Why are elderly males more likely to commit suicide? How can we help prevent these deaths?

65 of every 100,000 men over the age of 65 will commit suicide. Common risk factors include widowhood, chronic illness, and social isolation. This population feels very alone and feel like a burden, especially if they no longer see themselves as a productive member of society.

We can prevent this by support and education. As a younger person, be sure to include elserly family members in your life. This can make a positive impact on their mental health, and esentially save their life. These men who commit suicide often long for a relationship because they feel isolated. Volunteering in elderly homes is another good way to make connections with the elderly who would otherwise not have any.

In addition, it is best to know the warning signs or someone planning to commit suicide. Getting help for something thinking about suicide is crucial. Warning signs include cleaning up their will, talking about feeling hopeless or worthless, talking about death or about being a burden, isolating themselves, loss of interest, giving away prized possessions, and making after-death arrangements. If you see these warning signs in others, do not keep it a secret. Open the dialogue. Ask if they have ever considered suicide. Do not minimize the person or shame them out of committing suicide. Empathize with them and, most importantly, listen. Let them know that you care, and that many people feel the way they do. If in immediate danger, call the national suicide helpline, 1-800-273-TALK.

http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=705E1907-C4DD-5D32-2C7087CE5924CCA4

http://www.hsccs.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=13737

How can you incorporate older incorporate family members into a lifestyle?

There is no easy way to incorporate older family members into a lifestyle, but there are ways to help the older family members adjust to the new lifestyle. The ways to help adjust are by finding more help if need be for the family members.  Get in front of any legal concerns that the older family member has before they become incompetent. Fin a balance that works for the family as well as the older family. The main thing I to encourage self-reliance.  Communication and designing a plan are the most helpful ways.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/278251/

How is it different for older adults (60+) than adults (21-59) to overcome from depression?

Depression isn't a sign of weakness or a character flaw. It can occur to anyone at any age, sudden changes in life that are unexpected can't determine rather you're weak or not. Here are five factors that can influence depression for elders. Which is much different from adults because they still have family and friends that can help overcome these obstacles. When you are at an older age, you usually are on your own.

• Health problems – Illness and disability; chronic or severe pain; cognitive decline; damage to body image due to surgery or disease.
• Loneliness and isolation – Living alone; a dwindling social circle due to deaths or relocation; decreased mobility due to illness or loss of driving privileges.
• Reduced sense of purpose – Feelings of purposelessness or loss of identity due to retirement or physical limitations on activities.
• Fears – Fear of death or dying; anxiety over financial problems or health issues.
• Recent bereavements – The death of friends, family members, and pets; the loss of a spouse or partner.

Having a strong family, meaning your kids and grandchildren when you're older can be a HUGE influence to elders with depression. These will probably be the only support other than your spouse.  

 http://www.helpguide.org/mental/depression_elderly.htm

How can younger family members show more support to their Grandparents?

 By James Coulter
  In our class we talked about showing more love to our grandparents, and we discussed different activities they we could do, to show more love, and support. My grand parents are deceased, but I think its a good Idea to have a place where younger people could take their grandparents to have fun. A couple of suggestion that I have is taking them to a sewing class, or a bingo hall. Some grandparents probably just wants a phone call every so often, or just stop by to see how they are doing. According to www.medicinenet.com "good relationship between grandparents and their adult grandchildren can provide a psychological boost for both generations, according to a new study."



                            www.medicinenet.com › home › depression center › depression az list‎
                                                                      

Elderly people can struggle with many feelings, including: feeling useless, feeling like a burden, feeling lonely, feeling depressed, feeling sad, feeling forgotten, feeling unimportant, and feeling unloved.It can be very beneficial for your elder's health if you are involved and active in their life. The best way to help improve their mental health is to visit them. The face-to-face interaction and touch is beneficial. They get to experience the love and feel important. However, in some cases it is not always possible to visit your elders on a regular basis. For example, you may live out of town. However, it is always important to make time for them. Regular phone calls to your elders let them know that you care. These calls, however short or long they may be, must be genuine. Tell them about your day, and ask them about theirs. This lets them know that they have someone to talk to. You should also involve them in discussions. Involve them in decisions you make. This will make them feel important and worthy. By asking for their opinions about decisions or circumstances in your life, they feel like they are no longer a burden. They have found a reason to live and have found use in a time where they struggle with purpose.
These actions will make them feel important, happy, encouraged, worthy, useful, and more importantly, loved. All of these feelings and qualities help improve their mental health.

