According to the CDC, suicide rates have increased in every state across the US except for Nevada from 1999 to 2016. In 2016 alone, almost 45,000 Americans as young as 10 years old lost their lives to suicide.

Mental health statistics

According to National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):

• In 2016, roughly 44.7 million adults in the US aged 18 or older (18.3 %) suffered from mental illness. However, only 19.2 million (43.1 %) received treatment.
• Serious mental illness affected 10.4 million adults in the US aged 18 or older (4.2 %), about 6.7 million (64.8% ) of whom received treatment.

Mental illness also affected these adult age groups:

• 1 % of adults aged 18-25, 35.1% of whom received mental health treatment
• 1 % of adults aged 26-49, 43.1% of whom received mental health treatment
• 5 % of adults aged 50 and older, 46.8% of whom received mental health treatment

Roughly 49.5% of adolescents in the US aged 13-18 suffered from mental illness. Among the age groups, mental illness affected:

• 3 percent of adolescents aged 13-14
• 3 percent of adolescents aged 15-16
• 7 percent of adolescents aged 17-18

Suicide prevention starts with education and early intervention

New York and Virginia have tackled the mental health epidemic through education. Both states have enacted laws mandating that mental health education be implemented in the school system. Frankly, it is disturbing to know other states have not taken the same or similar steps.

The New York law will require that mental health is included in curriculums in grade levels K-12. The law was passed and signed in 2016 but did not take effect until July 1, 2018. The law is intended to bring awareness to the issues and risks faced by those who suffer from mental and emotional complications. Those for the law believe that mental health education can prevent substance abuse and suicide.

Glenn Liebman, chief executive officer of the Mental Health Association in New York State, explained why mental health education is so important: “If you look at the statistics about mental health-related issues, it creates a very compelling case as to why this is so important.”

Virginia’s law (Senate Bill 953), which also took effect on July 1, 2018, will require that mental health topics be included in physical education and health for 9th and 10^th grade students.

With greater implementation of mental health education into New York and Virginia’s school systems, children who suffer from mental illnesses may have a myriad of resources for early intervention.

Recognizing the warning signs and taking action

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) identified the early onset and warning signs of mental illness in children. About half of lifetime mental illness starts in adolescents around the age of 14, 37 percent of which are at risk of dropping out of school.

The warning signs that a child may be suffering from mental illness may include:

• Sadness and socially withdrawn behavior that persists for more than 2 weeks
• Self-destructive or suicidal intent
• Erratic and compulsive risk-taking or unruly behavior
• Unpredictable fear and anxiety which may cause physical symptoms: rapid heartbeat and shortness of breath
• Refraining from eating, eating too much, anorexia or bulimia
• Intense anger, sadness or unstable moods
• Drug or alcohol abuse
• Disruptions in sleeping patterns, irritability and other behavioral changes
• Difficulty in staying focused and academic problems in school
• Fears and worries that affect daily life and impair social function

These early signs of mental illness are not to be ignored. Bringing awareness to students, teachers and parents can make a difference in preventing substance abuse, destructive behavior or suicide. If you notice these warning signs in your child, NAMI suggests talking to a pediatrician, getting a referral to a mental health specialist, becoming active with your child’s school, and connecting with other families. A healthy network of social links not only keeps parents informed of their child’s behavior, progress, and in a support network should they need it.

Justice is possible

The new laws passed in New York and Virginia may provide a ground-breaking basis for suicide prevention, but more needs to be done. It’s important that the perception of mental health changes in our society. Children who may otherwise feel overwhelmed and hopeless may receive the support they need from educators and their peers.

But when responsible parties fail our children, they can be held accountable for negligence. Losing a child or loved one to suicide is a devastating experience. That’s why you should speak to an attorney experienced in helping families of suicide victims seek answers and justice.

Contact us today for a free consultation. We can help.

While celebrity deaths by suicide dominate the headlines, the United States is in crisis

“Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.”

-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

In the past several years, notably the past several months, the world has lost a brilliant mind almost every day of the week. Here are some of their names:

• Robin Williams: Monday, August 11, 2014.
• Kate Spade: Tuesday, June 5, 2018.
• Chester Bennington: Thursday, July 20, 2017.
• Anthony Bourdain: Friday, June 8, 2018.

But we don’t know the vast majority of the names of the 123 people who die by suicide daily. It should not feel uncomfortable and strange to talk about mental health issues in a first-world country where we should have access to quality mental health care, but here we are as a nation, tongues tied. We are constantly awestruck when a celebrity name crosses our newsfeed followed by a comment stream of virtual mourners.

Make no mistake, celebrities are important people. Anthony Bourdain inspired countless viewers and followers of his work to be themselves and cross cultural borders. Kate Spade gave hope to women entrepreneurs and immortalized her name in the world of fashion. Robin Williams touched millions of hearts, and his voice can still be heard on treasured VHS copies of Aladdin. Chester Bennington of the band Linkin Park gave hope to the hopeless through compelling lyrics and was outspoken about his battles with depression. But equally important are the thousands of others who die by suicide every year.

So, what went wrong? America sees 25 suicide attempts for every completed tragedy and subsequent loss of life. And the numbers are only increasing. According to findings published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Americans are dying faster than ever before—by a completely preventable cause. And how the media covers high-profile deaths may very well influence the next attempt.

The CDC’s report looks grim

The introduction to the study coldly informs us that suicide rates in the United States “have risen nearly 30% since 1999.” These deaths have become more frequent since events like the 2016 election. They are happening more frequently than before among people who were not previously flagged for a mental health disorder. Celebrities’ mental health struggles, even those discovered after the fact, shed light on a continuing issue. People are dying due in part to high access to lethal means such as guns. Firearms account for 51% of all suicides just in the year of 2016.

Who is dying?

As always, those marginalized by class, race, level of disability, gender or sex suffer the most.

• In the Native American community, suicide is a major leading cause of death and has been on the rise since 2003, according to the CDC.
• LGBTQIA+ identifying people are also at risk, with youth contemplating suicide at almost 3x the rate of heterosexual, cisgender youth.
• Those with access to lethal weapons, like guns, are more likely to act on their impulses and complete a suicide.

Across all demographic groups, men die at greater rates than women. This is largely due to the stigma against mental illness that prevents men from seeking help. However, the proportion of women committing suicide is increasing.

What is killing them?

Job stress has been cited as a frequent factor in suicides, with some studies even showing that the deadliest day of the week was Wednesday, when the demands of a harsh work environment in a country that still stigmatizes mental health prove to be too much. The physical effects of mental stress can cause anything from Raynaud’s Syndrome to a devastating depressive episode in someone genetically predisposed to a mental health disorder.

Untreated mental health issues, especially in areas of little to no access to providers such as rural areas, or for sufferers with fewer resources such as the uninsured, underinsured or homeless, can easily lead to death. Bad treatment, or no treatment at all, can quickly extinguish the life of someone who never got the chance to be famous, to make headlines, to have a comment section mourn for them. At best, their families will receive “thoughts and prayers.” Not peace.

Copycat deaths

When the media covers a celebrity suicide, there’s a well-documented impact on the public. Suicide hotlines see a surge of calls come in from people seeking help, as the public shares their numbers across social media like wildfire. However, these “contagion” deaths show what is known as a “dose effect.” The larger doses of tragic news we expose the public to, especially youth, the more the thought lingers in their minds. After the recent loss of designer Kate Spade, hotlines were bombarded with calls. But for every call answered, one wasn’t made.

Youths are impressionable. High-profile suicides give them a look at someone who is like them who, as the thinking goes, found a way out. The celebrity death may quickly inspire their own actions. In fear of “suicide contagion,” a set of media reporting guidelines was set up in order to help curb the kind of graphic coverage death is given. And yet, thousands of people will die by suicide this year, partially due to online news outlets and social media that either don’t have to or simply don’t want to adhere to these guidelines.

Healing the divide

How can we help? From becoming an advocate for suicide prevention to practicing listening and empathy with your loved ones, your role in lowering the number of suicides must be an active one. We must collectively take it upon ourselves to give names to suicide victims, and advocacy cannot be silent. Suicide is a leading cause of death in America. The nameless victims that the media do not reach number into the muffled, screaming thousands, and still we do nothing.

Our healthcare system does not reach potential victims. Our culture still stigmatizes mental health as weakness instead of treating the brain like another sick organ in the body. Our work lives will continue to act as if more work is the solution to mental health, and employees will never use a sick day for a mental illness without the temptation to call in with flu instead. It’s more believable than this invisible plague. More accepted. Covered by insurance. Less likely to put your job in jeopardy. That’s true despite the physically debilitating effects that come with mental illness. The aches, pains and brain fog of depression and anxiety make it impossible for a mentally ill person to throw themselves into their work and forget about their troubles.

And so, we as a country are quick to cast light on mental illness for a few brief moments of thoughts and prayers before we close our eyes again and shut out the cries of the other 25 attempts for that one death. We act as though they’re a burden that needs to be shut away.

Our culture is sick, and mental healthcare is one of its festering wounds. Healing the divide requires not only remembering the names of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade, but also asking the names of others—and then asking how we can prevent more.

If you are unsure of how to become a force against suicide, the Suicide Prevention Lifeline has several easy-to-follow tips and guides for you. We should all begin with empathy for our fellow beings.

The Law Offices of Skip Simpson represents the loved ones of those who have died by suicide due to negligence. Our firm stands by each and every victim and the ones who mourn them, and seek justice in their names.

The winter blues are a false advertisement when it comes to suicide statistics

For as long as we can remember, wintertime has been pictured as the bleakest season. Indeed, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is often triggered by the dark and cold times. However, the popular myth that suicides are worst around the holiday season simply is not true. Seasonal landscapes don’t always line up with emotional ones. Time moves slower in spring and summer, and those plagued by mental illness may experience a type of melancholy that goes beyond simple summer nostalgia. Mental illnesses are real, and they can end lives. Without proper medical, therapeutic and interpersonal monitoring, patients are at risk of dying by suicide.

The Law Offices of Skip Simpson is dedicated to finding justice for the victims of suicide and the families left behind by their tragedy. We have years of experience holding negligible parties accountable for their actions that, if prevented, could have kept a mother, father, brother, daughter or son alive.  Families and loved ones should not have to worry about whether those they care about will survive the spring.

Seasonal change and mood disorders

Studies dating as far back as the 1800s show that suicides peak in the spring, and are actually lowest during the wintertime. This has puzzled scientists for decades. Most people will experience springtime highs and wintertime lows, but when the angle is taken from one of mental illness, everything is in hyperfocus. Springtime highs can mean manic or psychotic episodes, followed by earth-shattering bouts of depression.

People with mood disorders such as major depression, dysthymia and bipolar disorder are at extreme risk for triggers during the warmer months. Bipolar people, in particular, are more prone to mania (and its lesser form, hypomania) – an extreme, destructive elevated mood state that brings with it unhealthy behaviors and even possible psychosis. These states can even require hospitalization due to how disconnected the sufferer is from reality.

Delusions of grandeur may impair proper thinking, causing people with bipolar disorder to make rash and possibly life-threatening decisions like walking into traffic or jumping from heights, believing themselves invincible. Behaviors associated with hypomania and mania can include:

• Spending too much money, extreme amounts in the case of true mania
• Substance abuse
• Risky behaviors, such as careless driving, sexual activity or fighting
• Hallucinations
• Delusions of grandeur – believing themselves to be infallible
• Aggression and agitation
• Short-term memory loss

A study showed that people with a history of prior hospitalization were at higher risk for suicide attempts and death by suicide, which is associated with bipolar disorder and major depression.

Springtime is a time for close monitoring

Improper suicide watch is a leading cause of death within inpatient facilities, and a lack of education among staff only adds fuel to the fire. Some patients at risk of suicide are only monitored every 15 minutes. This simply is not enough. Roughly 6 times a day, in “secure” inpatient units, suicide occurs under the watch of medical professionals. Already at high risk due to seasonal changes, those with mood disorders and other forms of mental illness deserve better.

Outside of facilities, the headlines’ detailed suicides occurred in the spring, especially those of celebrities. Chris Cornell of the band Soundgarden was found deceased in his hotel room following a concert. While the loss devastated fans, it brought true attention to the issue: suicide in the springtime is too common to ignore. A study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that the risk of suicide increased with the number of daylight hours.

Those who were too physically depressed in the wintertime could feel energized by the increased sunlight, giving them the motivation to attempt suicide. Without proper monitoring by their care team and loved ones, these attempts could turn fatal. Healthcare providers should be at attention when the spring season comes about, and medication may have to be tweaked to accommodate a mentally ill person’s needs.

We can help

There were 44,965 suicides in 2016 in the United States; approximately one third of those suicides occurred while folks were in health care.  Improper and negligent behavior in monitoring or treating those with mental illnesses can lead to death by suicide. Every small change we go through – such as a seasonal change – is magnified for someone suffering, and must be addressed.

Every day, the families and loved ones of victims of suicide speak out to obtain justice. We help them. If you or someone you know has lost a loved one to suicide, contact us today.

Patients at risk for suicide after hospitalization

Inpatient psychiatric care treats and rehabilitates patients so they can return to life and live it fully, without the burden that mental illness imposed upon them. Mental health issues can be suffocating to those who suffer from them, preventing them from engaging in the day-to-day activities most of us take for granted. While outpatient therapy, medication and a strong support system have proven to be beneficial for those with mental illness, additional steps to ensure their wellness sometimes must be taken.

Psychiatric hospitalization is a double-edged sword. Reputable providers and facilities are often successful in stabilizing a patient’s mental state and illness. But diseases run deep, and not all hospitals are created equal. Patients in such delicate conditions must be kept for the right amount of time, in the right care, not left to make it on their own afterwards. The Law Offices of Skip Simpson knows all too well what the consequences can be after hospitalization under poor care. And we demand justice for those affected by death caused by suicide where negligent health care can be proven.

When is it safe to go home?

Getting people with mental illnesses to a hospital is hard enough . We hug and kiss goodbye. We hope and pray that our loved ones learn strategies for dealing with life and can sleep through the night in the care of skilled medical providers. Psychiatric hospital stays can range from five to seven days, the average time most people stay.

Shorter inpatient stays seemed to carry the greatest risk for suicide attempts post-discharge. Fifty years of data synthesized in JAMA Psychiatry noted that the suicide rate of patients in the first three months post-discharge was 100 times the global suicide rate of 11.4 per 100,000 patients per year in 2012. Suicidal thoughts and behaviors also were reported 200 times the global rate. Years later, the suicide rate in the United States continues to increase, especially among the young population and marginalized communities.  But what factors lead to this startling figure? Declining numbers of beds, funding for psychiatric treatment and access to affordable follow-up treatment (including at-home care) have dwindled. A number of patients tend to be homeless, with little to return to and no supportive care.

Mark Olfson, M.D., M.P.H, wrote in an accompanying editorial that “transitions from inpatient to outpatient care are often poorly managed,” and there is resounding truth in this statement. The strict routines and constant access to therapy and medical treatment are easily disrupted after patients are discharged. Other findings from this study include:

• -The 90-day rate of suicide was twice as high for men as for women
• -Psychiatric patients who received no outpatient care six months prior to hospitalization were at increased risk for short-term suicide
• -Efforts aimed at suicide prevention were lacking

Information from patients with mental disorders with a high rate of suicide as their cause of death such as schizophrenia, bipolar, and major depressive disorder were included in the study, which left us all asking the question: “what can we do”?

Stigma is society’s illness, and we aren’t treating it

In 2016, there were 44,936 recorded suicides. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, there are 123 suicides per day. And for every death by suicide, 25 people attempted suicide. Where is short-term psychiatric stay in this sea of numbers?

The practice itself has negative associations, and some who are admitted have little choice or autonomy in their own healthcare. “Instead of being understood as a valid medical procedure, taking someone to a hospital because of disorders of the mind might sound to the patient as a defeat, a failure…and thus, returning to the community after a psychiatric admission can become a difficult task…” Noted one study from Psychology Research and Behavior Management.

Transitioning from a hospital setting to one outside the hospital may make the patient feel “burdened” by the weight of their own disorder, seen by society and rejected as a failure. Most psychiatric disorders are chronic, the study emphasizes, and hospitalization simply cannot cure them. A database from the Oxford Regional Health Authority area in Oxford, England found that 14,240 patients over the age of 15 had 26,864 psychiatric admissions. Out of these patients, 134 died by suicide within the year after they were discharged.

Where is our healthcare system failing our mentally ill patients? One commonly cited issue involved a “revolving door” of patients: those readmitted to psychiatric facilities within a year after their discharge date, often not by their free will. Giving a mentally ill person the control and autonomy they need to manage their condition is essential to their health, and their life. They simply cannot be fed medication and forced to sit down in groups. The personhood of each individual must be acknowledged. But, in a healthcare system where the number of beds is rapidly dwindling and compassionate staff are stretched thin, more work must be done to insure the health and well-being of patients.

Mentally ill patients need support

An involved, caring team of providers is essential to the treatment and rehabilitation of a psychiatric patient, and the quality of life for a person suffering from mental illness. Upon discharge, there often is little follow-up involved to guarantee the survival of a patient. Unlike other illnesses, psychiatric disorders are often swept under the rug; hospitalization is a taboo, and family and friends may respond to cries for help with “get over it, it’s all in your head.”

These hurtful messages often echo a cruel, inhumane portrayal of the mentally ill in society. They also often undo whatever progress was made within the hospital. Society must understand that the brain is a living, complex organ that can become ill and requires treatment.

Dissolving family structures were attributed to frequent hospitalization in the Olfson study, and among those patients with schizophrenia, medication noncompliance was a serious issue. Why aren’t there more doctors, therapists and live-in nurses who can catch the suffering when they fall?

The meta-analysis of 50 years of data mentioned, conducted by Daniel Thomas Chung, of University of New South Wales in Australia, and colleagues, found that prevention efforts were lacking in hospital care. “Discharged patients have suicide rates many times that in the general community. Efforts aimed at suicide prevention should start while patients are in the hospital, and the period shortly after discharge should be a time of increased clinical focus,” he observed.

The first three months after discharge proved to be the most vulnerable. What can be done to help a person suffering from mental illness stay on track? Recommendations include:

• -Access to affordable mental healthcare
• -Supportive loved ones who can aid in home wellness checks if they live alone
• -An understanding society that normalizes mental health treatment
• -Regular check ins with therapists and psychiatrists to ensure treatment is continuing
• -Step-down programs, such as inpatient to intensive outpatient before full discharge
• -Live-in nurses
• -Compassionate, attentive hospital care

Justice must be found

Within those first three months to a year after discharge, too many lives are lost. Too many families and friends wake up to find their loved one is no longer with them, and it could have been avoided. Suicide is not a random act. It causes death from an illness that doctors and other medical professionals failed to treat appropriately and monitor after attempts at treatment. Understaffed, overworked hospital employees are constantly changing sheets on too few hospital beds. Medication prices are too high for too little effect. Health insurance often runs out before hospital stays are completed. Families and employers would rather see the mentally ill simply snapping back to “normal” instead of treating them with the compassion and care they deserve.

Too many parties fail to ensure the health and survival of the mentally ill. When death by suicide occurs after short-term psychiatric hospitalization, negligent parties must be held accountable for their actions or inaction.

Contact us for a free consultation if your loved ones have found yourselves searching for answers and justice.

Gun Storage, Youth Suicide And Reducing Risk for Children Prone to Self-Harm

Most often, the weapons are left unlocked, within reach, or loaded. If a child with very little knowledge of what it means to hold a gun can fire and harm themselves, what damage could be in easy reach for a child at risk for self-harm? Depression and other mental health conditions affect thousands of children and adolescents. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 children between the ages of 13-18 have, or will have, a serious mental illness. A two year Suicide Prevention Resource Center study of firearm suicides in victims under 17 found that 82% of those who had died from suicide had used a firearm that belonged to someone in their family. A significant amount of those firearms had remained unlocked. Even with locked safes, many youths knew the combination or had the key to access their contents.

The Law Offices of Skip Simpson has helped many families in the wake of tragedy. These losses are preventable, and we aim to shed light on the factors that contribute to them, namely negligence.

Home Alone: At Risk Youth

Guns and mental health often intersect in a nationwide conversation. Who should or shouldn’t have access? What of our amendments? How do we keep our children safe in their own homes? The rate of youth firearm suicide has only increased over the years, and firearms in the home only create a larger risk of death by suicide to all who reside in it. Parents and caretakers have a unique responsibility in keeping their weapons out of reach from children. Any adult with access to where guns are kept should ensure that it is locked, and codes should not be revealed with children. A study in a recent issue of Pediatrics addressed whether or not gun storage differed between homes with at-risk youth, and those without. According to its findings, firearms were present in roughly 42 percent of households surveyed, and the ownership prevalence did not differ between homes with at-risk youth, and homes without at-risk youth. One third stored their guns locked and unloaded, and the storage methods didn’t seem to differ between households of various risk status, either.

This means that a child or teenager with serious mental health concerns has a fair chance of accessing a weapon, which could then kill them. A chilling story from Michigan in 2013 details how one thirteen-year-old child died by firearm suicide in a school bathroom with a handgun found at home. Though legally owned by the family, the question of whether or not the gun was stored properly comes into play.

Hanging, exsanguination, and other forms of suicide death can take minutes, sometimes hours to take a victim’s life. A firearm leaves little hope of survival. 90 percent of firearm suicide attempts end in the victim’s death.

Loaded, Improperly Stored Potential

Five-hundred and sixty-five children and adolescents died by firearm suicide in 2015. These deaths were preventable. Being able to assess and raise awareness for the presence of at-risk youth in the home should play a deciding factor in gun storage, or gun ownership to begin with. These deaths beg the question: why do caretakers not show a higher rate of safe gun storage when they house at-risk youth? Recognition of behaviors that could indicate a mental illness such as depression or early onset schizophrenia could save a life. Perhaps they believe their children or dependents simply won’t touch firearms as a house rule, or their knowledge of safe gun storage is out of date.

Currently, there are no federal laws for Child Access Protection, another issue that could lead to a death toll. In addition, storage laws vary from state to state, with common ground being that a firearm not in use should be stored unloaded, separately from ammunition, unassembled, and locked in a secure location such as a safe. When caretakers are lax with these regulations, or if they are not enforced in a particular state, the unthinkable can happen.

Accidental youth shootings are on the rise as well, some involving a home weapon and some involving a family member’s weapon. Children and firearms do not, and should not, mix.

Our Children Are Sick

Child suicide occurs more frequently in rural areas of the country, where a lack of access to mental healthcare has been noted. Adolescents in rural areas are far less likely to receive mental healthcare than those in urban areas, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. This could mean that at-risk youth aren’t even being identified at school, by a family physician, or by their caretakers. Our healthcare systems are failing our youth, and we are going to funerals as a result. Even in families with at-risk youth who store their firearms properly, there is no guarantee that a child can access one at a friend’s house, or another place where their access remains more open than it should be.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 10-24. Cultural, environmental and mental factors all come into play when evaluating risks, and none should be ignored. Signs of depression in children and teens can include:

• Withdrawal from social activities
• Loss of appetite and increased fatigue
• “emotional flatlining”
• A preoccupation with death
• Hostile behavior
• Neglecting hygiene
• Risk-taking behaviors such as crossing the street without looking, or the use of substances
• Giving away belongings, especially those with sentimental value

 We’re Here For You

Responsible gun-owning families and caretakers should take precautions in how they store their firearms, specifically in restricting their access to children. However, we cannot know for certain that a friend or family member who is hosting the youth is storing their firearms properly. Caretakers may not know how to spot risky behavior and red flags for one’s mental health.

We do know that these fatal injuries are still a leading cause of death, and that they are preventable. Negligence on a caretaker’s part must be addressed. If you or a loved one are in need of legal support after a devastating loss, contact us today. We can help.

SSRI activation in children and the misdiagnosis of Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a devastating mental illness that affects over 5 million adult Americans every year. This mood disorder has been found to run in families, suggesting a possible genetic link and leaving children predisposed to what is often a violent onset of a manic or depressive episode. Many manic episodes require hospitalization, and the disorder’s extreme highs and lows are often the culprit for people losing jobs, relationships, homes and overall stability.

A misdiagnosis of bipolar, however, can be devastating. Medication can backfire. Diagnosis can be made too soon. While the adult and senior mentally ill population are at risk, children carrying a misdiagnosis are vulnerable brains in vulnerable bodies, and the medication they’re prescribed can do more harm than good. SSRI’s in particular can cause symptoms of hypomanic or manic states, leading to a bipolar diagnosis. This is called “SSRI-activation” and is not healthy for a child’s brain.

The Law Offices of Skip Simpson strives to protect the rights to proper care for mentally ill people, and we know how damaging a misdiagnosis can be, especially to children.

Diagnosing Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is actually somewhat difficult to diagnose correctly. Diagnostic criteria often involve noting the occurrences of episodes over a long period. These “episodes” are characterized by extreme “highs” and “lows” and usually come with a host of behaviors just as extreme, erratic and dangerous as their hosting moods. While lifelong and without a cure, bipolar disorder can thankfully be treated with medication and therapeutic methods.

In adults, bipolar disorder in one of its varying forms (as the disorder exists on a spectrum) typically reaches a full diagnosis in late adolescence into the mid-twenties. Due to a developing brain, it should be cautioned against to diagnose children with such a severe mental illness, though pediatric bipolar exists. Criteria fall into two categories, one for “manic” symptoms, and the other for “depressive” – the two “poles” of the illness. To be diagnosed, these two distinct mood states need to exist for certain lengths of time. These criteria are cited from the Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation:

Symptoms of a Depressive Episode:

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
• Diminished interest in hobbies or activities
• Speech may become slow, delayed and even slurred
• Physical symptoms such as pain, hypersomnia or extreme fatigue
• Reoccurring thoughts of death or suicide
• These symptoms must occur every day for at least a week

Symptoms of a Manic Episode:

• At least one week of abnormal and persistent elevation in mood, including irritability.
• Decreased need for sleep
• Delusions of grandeur
• Potential psychotic symptoms-hallucinations and disconnect from reality
• Racing thoughts, sometimes to where a sufferer may feel like their head is “crowded” or “loud”
• Speaking so rapidly that others cannot understand them and speech may not even follow a coherent train of thought
• Inability to focus or sit still
• Excessive spending, substance abuse, irresponsible sexual activity or unsafe driving

Bipolar disorder is separated into Bipolar I and Bipolar II, based on the severity and duration of episodes. In addition, there are other criteria that must be met, making bipolar disorder something a professional should not diagnose lightly in a child.

The right medication for the wrong diagnosis

The absence of mania or hypomania is often overlooked when children complain of depressive symptoms and are prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI’s. Commonly known as antidepressants, when given to children they can relieve symptoms of unipolar depression. However, SSRI’s “activate” roughly 10% of children, meaning they can cause symptoms eerily similar to hypomania or mania. Irritability, fast speech, hyperactivity and even suicidal ideations can occur. Children with ADHD and anxiety are often given SSRI’s, and their “activated” effects can easily lead to a bipolar diagnosis.

Children with developmental disabilities are particularly at risk. Someone who is a “slow metabolizer” of SSRI’s will see problems even on the lowest dosage. Parents often panic when their child reacts to medications, or seems treatment resistant. Being the legal guardian, they can easily misdirect therapy and medication, sometimes demanding a higher dose for a child that seems unresponsive.

Medication should be carefully monitored, as should the child’s symptoms. Parents who believe their children are treatment resistant may simply not be treating the proper condition, such as ADHD or anxiety, which responds better to an atypical antipsychotic drug. Making “one change at a time” in a child’s medication is heavily stressed, according to Dr. Birmaher of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in Pittsburgh. The brain is a delicate instrument, and providers who switch multiple drugs at once are putting children at risk.

The risks of a misdiagnosis

Suicide in our youth is no new statistic. One suicide every five days is the current standing rate, a 40-year high, for suicide rates in children under 13. Medication may alleviate symptoms but can also put child patients at risk. In 2004, the FDA issued a public warning of an increased risk of suicidal thoughts or behavior in children being treated with SSRI’s. The SSRI’s reviewed included:

• Fluoxetine (Prozac)
• Zoloft
• Paxil
• Celexa
• Lexapro
• Luvox

The black box warning noted that children should be monitored closely. Bipolar disorder is often treated with a “cocktail” of medications. SSRI’s, mood stabilizers and antipsychotics are popular, and all carry warnings. Even so, the use of SSRI’s in children over 10 has increased considerably over time, and those medications persist in their popularity. We can take no chances when treating our youth for psychiatric conditions. We cannot afford to lose any more sisters, brothers, daughters, sons and friends.

We help protect their rights

Every child has the right to be treated with dignity and respect when addressing potential psychiatric concerns, and this includes adhering to the same strict evaluation that adults must endure to properly diagnose a serious mental illness. Combining therapy with medication and lifestyle changes can be particularly effective, whereas prescribing potentially dangerous medication for a condition that is, in fact, something else can be devastating.

If you or a loved one have suffered the terrible consequences of a child misdiagnosed and mistreated, contact us. We may help.

An epidemic bridging the generation gap

The mental health of the elderly often falls to the wayside in our conversations about the current crisis surrounding suicide. While the focus has lately been on the younger generations, who are seeing a rising number of deaths, we should never turn a blind eye to our elders. