gratitude is about getting into the habit of reflecting on the good in our lives while also acknowledging that positives and negatives are a fact of life. Most of us don’t experience days that are either ALL good or ALL bad. Being grateful does not require that you ignore or minimize your personal struggles. On our most stressful or difficult days, shifting toward a gratitude mindset can help us step back and see that there is good to be found, even if some days we have to try a little harder to see it.

As the days shorten and the leaves of our beautiful region fall to the ground, it seems like our natural instinct is to hunker down and prepare to hibernate all winter long. Despite how lovely a season autumn can be, for some, the loss of light and the change of the seasons can provoke sadness, anxiety, and distress.

Every new season in life is an opportunity to pick up some new practices and develop new habits that can help you stay physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. Here are several ways to nurture your well-being as the temperatures fall.

Autumn Cleaning for a Healthy Home Hibernation
Spring was a great time to clean and air out the house and get rid of all the stuff that accumulated over last winter, but don’t overlook the same opportunity this fall! Now is the time to tuck away the summer’s toys, swap out the shorts and tanks for pants and sweaters (it’s sweater weather!), winterize the yard, and give your home a good deep clean. Cleaned and organized spaces do more than tidy up your living space, they also lighten your mood and help boost your productivity.

Now is also a great time to rearrange your furniture or invest in some new and different decorations, which can make a big difference about how you feel in your home. Take yourself downtown to visit some of Ashland’s great shops, like Fig & Oak, LK Home Decor, and Farm & Home Hardware for a few new cute little somethings.

Make Plans to Stay Active
It’s so easy to downshift into a lower gear during the winter months, but if you’ve already established some habits and routines in autumn, you will be far more likely to carry those forward. Join a local gym, like the Ashland Warehouse, Snap Fitness, or A-Town Family Fitness, to find fellow fitness fiends like yourself. Organizations like the Ashland YMCA, Kroc Center, and Rise Studios provide a diverse range of wellness programming that can hold you accountable and will meet you where you’re at.

If you aren’t interested in going somewhere indoors to keep your blood pumping, there are lots of exercise routines and Yoga instructors available on YouTube, or simply bundle up and step outside! This is a beautiful time of year to hike our local parks or walk around your neighborhood and admire everyone’s Halloween decorations (and eventually Christmas lights).

Get Your Vitamins and Minerals
With colder temps, it’s far less likely you’ll be stepping outside and getting your daily dose of Vitamin D. The sun provides us with this essential vitamin most of the time, but if we’re not outdoors (or it’s especially overcast), we miss out. A Vitamin D supplement can boost your immune system and improve your mood.

Now is also a great time to try out new recipes using seasonal ingredients that are fresh, tasty, and match the mood of autumn. Fall fruits and vegetables aren’t just satisfying to eat, they contain vitamins and minerals that improve our mental health. Stop by the local farmer’s markets or swing out to Honey Haven Farm for the freshest and most local produce!

Spices that we associate with fall are also highly beneficial to your mental health. Turmeric can reduce symptoms of depression, cinnamon helps regulate your blood sugar, and nutmeg can have relaxing effects on the body.

Help Your Immune System Prepare for Winter
So many of us gather indoors during the winter, and that means more opportunities for viruses and bacteria to circulate. When you come down with a cold or flu, it not only knocks your physical health out for a while, it also puts a major damper on your mental and emotional health. Get your flu shot, schedule a visit with your doctor for an annual wellness appointment, drink plenty of water, wash your hands, get enough sleep, and eat healthy foods…when combined, all of these actions can help you boost your immune system and stay well.

Plan for the Delights of Winter Nights
No matter how much you love being out in the cold, there’s nothing like coming back inside. If winter is a hard season for you, make plans now to keep the winter doldrums at bay. Create a plan to keep busy that still allows you to rest in the quiet of the season. Plan a weekly dinner night with friends or family. Schedule game nights or electronic-free Saturdays to have some quality time with your family. Choose one night a week to watch your favorite shows or movies with loved ones, pop popcorn, and sip on a hot beverage. Make a book list to read through the winter, and share it with a friend so you can discuss what you’ve read.

Be Kind to Your Body
Remember that life is full of seasons and cycles, and autumn is naturally a time when we all wind down, put on extra weight, develop colds, and feel a little low. As Alyse Ruriani says in her article on autumn wellness tips, “Listen to your body and give it what it needs, and don’t beat yourself up!” If autumn and winter aren’t your favorites, don’t worry. Spring will be on its way soon enough.

Sometimes, even when we’ve done everything we can to stay healthy and feel good, we still can’t free ourselves from anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns. That’s okay! If you could use a little extra help getting through this season, our website offers lots of resources for you to find a therapist or counselor who can help, or call the 2-1-1 helpline in Ashland to ask for help.

You’re Not Alone: Preventing Suicide in Ashland County

If you or a loved one is thinking about suicide, we want you to know that you are not alone; help is available. September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. The goal of this blog is to spark local conversations about suicide to increase awareness of the topic, provide information about warning signs and resources for those that may need support, and offer help and hope to those who may be struggling.

Suicide Statistics

The statistics are startling. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 14th leading cause of death overall, the 3rd leading cause of death for those ages 10-24. The suicide rate among men is four times higher than for women. Each year, about 1,600 people die by suicide in Ohio. In 2021, seven people died by suicide in Ashland County, Ohio. The effects of suicide are far-reaching; in a 2019 study, researchers found that up to 135 people are affected to some degree by every person who dies by suicide.

You’re Not Alone

As humans, we all experience ups and downs in life. Going through hard times is inevitable and having suicidal thoughts can be a common response to overwhelming life stress. Suicidal thoughts are often fleeting but can last longer for some people. Because of the stigma still associated with suicide, some folks may find it difficult to talk openly about what they are experiencing. We want you to know that there are many caring people here in Ashland County that you can talk with if you or a loved one needs support.

You are valuable, your life matters, and there is help if you, a friend, or a family member needs it.

Signs that Someone Might be Considering Suicide:

Frequently thinking or talking about death.
Thinking or saying, “I’m better off dead,” or others “would be better off without me.”
Thinking or saying that death is preferable to living.
Avoiding family/friends.
Losing interest in activities that one once found to be enjoyable.
Personal or family history of suicidal thoughts/attempts.
Sleeping too much to escape reality.
Substance use as an attempt to cope with life’s challenges.
Forming a suicide plan.
Obtaining lethal means to carry out a plan.

Tips for Helping:

If you notice any of these signs in someone you know, you can offer support by simply talking with them about what they are experiencing. You can ask a question like “are you thinking about suicide,” or “are you thinking about hurting yourself,” to safely open the conversation to the topic. It is important to truly listen to what the person has to say, with your full attention. This shows that you genuinely care and can help instill hope. Refrain from making judgmental statements, it is important to let people speak without being criticized or shamed for how they are feeling. Remind this person that things can and will get better- sometimes we lose sight of that when times are hard.

If you or someone you know is having a hard time and experiencing suicidal thoughts, please do not hesitate to call the local 24/7 hotline at 419/289-6111 or text 4HOPE to 741741 for support.

If you are interested in getting people at your organization trained in QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide prevention training at no cost, please contact the Mental Health & Recovery Board at 419/281-3139.

If you are interested in learning more about what Ashland County is doing to prevent suicide, please download and review the Ashland County Suicide Prevention Plan here.

Exciting Times for the Behavioral Healthcare Workforce in Ashland County

Like most industries, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the recruitment and retention of behavioral healthcare workers. Positions remain open for longer, more people are choosing to retire or leave their industries altogether, and fewer new workers are joining the workforce each year.

Though these changes have presented some obvious challenges, the current workforce situation is an exciting opportunity for growth and innovation within the current behavioral healthcare system.

For many of us, work is a big part of who we are. When you meet someone new, one of the first things they ask about is what you do for work– and for a good reason, it would seem. People spend a significant amount of time at work. After factoring out the amount of time one spends sleeping, work takes up about half of an average person’s life.

At a basic level, work helps to ensure our survival. We earn money that can be used to buy things like food, shelter, necessities, goods, services, and transportation. Meaningful social connections at work can also positively impact one’s mental health, improve quality of life, increase fulfillment, and even extend one’s lifespan.

At its best, work can also provide a sense of purpose in one’s life. A recent study on purposeful work showed that individuals who found a sense of purpose in their work were ten times more likely to experience overall well-being.

Reasons to Work in Behavioral Healthcare in Ashland County

The Ashland County Mental Health and Recovery Board is proud to partner with three local provider agencies- Appleseed, ACCADA, and Catholic Charities. They offer an array of quality behavioral health services to the residents of the Ashland community. The many dedicated and genuinely caring behavioral healthcare professionals in Ashland make this community someplace truly special to live… and to work.

The “Three Legs of the Stool Philosophy” holds steady at the heart of all the services funded by the Ashland County MHRB. This framework emphasizes trauma-informed, resilience/recovery-oriented care and medication optimization. The Ashland MHRB believes that all individuals and families should have access to safe and trusting relationships, activities that give one’s life a sense of meaning and purpose, health and wellness, stress-reducing practices, and constructive communication skills.

More reasons to consider a career in behavioral healthcare in Ashland:

Working in behavioral health provides a valuable opportunity to serve others, which can be mutually beneficial for both the worker and the individual receiving help. Helping others also develops a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Ashland is a rural community. Those working in behavioral health within Ashland can work closely with community members and other professionals, building meaningful and long-lasting relationships.

People in behavioral health are helpers by nature. They often make wonderful colleagues and supervisors because of the genuine support they provide to their coworkers. They are good people. If you’re looking for an excellent team to be a part of, Ashland County has some of the best around!

Because of the workforce changes that have recently occurred, there are many exciting opportunities for long-term career growth within the system.
Our agencies are managed by leaders who have years of experience serving. These leaders are a wealth of knowledge and information. They are devoted to investing time and energy in their employees’ professional development and the quality of services provided to the community.

You will never run out of things to learn. In behavioral healthcare, there is a strong focus on lifetime learning. It is important to continually have a spirit of learning and a desire to engage in your own personal and professional development when working with people.

Our partner agencies truly care about the well-being of their employees, and their employee benefits are reflective of this.

This is an exciting time in behavioral healthcare due to advances in offering telehealth services. Providers often enjoy more flexibility in their roles as a result.
If you are a person who shares our core values and you want to engage in a meaningful and rewarding helping career here in Ashland, we would encourage you to consider contacting one of our three community partners about job opportunities that may be available.

Contact Our Community Partners

Appleseed Community Mental Health Center

Appleseedmentalhealth.com

419/281-3716

ACCADA

Accada-rap.org

419/289-7675

Catholic Charities Diocese of Cleveland

Ccdocle.org

419/289-1903

For more mental health resources, visit the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County.

Drug overdoses continue to plague and traumatize communities throughout Ohio. According to the CDC, Ohio has the fourth highest death rate due to drug overdose, with 47.3 deaths by overdose per 100,000 population. (For context, the provisional death rate data in Ohio due to COVID-19 is 82 per 100,000, and the death rate by firearm injury is 15.2 per 100,000.)

In 2020 alone, there were 5,204 drug overdose deaths in Ohio, the third highest number per state in the country.

This is a grievous and tragic challenge, but our community has resources available to reduce these figures, reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and save lives.

What Is Narcan?
Narcan is the brand name for the medicine Naloxone. It is used to rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, which can prevent the loss of life.

Why Are We Distributing Narcan in Our Community?
Whether a person becomes addicted to pain medication after a surgery or experiments with a drug they think they’ll be able to use recreationally, drug addiction can take hold and destroy lives with just one use. Many of today’s drugs available on the street are laced with fentanyl, a highly potent and deadly drug that can cause an overdose with just one use…or even with light exposure. Take it from two local deputies who both began to overdose when exposed to fentanyl. Without Narcan, the two deputies might not be here today.

The bottom line is Narcan saves lives, and we want to save lives in our community.

Where Can You Get Narcan in Ashland?
If you feel it could benefit you or someone you love in the event of an emergency, Narcan is available for free from ACCADA, Appleseed Community Mental Health Center, the Ashland County Health Department, and local pharmacies.

How Do You Give Someone Narcan?
Naloxone (Narcan) can be given as a nasal spray or it can be injected into the muscle, under the skin, or into the veins. Watch this video for step-by-step instructions:

You can save lives in Ashland County. If you feel Narcan would benefit you, please reach out to one of the organizations listed above.

The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County continues to invest resources to equip the region’s mental health providers with access and training to ensure the services available to residents are trauma-informed and trauma-competent. A particular area of focus, together with Judge Karen DeSanto-Kellogg, is to bring the principles of trauma-informed care into the Juvenile Court, Juvenile Probation, and those systems working closely with the court. Since Judge DeSanto-Kellogg’s election, she has taken steps to integrate trauma-informed principles into how the court and those interacting with the court operate.

What Does It Mean to Be Trauma-Informed?
A court system that is trauma-informed follows these six core principles:

Safety: Throughout the organization, patients and staff feel physically and psychologically safe

Trustworthiness and Transparency: Decisions are made with transparency and with the goal of building and maintaining trust

Peer Support: Individuals with shared experiences are integrated into the organization and viewed as integral to service delivery

Collaboration: Power differences—between staff and clients and among organizational staff—are leveled to support shared decision-making

Empowerment: Patient and staff strengths are recognized, built on, and validated—this includes a belief in resilience and the ability to heal from trauma

Humility and Responsiveness: Biases and stereotypes (e.g., based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, geography) and historical trauma are recognized and addressed

How Ashland’s Juvenile Court System Is Becoming Trauma-Informed
To make a more trauma-informed court requires training, conversations, and ongoing education for counselors, judges, social workers, and others who come into contact with juveniles in the court system. Partnering with Sherry Bouquet and Fostering Family Ministries, Judge DeSanto-Kellogg brought in the Honorable Carole W. Clark, Retired Judge of 321st State District Court of Texas, for a two-day training on “Challenges & Opportunities in a Trauma Competent Court System.”

Members of the Board and staff from all three of the Board’s contract partner agencies were present to learn first-hand what wisdom Judge Clark’s team had for our county. The Board also supported the training by offering continuing education to counselors and social workers who attended.

Trainings like these build upon past work throughout Ashland County to integrate trauma-informed care into the systems throughout our area. Five years ago, the Board offered community-wide training on adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, an important building block in developing a trauma-informed care system. Additionally, Sherry Bouquet and Fostering Family Ministries have been conducting Trust-Based Relational Intervention or TBRI training for several years. TBRI is a critical evidence-based approach that works with persons with trauma histories safely and effectively.

We’re pleased to partner with and support Judge DeSanto-Kellogg’s efforts to address the systemic changes necessary for the courts to become trauma-informed. As Ashland becomes increasingly trauma-informed, we become a more sensitive, compassionate, and caring community where families and the health of our community are both strengthened to the benefit of all.

Learn more about trauma-informed courts in Ashland County or browse our extensive list of resources on trauma-informed care to take the next step in your organization.

There’s nothing like more daylight and warmer temperatures to inspire a fresh outlook and a renewed focus on feeling good. Here are some great ways to take care of your physical, mental, and emotional health as the seasons change here in Ashland.

Aim for at least 5-10 minutes of fresh air daily.
Spending time outdoors is a great way to boost your mood and reduce stress, particularly once it warms up. All it takes is just a few minutes of fresh air to feel rejuvenated. Warm weather is proven to boost your mood and reduce stress. Sun exposure also raises your Vitamin D levels which increases your energy levels.

Insert the outdoors into your daily routine to build a good habit: schedule time after work, on your lunch break, once the kids come home from school, after dinner, or before you head to the office in the morning—wherever you can fit it in!

Find outdoor places that bring you peace. They can be found all around our community or in your own backyard. Take a stroll down Main Street and sit for a while at Foundation Park. Pack a lunch and sit on a picnic table at Brookside Park.

Or go for a greater adventure—the Ashland County Park District has 18 different parks you can incorporate into your wellness plan. Set a goal to visit each one with a friend or family members to experience the joy and benefits of being outdoors.

Increase your exercise regimen.
The US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that adults should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise. It can be hard to start up an exercise routine, so look for things that you know you’ll enjoy, like outdoor walks, gardening, bike riding, hiking, or swimming, and ask a friend to join you. The best accountability is a set date and time with a friend or family member who is counting on you to workout with them.

Exercise does more than just help your physical health, it also has been shown to improve mental health. Exercise releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones, which give you that natural high after physical exertion. Plus, outdoor exercise can be as effective as antidepressants in treating mild to moderate depression and anxiety. One study shows that individuals who exercise outside tend to spend at least 30 minutes doing more moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week than those who workout exclusively indoors.

Declutter your life—physically and mentally.
Spring cleaning is a chance to throw open the windows, wipe down surfaces, and get rid of all the stuff that has accumulated over the last six months. A cluttered physical environment is known to reflect our internal operations, so if you’ve been feeling anxious and depressed, it might help to do some decluttering. Simplify your surroundings for a less stressful home and office working environment.

Even if your external environment is neat and tidy, your mind might still feel cluttered. Many of us think we can multitask, but it turns out that our brains can’t actually do more than one thing at a time. Instead, we’re just flying from one activity to the next, or back and forth again, which can be absolutely exhausting. Multitasking can lead to a whole bunch of unfinished projects, and that heap of work means more stress and anxiety. Try to complete one project at a time. This will give you the boost of accomplishment you need to keep going through the rest of your projects.

Decluttering can feel overwhelming. Start small. Take decluttering projects one room or one space at a time, limiting the amount of time you commit to the task each day. While you are decluttering your physical space, don’t neglect your mental space. Carve out at least 15 minutes to sort through your thoughts and feelings. Meditate or pray, journal or read, or go on that short hike outdoors we talked about above to clear out the jumbled thoughts.

Get a good night’s sleep.
With all of the fresh air you’ve taken in throughout the day and your more rigorous exercise routine, you should sleep like a baby! Not enough sleep can contribute to poor mental health, especially if you consistently get less than 5 hours of sleep a night.

To get a better night’s sleep, create a bedtime routine that helps you power down, so to speak. Turn off screens, take a bath, or read a book to reduce the stimulants that can keep you awake, and create a soothing sleep environment in a cool, dark and quiet room. These measures can help you go to sleep and wake up refreshed the next morning.

Make a diet change.
The fuel you put into your body is just as important as the activities you do to use that energy and recharge at the end of the day. Your brain benefits from a healthy diet just as much as the rest of your body. We all know we’re supposed to eat a balanced diet, but the temptations of fast food and packaged meals can often spoil our best laid plans.

Dramatic dietary changes can seem overwhelming and aren’t always sustainable. Instead of trying the next fad diet, identify one way you can make a diet change this spring. You might try to eliminate soda, reduce your caffeine intake, drink a smoothie at breakfast, eat one salad a day, cut red meat, or add one vegetarian meal to your diet each week. Once you’ve incorporated one of these changes into your diet, try to add another. This gradual approach allows you to feel accomplished and intentional instead of overwhelmed and stressed (remember that thing about multitasking?).

Set screen time limits.
The amount of time we spend in front of screens can have a draining impact on our mental health. Find the settings for your phone and impose some limits for screen time. You might be surprised by how much extra time you can find in your day for more life-giving activities simply by imposing screen time limits.

Take time to care for yourself.
Make space to meet your personal needs. Loving yourself is a part of being able to love others well. If you feel exhausted, anxious, depressed, or overwhelmed, it’s tough to be able to give more out of that empty tank. Schedule time to do some of your favorite activities this spring. Read a book, sit outside, take a walk, watch a good movie, or find some other good way to waste time…spending time doing activities you love is time well spent.

Sometimes, all the self-care in the world is no match for the circumstances that are impacting your mental health. If you feel like your ability to cope isn’t holding up, there’s help and hope. Connect with one of the MHRB of Ashland County resources to take steps toward a healthier and happier life.

These days, many of us turn to social media for news, community information, updates from family and friends, entertainment, or even just a break from our daily routine. Social media is a technological tool—it isn’t good or bad in and of itself.

Like any tool, social media can have positive and negative outcomes. It’s positive when the photos of a loved one bring a smile to your face, you feel up-to-date and in touch with what’s happening in the world, and that string of videos from your favorite social media family makes you laugh. It can turn negative when the photos from a friend showcasing an event you weren’t invited to make you feel left out and alone, or the onslaught of news leaves you feeling sad and helpless, or the string of videos of other people’s lives makes you feel envious and discouraged.

These emotions can be stirred up in any of us, whether you’re just entering your teen years or you’re well into retirement, brand new to social media or a veteran user of various platforms.

According to the Loma Linda University Institute for Health Policy and Leadership, “There is a growing body of literature showing a correlation between social media use and depression, anxiety, eating disorders, sleeping disorders, and/or suicidal tendencies.” While social media has done an important job of raising awareness of and removing the stigma around mental health, it’s important for social media users to be aware of how their engagement with Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and other platforms is affecting their mental health.

Warning Signs Social Media Is Adversely Affecting Your Mental Health
There are several indicators that your social media usage may be negatively influencing your mental health. If you find yourself spending more time online than with your “offline” friends, if you are unfairly comparing yourself with others’ lives, if you experience feelings of “FOMO” (fear of missing out) and find yourself frequently checking social media to see what other people are doing (even while you yourself are out doing things), social media is likely negatively affecting your mental health.

Whenever you have a spare moment of solitude, do you find yourself immediately going to social media? Without quiet moments in our lives, we miss out on moments of self-awareness or self-reflection, which are essential for our growth as people.

If social media has become a distraction from your everyday activities, like work and school, to the point where you can’t pull yourself away to focus on the tasks at hand or get enough sleep at night, it’s probably time to re-evaluate your social media consumption.

If social media leaves you feeling more anxious, depressed, and lonely after you’ve used it, this is a clear indication that it’s time to pull the plug on your social media for a while.

Steps to Modify Your Social Media Usage for Improved Mental Health
For some people, cutting ties entirely from social media might be the best option, but many folks can improve their mental health by taking simple steps to change their relationship with the various social media platforms.

Reduce Usage
According to the same article cited above, “A 2018 University of Pennsylvania study found that reducing social media use to 30 minutes a day resulted in a significant reduction in levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, sleep problems, and FOMO.”

That might seem like a drastic cut to some of us, but simply being more mindful of how we’re using social media can drastically impact our relationship to it. This means being more mindful of when you are using social media and setting boundaries that provide more time and space away from your smartphone. Consider leaving your phone in another room to charge at bedtime, setting up screen time limits, disabling social media push notifications, limit the frequency of your social media checks, or remove social media apps from your phone. Any of these steps can help you control the amount of time you spend on social media.

Know Why You Use Social Media
When you know the intention behind your own use of social media as well as other people’s use of social media, it can “right size” your relationship with the platforms. Define for yourself what you expect out of social media—do you go to social media to find specific information, or are you simply going to social media out of boredom? Knowing your motivation can help you discern whether you’ve crossed over into unhealthy social media interaction.

Invest in Offline Relationships
Social media can be a fun way to connect with people we don’t get to see every day, but when we allow those relationships to become substitutes for “real-life” connections, our mental health suffers. Social interactions with humans in the real world keeps us happy and healthy in many different ways. Make time each week for lunch dates, coffee, or get-togethers with friends and family, where the emphasis is on spending time with each other without the necessity of phones. Reach out to old friends or make new ones by joining a local club. Engage with the people around you at work, at the grocery store, on the street, etc. Even these small connections can lift your mood and help you feel more connected to the rest of the human race.

Avoid Using Social Media to Self-Diagnose
With so many people helpfully promoting and advocating for mental health, it can also be tempting to use that information to “self-diagnose” your own mental health. This might not be the best way to analyze how you are feeling—you might be able to name what you might be dealing with, but often this self-diagnosis misses helping you to cope with the negative emotions you’re experiencing. If you feel like you might be suffering from mental health challenges, it’s important to talk to a counselor or qualified mental health professional. These individuals are trained to help you not only name what you might be experiencing but find appropriate tools and resources for you to use to heal and recover from underlying causes.

The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Ashland County has a network of these mental health professionals available to help you through whatever challenges you’re experiencing. Visit our website for more information.