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/Grandma-birthday-cards-activities/2010/12/22/id/380732

does a single parent with out custody of their child still have the same family life cycle

The family life cycle is the emotional and intellectual stages you move through from your childhood into your retirement years as a member of a family.  It is becoming more and more socially acceptable to divorce at least once in your life.  The question of whether or not this could affect you family life cycle is dependent on a couple different things.  One of them depends on when it is in your life you have your divorce.  If you are to divorce after being newly married with no children, you are not likely to have much affect to your family life cycle.  This is because you still have time to make up or recreate this stage of the life cycle.  The most damaging affect of the family life cycle is when a couple divorces with young children.  There are stages of their children's life the may be more damaging that other.  Divorced couples that have children that are adolescents are the most impacting. This is because adolescents is a stage in a child's life that they are going through many changes physically and emotionally.  Most of these children have many problems emotionally because they have options that they can choose within this stage of their life.  Most teenagers, either have an increased risk for emotional problems and unwanted burdens or they can be forced to have parentified roles for siblings and have some kind of feeling of blame.  Each parent in this stage will have already created an everlasting relationship with their kids.  It is important for both of them to keep this relationship healthy ad strong to help both the parent and the child mentally healthy.






source: http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/PS1012/html/divorce_in_the_changing_family_l.htm

how can having different (more than one) peer group influence your mental health

Peer groups can have a great effect on the behaviors that you portray in you life.  You begin to take on some of the attributes that you friends around you have and use them in your everyday lifestyle.  Peer groups have a greater influence on behavior the older you become.  Your parents can instill values and ways to act but it becomes very apparent that your peer group even have a greater influence than that of your parents.  The peer group serves as a measure for children examining themselves about their self and family.  Based on what we have learned in class, there could be a conflict in what different peer groups try to and naturally instill in each other and the way it effects them mentally.  The different values and norms that different peer groups create could have a negative effect in the matter that you could create some confusion in the mind of what is the proper way to live.  It is also a possibility that having multiple peer groups with different views can create a disturbance or an increase in obtaining a mental health disorder because of this.  Overall, there has not been any studies that show that multiple peer groups have a negative effect.  You can only take the knowledge of how a single peer group can effect the mental well being of someone and make inferences of how multiple would.

source: http://www.education.com/reference/article/peer-group-influence/

Does scientific research advocate hitting a child as a form of punishment at any point? When would it be okay?

Many of the articles I read contained interviews with parents, where they shared various situations where they found it necessary to spank or correct their child's behavior with physical contact.

• 94% of 3- and 4-year-olds have been spanked at least once during the past year, according to one study.

• 74% of mothers believe spanking is acceptable for kids ages 1 to 3, says another study.

Parents who support spanking often use one of the following arguments:

• Spanking is an effective way to manage behavior.
• Hitting children may increase misbehavior. A vast study showed that the more parents spanked children for antisocial behavior, the more that behavior increased. Hitting children teaches them that it is acceptable to hit others who are smaller and weaker. 
• I got hit when I was a kid and I turned out OK.
• Many adults look back on the times they were spanked and justify why it was done. It is difficult to believe that people that love us would intentionally hurt us. So we find a a reason to excuse that hurt by saying, "I deserved it". While many believed they, "turned out OK", research suggests not being spanked would have helped them turn out to be healthier. 
• If we don’t spank children, they’ll grow up rotten.
• The bible says, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”

The only place I found support for hitting children were on blogs or other non-credible sources. The fact is the research is clear and says that it is never okay to hit children as a form of corrective behavior. 

http://www.parenting.com/article/is-it-okay-to-spank?page=0,3

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/04/spanking.aspx

How can someone relieve stress if they are injured and can't sleep well at night?

Many people rely on the aspect of exercising and sleeping to help relieve stress when they are stressed out. But sometimes you can't do these things, which in turn causes you to become even more stressed! Here are a few techniques that can benefit yourself from becoming to stressed. Music therapy, laughter, and time management. When you listen to music this gives your brain another route to think on instead of keep thinking about the same struggles that are giving you stress. Laughter is a stress reliever because the physical act of this releases tension and brings positive physiological changes to your body. When you can effectively manage your time skills, the stressors in your life will diminish. Also, this will help you avoid certain tasks that aren't necessary for you at that moment. When you can finish your to-do list without rushing or forgetting, everything in life becomes a little bit easier.

    http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/a/stressrelievers.htm

Does reframing your thinking combat ADHD in children?

The help guide provides parents with six tips in order to help their children deal with ADHD. The also discusses how ADHD effects the child, the family, and the siblings.  The first step is to make sure that the parents are positive and healthy. This is to show the children that you believe in them and know that they are capable of great things. The second step is establish structure in the home and the child's life. Having structure somewhat simplifies the child's schedule making it easier for the child to focus. Also, provide the child with an area designated for quietness. The third step is to set clear expectations and rules for the child.  The child needs consistency, but along with set rules remember to praise the child for good deeds. The fourth step is to encourage movement and sleep.  The physical activity helps the child burn energy and helps them to do it by learning structured movement.  The sleep part is about being consistent and sufficient sleep helps with ADHD.  The fifth step is to help your child eat right. Eating small meals helps a child with their ADHD. The sixth step is to teach your child how to make friends. Friendship is important in the adolescent stage of life.  With these steps, not primarily focusing on ADHD, but the steps are truly to live a balanced and healthy lifestyle.  Reframing your thinking as to what you can do to improve your life and your children; in turn helps to combat ADHD in children.
http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_parenting_strategies.htm

Can you quickly change your way of thinking or is it a process that takes time?

Usually changing the way you think is a timely process.  First, you need to realize how negatively you think before you can initiate the process of starting to think positively.  Next, you need to realize when you are using your negative thinking the most.  Is it during a time of high stress? Is it in a time when you are faced with a challenge? The next stage is replacing the bad with the good.  You have to actively realize when you are utilizing negative thinking and replace it with positive thoughts.  An example might be "There is absolutely no way I can do that," when you should be thinking "I know this may be challenging, but I'm going to give it my best shot."

To recap the steps to changing your thinking include:
1. Recognize
2. Be aware
3. Slowly change and introduce a new thinking pattern
4. Keep working on all your destructive thinking patterns

Source: ww.stevenaitchison.co.uk/blog/8-destructive-thinking-patterns-and-how-to-change-them/

What effect does the stigma surrounding mental health have on young adults? How can we change the stigma?

The stigma placed on mental issues does effect young people. Young adults have the highest risk of developing a mental health illness. However, this age group is also subject to peer pressure, peer judgement, criticism, and the longing for acceptance. The stigma placed on mental health illnesses place labels on those affected. They are "crazy" or "weak". Young people are taught by society that these illnesses are bad, or even the fault of the person afflicted.This discourages them from realizing or accepting they have a mental illness. They don't want to be "different" or thought of as "weird". In addition, the stigma discourages them from seeking the help they need, whether that is medicinal or therapeutic. 

Over half of the people in the United states will develop a mental illness in some point in their life. It is nothing to be ashamed about!

We can all do our part to change the stigma. Be supportive of those who suffer, or may suffer from an illness. Be aware of what you say. Don't use "crazy" or "insane" derogatorily when dealing with mental illness. Listen to your friends and family if they are struggling. Incorporate mental wellness into your every day life. Promote mental health and be aware of the problems that are out there. And lastly, practice empathy.

References:

Mayoclinic.com

National Alliance for Mental Illness

Are children that actively play everyday happier than those that do not?

