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Virtual Reality for Mental Health

This…this absolutely sounds like something out of a science fiction story. But I saw this story in Axios, and now I am absolutely fascinated by its potential. 

So, here’s the basic gist, per the article: Virtual Reality can be used to simulate social settings and help the fifteen million Americans who suffer from social anxiety. It does this by creating facsimiles of social situations, allowing individuals to practice coping skills and learn how to better interact with members of the public. At least one study found that this could help to reduce symptoms of social anxiety.

This has been wondering – where else may virtual reality be able to play a useful role in terms of therapeutic applications?

As it turns out, plenty of spaces.

According to one article in Scientific American, Virtual Reality has been used to treat disorders like PTSD since the 1990s. However, technology and our therapeutic understanding of how the mind works is continuing to advance. As a result, new treatments are being invented to treat things like depression, addiction, and certain phobias. 

Virtual Reality offers many benefits. For therapy that requires exposure therapy, it can be less intimidating and frightening than other forms of therapy, allowing individuals to adjust slowly to real-world ideas. “Safe, controlled environments” can be created, and a therapist can be piped in, allowing for the delivery of therapeutic services. It’s not done yet – and quality control remains a huge issue – but the potential is clearly out there for VR to be effective. 

Much of the effectiveness of Virtual Reality for therapy relies on the design and quality of the technology in question. Is it immersive enough? And have the therapeutic protocols designed been proven to be useful? Remember, this isn’t like a video game – something that seems cool isn’t enough – it has to actually function and help the human mind. 

I can’t lie – I’m absolutely fascinated by this potential. As you may know from reading previous blog entries of mine, I love video games and technology, and I am absolutely fascinated by the potential it may have to be helpful in the mental health space. Of course, none of us would just want to see this be used because it sounds cool – if this is going to be used, it has to be because it has a therapeutic benefit that simply cannot be matched elsewhere. That being said, we know that technology has always been an important part of any treatment plan, and I am absolutely fascinated by the potential that it appears virtual reality may have for mental health.

Any thoughts about this technology? Any experiences you want to share? Let us know in the comments below!

Yeah…TikTok has real mental health benefits

After years of feeling and acting like an old man, I am finally bowing down to the inevitable social media crazy…let’s talk TikTok.

For the uninitiated, TikTok is a video platform. You can create short, snappy videos – as long as three minutes but usually a minute or less – that are chock-full of original content, voiceovers, graphics, text, high-quality editing, and more. The platform has become huge of late. Consider:

  • TikTok now has over one billion monthly users – 130 million of those are in the United States.
  • TikTok has been downloaded more than 2.6 billion times.
  • 32.5% of TikTok users are 10-19…meaning that tens of millions of literal kids are using the app.
  • Users spend an average of 52 minutes a day on the platform.

So, if you’ve read my blog before, you’ve heard me rail about the evils of social media and mental health…like, literally folks, I did it last week. At the same time, we’ve got to take a more nuanced view of social media, because there is no question that it can also have its mental health benefits.

And that brings me back to TikTok.

TikTok’s user base is skewed young, and this means that there is ample opportunity to communicate with this demographic – a demographic that unquestionably needs help and resources when it comes to mental health. It also presents amazing opportunities for people of this age group because it gives us a chance to speak their language.

As noted by USA Today, TikTok is providing mental health tips and tools to users like never before. Individuals are sharing their experiences in therapy and what they learned from it. Therapists are giving out bite-sized pieces of advice on the app. And people are destigmatizing the issue by sharing their personal story’s.

TikTok, to their credit, seems to be taking their potential role seriously. The app has started to unveil mental health and suicide prevention resources for people who use certain search terms, like suicide.

Here are some examples of great TikTok users when it comes to mental health:

@livpoland_

#suicideawarwness #yourenotalone #depresion #anxiety #ptsd #cptsd #iloveyou #mentalhealth #trauma #advocate

♬ Heal – Tom Odell

@calladinecreativeco

#mentalhealthmatters

♬ original sound – Sarah Cothran

@amoderntherapist

Who can relate? #mentalhealth #tiktoktherapist #foryou

♬ i feel like shh – holly 🦄🌟💕

Now, that being said, it’s not all roses. TikTok has some extremely toxic users: Their algorithms encourage like-minded videos, and within a few short hours, someone can go from transphobic or fake science content to literal Nazis. Its short videos can further degrade our already eroded attention span. The app has also been accused in the past of culling its algorithms to keep content from disabled individuals suppressed.

So, what’s the conclusion? Duh…I’m not qualified to give it. I do think TikTok has real mental health potential, however. There’s a lot of good people on the app. I just think that you, as a parent, have to be engaged in how your teen uses internet content. Make sure to give them the education they need to independently evaluate such content and do what you can to monitor their social media use and ensure that it is being done in a responsible manner.

As always…help. I welcome your thoughts. In fact, we need them! What do you think, and what can we do, as adults to make TikTok better for our kids? Please leave your thoughts in the comments below!

How can you make social media good for your teen?

Many of you may have seen the report two weeks ago, and it was pretty damning: According to their own research, Facebook became aware that Instagram is bad for the mental health of their teenage users – and particularly teenage girls – and has done nothing about it. Facebook has denied that this is the case, but the allegation certainly lines up with other research, which has shown that Instagram may be the worst social network when it comes to self-esteem, body image, and mental health.

None of this should shock anyone who pays attention to the interaction of social networking and mental illness. Indeed, research has shown that Instagram negatively impacts depression, anxiety, self esteem, bullying, body image, and more. No one who has paid attention to these areas should be surprised by this. 

I type this one as someone who pays attention both to mental health and as a parent of a ten and eight year old who have their own “phones” (old hand-me-downs that only work in the house). My kids use Facebook messenger, and my wife and I obviously stay on top of it, managing who they talk to and how often they use their phones. That won’t be that way forever though. One day, they are gonna have Instagram and Facebook profile and who knows what else. Social media is far too ingrained in our society for banning our kids to be an option. I don’t think that’s realistic.

But…what can parents do? How can we manage our kid social media use and try to start the conversation early?

A few thoughts.

Start the conversation about what social media really is when they are young

If your kids are like mine, odds are that they have seen you use social media at some point, or at least seen you scrolling through your phone and make a post. As soon as they can comprehend it, explain what social media is, but do so honestly: Explain its benefits, the reasons you use it – but also its downfalls. Set that stage early: Tell your kids that people use social media to post a polished, curated version of your life. This helps them understand what social media is, and what it isn’t.

As an aside, don’t use social media that way. Show your flaws, warts and all. People appreciate a real version of you much more than an air-brushed one.

And, one more aside: When your kids get old enough, ask their permission before making a post with them in it. I always do.

Create expectations of parental engagement

Make sure that your kids know – particularly when they are young – that you will have access to their social media and to what they use it for. When they are really little, you may have access to their conversations or the media that they send to each other (I have that for my kids who use Messenger). Obviously, you respect their privacy more and more as they get older but make sure your kids know that you will watch their social media use – and provide guidance/answer questions accordingly. Don’t do it from a “big brother” perspective. Do it from the perspective of making sure you can provide guidance and answer important questions for your kids. 

Encourage real world relationships

Look, social media is great and all, but at the end of the day, all of us – our kids and ourselves – need to get the hell outside. Encourage your kids to look at social media for what it should be: A supplement to their real-world activities. A compliment. Not a substitution. Don’t let them just stare at their phones. Make them get out and interact in the real world. 

Talk about their feelings and encourage them to think about them

Social media use may be inevitable, but healthy social media use is still possible. Encourage your kids to be emotionally reflective as they use social media. Ask them how their social media use makes them feel, and have them challenge themselves about why they feel a certain way, while also being open to having a conversation with them about their feelings. This encourages self-reflection, and if approached right, may encourage a teen to moderate their own behavior or relationships. FOMO – fear of missing out – can be defeated with a conversation. Fear of not looking a certain way on Instagram can be knocked down by a reminder about filters. 

Anyway, those are my thoughts – as always, I defer to you! What am I missing? What else should we be talking about with our kids? Let me know in the comments!

How to help our kids with back to school / COVID anxiety

My kids are ten and eight, and like just about all kids of that age, they are back to school. This is… nerve-wracking. Okay, as a parent, despite my best efforts, it is ALWAYS nerve-wracking. I’m not the only one I am sure, but every time I drop my kids off at school, it kinda feels like my heart skips a nip. Part of the time, I guess. The fact that they go to a Jewish Day School probably doesn’t help the anxiety, all things considered. But, in the years they have gone there, it has been a wonderful place, and they love it.

Anyway, this year is obviously slightly different than most – even different than last year, when we thought things would be more normal now. Alas, they aren’t, and this begs the question: What can we do for our kids? Now that they are back in school, or will be shortly, how can we help them cope with the added anxiety that this year will bring? 

I’ve had a few thoughts in my head and also done some research. Here’s what I can glean.

First, my own experience: Be honest with them. Obviously, that honesty has to be tempered by how old and mature that kid is. But my kids have found comfort in the reality of the situation. I’ve been honest: I can’t guarantee they won’t get COVID or that someone they love won’t get it. But, everyone who loves them has been vaccinated, and this virtually guarantees that we’d survive getting sick. Furthermore, even if they get sick, the vast majority of kids who get sick are okay. That is not to minimize the risks, but it does help put things in perspective. That seems to help.

Second, make sure not to take away a kids’ sense of agency or control. That has to be tempered with realism, and unfortunately, as we all know, even the most careful of people can get COVID. That being said, there are lots of things they can do: Wear masks, keep their distance, wash their hands, all that. Anxiety is largely a result of learned helplessness and making sure kids know that they can influence their own safety can help them feel better.

Third, use this as a teachable moment. The Child Mind Institute article that I highlighted notes that anxiety isn’t going to be “resolved,” per se – it’s about making sure our kids know that there is uncertainty in this world. Broaden the scope of this conversation. There are things you and your kids can do to minimize your risks and prevent getting sick, but beyond that…you live as best you can. This helps to make sure your kids know they are doing everything possible, but from there, they have to tolerate the uncertainty that comes with life. 

Fourth, make sure to be a good role model. Tell your kids when you are anxious – but also tell them how you are coping. This is just our style of parenting, but my wife and I have found that honesty works with our kids. We never really try to hide our struggles or our mistakes – instead, we show how we are trying to make them better. 

Last, remember, listening helps. As a parent, you’d give anything to keep your kids safe, but the truth is that you can’t 100% guarantee their safety, regardless of whether or not there is a pandemic going on. Alas, we can’t make that guarantee, and kids know it. As such, sometimes, all you can do is listen. We can’t make guarantees, but things like reminding kids that they have control over quite a bit of their lives and that we are there to help – that matters. As such, listen to their fears. Validate them. And, if your kids want, try to work on solutions together. 

These are just a few of the tips out there, and there are plenty of more. Have anything to add? Let us know in the comments!

No, masks don’t cause depression or suicide…damnit

Sigh. I can’t believe I have to write this, but yeah, I do.

Alright, some background. Many schools in the Lehigh Valley – my region – are choosing to act like grown-ups and require that kids go to schools with masks. This is, of course, stirring up passionate feelings in a small but vocal minority of people. They are using a variety of arguments…masking hurts breathing (what?), it’s bad for kids in general (no), or that it causes depression, suicide, and self-harm. Yes, that’s right.

From an Easton Area School Board meeting, where this issue was being discussed:

Of course, this belief is…what’s the word I am looking for…oh, right, it has no bearing in reality.

Let’s review the facts. A September 2020 study found that face masks are effective against contracting COVID-19, and that this directly led to IMPROVED mental health. A variety of theories have been put forward about why face masks can cause depression, but unless I am missing something, no factual evidence has pointed to masks leading to depression.

I don’t want to make it sound like there aren’t potential issues: There are. Masks can cause kids a stress response and make them more afraid of going out. Of course…that may also be attributable to the global, deadly pandemic that has killed millions. Others have also noted that this may hurt a kids’ ability to read faces and social cues. Again, I think that makes sense. Of course, we’re dealing in a world where there are no good decisions, just slightly less bad ones, and a delayed ability to read facial expressions is probably preferable to getting COVID.

Now, you know what can cause mental health harm?

Keeping kids out of school: A slew of studies has made it clear that an overreliance on digital media can damage a kids’ mental health, intellectual ability, and real-life friendships. Of course, digital school is better than none at all, but there is no question about it: Keeping kids in school is the best possible option for their mental health. And on that front, the evidence is clear: Masks in school can slow the spread of COVID and keep kids in school.

Taking a science-based approach to COVID that involves vaccination and universal masking is the best way to keep kids healthy, safe, and in school

I don’t know a single person on earth who is excited about masking. I don’t know anyone who thinks, “YAY I WANNA PUT A CLOTH ON OVER MY FACE.” I certainly don’t. Masks are annoying. But they keep me safe, and they keep others around me safe. I’ll happily slap one over my ugly mug if it means keeping others safe, and I’ll even cover up the beautiful faces of my children if it means keeping others around them healthy.

This is a no-brainer. It’s an easy decision. And anyone who argues otherwise has agendas that are far different than they claim.

How can you find the most accurate information on mental health?

Brace yourselves: I’m going meta

I’ve been thinking of ways to expand the mental health advocacy work that I try to do on the internet of late and looking at other ways of communicating with people, including things like YouTube videos. On one hand, I truly believe in the power of the internet and its good. On the other hand…yeah. It’s the internet, and unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the internet has somewhat of a fake-news problem. This is bad enough when talking about issues like politics, but when you start to get into life-changing issues, such as mental illness or COVID-19, it can be deadly.

I mean, seriously, think about that for a second: How many people have died because of internet-based fake news? Hundreds from COVID-19 alone – and probably more.

All of this got me thinking: How can you use the internet to find the most accurate and best mental health tips? Some thoughts, from someone who truly tries to give you the best information possible:

  • Consider the source: Mental Health America has a great entry on this subject, and this bullet might be the most accurate. The source matters. No one should be making a claim without backing. No one should say that “research says” without linking to the research, and even if they do link to research, make sure to consider the quality of the research: A NIH study matters a heck of a lot more than a study on JimmysMentalHealth.com. I try not to make any claims that aren’t fact-based, and any internet research you do should stick to that idea. I’d also add this: Expertise matters. Consider someone’s perspective, education, and training before folding in their advice to your life. For example, I’d consider the input of a professional therapist much more valuable than my own perspective.
  • Get a second – and third – opinion: Let me be clear about this: My opinion may be wrong. Anyone’s opinion may be wrong. This is why you should always get a second and third opinion on an issue. Someone suggesting a way of dealing with something? Before you incorporate it into your life, do additional research. Examine if other people have tried the same strategy, and determine their success.
  • Timeliness matters: A link from 1999 is not as impactful as a link from the same subject in 2019. If someone is telling you that the “latest research” shows something, make sure to check the timeliness of that research. That’s not to say that there are intentional efforts to mislead, but time can obviously have a major impact on the timeliness of the information that you receive.
  • Is there a business connection: This may come as a shock, but people try to sell you things on the Internet. As such, if someone is listing information about a specific technique or product, ask yourself this important question: What are they trying to sell you? To be clear, there is nothing wrong with someone using information and research to sell you a product. The product may be perfectly valid, and the information may be as well. But, if there is a commercial input, you should make sure to do your own research about its effectiveness.
  • Google the source: Unsure about the source? Google it. You may find additional information about the source’s perspective, bias, or past ethical challenges.

There are other tips, without a doubt, and I’d love to hear them. What have you found is the best way to get the most accurate information on the internet, especially when it comes to mental health? Please leave your tips below!!

The danger of the reaction to Simone Biles

I suspect that most of you are well aware of the Simone Biles situation right now, but in a nutshell, it’s this: Biles, who I think is the best gymnast in the world (gotta confess my ignorance to gymnastics here), dropped out of the Olympics, citing a variety of physical and emotional problems. As I type this, she may still perform in some events, but I’m not sure.

Let me start by stating the obvious: I have absolutely, positively zero idea of what is going on in Mrs. Biles head, aside from what she has said publicly. Also, I have no right to know anything else. Neither do you. Neither do any of us. Know what? She doesn’t owe us a damn thing. I’m not sure why anyone feels entitled to know what is happening in her head – or anyone else’s – but all humans have a right to basic dignity and worth, even the most elite athletes on the planet. If she says she isn’t in a position to compete safely, cool. Know who gets to decide that? Her, and her alone. 

Of course, it is never that simple, and because the world is a terrible place, there is no shortage of morons criticizing her. Fine, whatever. Some people are terrible, though I will admit to being pleasantly surprised by the fact that most people are either supporting her or shutting the hell up. Either of those options is more than acceptable.

But, I worry about the impact of Biles’ decision to drop out. Let me be crystal clear here: I do not worry about the impact because of anything that Biles did. She bears zero responsibility for the reaction of morons to her personal decisions, and any negative ramifications are because of the people attacking her, not her own actions.

I worry because I worry about all the people who are seeing backlash and doubting themselves. I come back to this tweet:

Yep. How many people struggling will see the moronic mouth-droppings of people like the Deputy Attorney General of Texas, who called Biles a “national embarrassment“? How many little black girls will think that their mental and physical health is not worth protecting?

I want to approach this from a broader perspective because it needs to be said: Other people who are struggling with their mental health are watching the reaction to Biles. I hope that they can see the fact that the vast majority of the response – including from worldwide leaders and other Olympic athletes – is overwhelmingly supportive. But, I suspect they won’t. If you’ve been depressed, you are familiar with the cognitive bias that is the Confirmation Bias: You see things that confirm what you already think. If you already think that the world judges you, all you will see is more tweets of someone like you being judged. 

So…what should this entire issue inspire all of us to do? I can think of a few things off-hand:

  • Talk to your kids about mental health. Tell them why it matters.
  • If you’re going to discuss Simone Biles, make sure to contextualize your comments. She is a person. She deserves the same autonomy that you expect for yourself or people you care about. Put yourself in her shoes and ask how you would want the words that came out of your mouth to sound.
  • If you know people who are struggling, and you feel comfortable doing so, it may be worth approaching them about this topic with supportive words. Biles’ struggles and pains are shared by millions. They all deserve the same level of love and respect.

As always, I’d welcome your thoughts. I encourage all of you to be kind and empathetic!

“Noomifying” – and thus “Gamifying” – Depression & Anxiety

A dear friend was telling me about her very positive experience – thus far – with Noom. Just in case you’ve missed the ads (they are all over my YouTube feed, so I must be in their target demographic), here’s the basic gist: Noom is a weight loss website/app/program. There is a charge associated with it (I think it’s $40 a month), but it gives you access to a slew of resources, including weight loss trackers, recipes, fitness goals, articles, and more. The app then gives you “points” for completing tasks, like reading articles or tracking your food.

This buddy of mine is an achievement lover – she’s was laughing as she told me that she has actually done Duolingo for over 1,000 days, even though she doesn’t care that much anymore – simply because she doesn’t want to lose her streak. This fascinated me. Noom apparently gives you little tasks – walk 3,000 steps, for example – and then slowly ups the ante. It thus creates a runway of small, achievable goals. It’s also largely psychology-based, giving users the opportunity to learn more about the mindset behind weight loss and encouraging them to identify flaws in their thinking that lead to more weight gain, or at least less weight loss.

Noom also divides food into three categories – green, yellow, and red. You limit your intake of yellow and red but are free to enjoy green.

This fascinated me. The problem with many of these diets is that you have to stay on them forever or they stop working, like Atkins. But as I understand Noom, it seems to be based on changing the way people think and their lifestyle. This strikes me as having the potential for more success.

Does it work? Yeah, maybe. Noom has an array of research on their website, but it’s unquestionably worth doing a bit of digging on your own. From what I could find, yes. It does seem to work.

All of this being said, I wasn’t trying to write about Noom and weight loss. As my friend was explaining this to me, it made me think: How can we gamify depression the same way?

What would that look like? Hard to say. After all, weight loss isn’t like depression, and depression can often be harder to shake free than weight loss is to lose. However, the lifestyle-centric nature of Noom is what strikes me as having the highest possibility to work, and a lifestyle change with an app – replete with professional resources, access to counselors, tasks you can complete that provide you a sense of accomplishment – that is interesting to me.

Aspects of the Noom app are gamification. You complete certain tasks, you get achievements or rewards. It steers your brain in a certain direction by creating artificial awards that reward desired behavior. Could you do that for depression? Again, hard. But not impossible.

I’m not the only one to come up with this idea, of course, and people smarter than me have written about, researched, and studied this concept. That research has been positive: It appears that a well-design app can actually improve mood and rates of depression.

This begs the question: What more can we do to gamify depression and anxiety treatment? What controls are needed to ensure that these apps go well and that users don’t experience a crisis – or become worse – while using an app? I don’t have answers, but I do believe that the potential is clearly there.

Suicide attempts among teen girls rise – but suicides fell….

There is a strange disconnect among findings that came out a few weeks ago from the Centers for Disease Control, and I think it is one worth examining.

First, from the Centers for Disease Control:

In the early months of 2021, visits to emergency departments for suspected suicide attempts increased roughly 50 percent for adolescent girls compared with the same period in 2019, according to a report released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The same article makes a few other very salient points:

  • Suicide attempts began to rise in May 2020.
  • Suicide attempts among girls rose 50.6% compared to the prior year, but a mere 3.7% among boys.
  • Similar increases were NOT observed amongst men and women, aged 18-25.

There’s a lot of places to look at this, and the gender differentiation is genuinely fascinating. What on earth could cause such a difference in terms of the differences between men and women?

That being said, there’s a different question I want to ask: How is it possible that ATTEMPTS rose so much, but suicide deaths declined? As I wrote about previously – and has been written about by people much smarter than me – preliminary data indicates that suicides declined by 5.6% during the same time period that suicide visits among this demographic increased so dramatically. How can this be?

There are, of course, many possible answers.

First, the data released by the CDC is preliminary. There isn’t a breakdown of completed suicides by demographics. This means that it is very possible that suicide attempts – and completed suicides – rose among the demographic we are discussing, but that they declined enough in other demographics to offset this rise. It’s also possible that the suicide attempts were less serious attempts that were less likely to result in death. Typically, women are more likely to survive a suicide attempt, as they tend to use less lethal means. It is also worth noting that women are three times more likely to attempt suicide than men, but men are 3-5 times more likely to die of suicide than women.

The one thing that the report does make clear – and that is unquestionably true – is that this could have major public health implications and implications for parents. Young women seem to be in a more fragile state of mental health than their male counterparts, and it is incumbent upon us to ensure that we are taking the steps necessary to protect their mental health.

I’d also go one step further: What are the health implications for the poor young women who wound up in a hospital? What health risks do they face? What ongoing care do they need at home, and at school? What questions do we need to answer?

Regardless, this is something that is unquestionably worth monitoring in the future.

Good public policy can improve mental health, part 9,645,856

There’s a new study available that shows that, for the gazillionth time, public policy can truly make a positive impact on mental health.

First, the study itself. It specifically pertains to the most recent rounds of stimulus checks. Specifically:

A new analysis of Census Bureau surveys argues that the two latest rounds of aid significantly improved Americans’ ability to buy food and pay household bills and reduced anxiety and depression, with the largest benefits going to the poorest households and those with children. The analysis offers the fullest look at hardship reduction under the stimulus aid…Among all households, frequent anxiety and depression fell by more than 20 percent.

This is a remarkable number. Direct financial aid helped to improve rates of depression and anxiety.

It’s also unsurprising. Generally speaking, wealth is not directly related to suicide rates, but subjects related to wealth are. For example, living near people who are wealthier than you may lead to increased rates of suicide. A decline in income – often one that leads to homelessness, housing insecurity, or unemployment – is correlated with higher suicide rates. Furthermore, a landmark study from a couple of years ago showed that raising the minimum wage can directly reduce suicide.

We also know that expanding access to health care can make a positive impact on suicide rates. Of course, you don’t need an advanced degree in public policy to figure out why: When you make health care easier to obtain, this usually involves mental health care, and this means people can be treated for their mental illnesses. This, in turn, can help to attack these illnesses and make someone feel better.

There are ancillary reasons why this is true, as well. One of the less-discussed causes of suicide is pain and chronic pain – I actually had a dear friend lose someone very close to her because of her partner’s pain. Medical care, of course, can treat or mitigate the impacts of countless diseases. This, in turn, can improve someone’s quality of life – and help prevent suicide.

Last, the third rail of politics: Gun control. Like it or not, means reduction policies – policies that make it harder for someone who is suicidal to get a gun – can help to reduce suicide rates. For example, there is a well-established link between gun ownership and suicide. Furthermore, states with stricter gun laws tend to have lower suicide rates. In other words, we CAN do something about suicide rates in government, we already have done quite a bit, and we can do a lot more.

Suicide is not something that just happens. It is not some magical, mystical thing that we have no control over. Yes, there are factors that are well beyond governmental control…but there are also plenty of things we can do to reduce suicide. Things we must have the courage and fortitude to do. I’ve always found mental health to be an under-tapped political issue. Many people know its pain – more than we are willing to admit. And I wish more people spoke about this issue for both the sake of politics and policy.