This question is a simple question to answer and most of the information would work for adults.  Playing connects children to other peers.  Playing helps to build friendships and helps us to learn to share with others.  Playing also helps with a child's imagination, creativity and even  problem solving skills.  Playing is said to help lift spirits of one self.  It triggers endorphin's to help us become excited and energized.  Playing also lets kids know that they are not alone.  Someone is usually there playing with them or is close by watching them. I think when kids do play everyday whether it is inside or outside, it helps them to be happier.  This is true for adults as well.  It helps adults use there creativity, imagination and problem solving skills that they may not have used in awhile.  It helps them to relieve stress even.  Just the joy of playing makes a person happy!

www.health.usnews.com

What line has to be crossed for authoritarian, or authoritative parent to be viewed as abusive?

Sometimes parents need to step in and somewhat have control over their children's life. But there can be instances when parents are going way over board and causing their kids to suffer. From a parenting action-guide website it says, "Authoritarian Parenting does not allow our children to think for themselves and actually retards and delays a child’s ability to develop critical thinking and emotional interaction skills, both of which are necessary for success in the modern world"
With that said, it is viewed to be the best idea for parents to be authoritative over their children so they can have an understanding or a word from their parents on why they are acting that way.

 http://www.preteen-thru-teenage-parenting-action-guide.com/authoritarian-parenting.html
(Parenting Action-Guide)

How can different parenting styles reduce anxiety?

Most parents grasp the fact that the same parenting style does not work on every child.  That being said, in a recent study, researchers found that the correct parenting style matched with a child's personality led to half as many anxiety and depression symptoms in school aged children. However, if they were mismatched, the child had twice as many depression and anxiety symptoms. 

At the end of the three-year study, the researchers found that:

• Children with greater effortful control had fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression compared with other kids in the study, and those symptoms usually remained low regardless of parenting style;
• When children were higher in effortful control but their parents used higher levels of guidance or provided little autonomy, those children showed higher levels of depression and anxiety;
• Children with low effortful control had less anxiety when mothers provided more structuring and less autonomy;
• Children low in effortful control doubled their anxiety symptoms if they had mothers who provided little control.

For some kids, particularly those who have trouble regulating their emotions, more help is good. But for kids who have pretty good self-control, too much parental control can lead to more anxiety and depression.

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

How Can Parenting Styles Affect Single Parent Households?

Coming from a single parent household where my mom had to take the role of mom and dad, it really interests me to try and understand how my moms parenting styles had to change throughout the years and even in a day. It cannot be easy to have to play the role of mom and dad because in a household where two parents are present you have two people trying to fulfill the role instead on just one. According to the Abstract of Natalie C. Ernst and her article titled "The Psychology of Parenting Styles and Stress Levels: A Comparison of How Home Life Effects Stress in College Students" she talks about how stress levels in intact homes were lower than stress levels from non-intact homes. I can see where this article hits the nail on the head because I remember times when my mom was unusually stressed from having to take care of both sides of her emotional bank. It has to be draining and cannot be easy. My mom is much of a laid back and go with the flow person and with a kid, she could not always be that way. She had to find a way to switch gears and also have authority and put her foot down.

http://www.mckendree.edu/web/scholars/summer2013/ernst.htm

Does uninvolved parenting lead to ADHD in children?

To begin with, an involved parent is one who is indifferent to their children. More often than not, the parents are unconcerned with what is going on with their child causing difficulty in relationships for the children.  Sometimes the children of these parents can be classified as neglected. Although the parents are with their children, they rarely have time for them.  Therefore, the children of uninvolved parents have the most problems dealing with the world.  The children have little to no emotional control and have more trouble establishing and maintaining stable relationships.  The children are more frustrated than others, delinquency, and academic issues.  The article does state that a child's behavior is not solely based on the actions of the parent, but it does say that the parents who are more involved have a better chance of behaving.  Little parenting skills could also have an effect on whether or not the children have an issue with a behavior. Children who have resiliency are able to overcome behavioral issues. College students who plan to have kids, but suffer from depression re encouraged to get help before having kids. This will help combat the issue of uninvolved parenting.

http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2005/mar/style050305.html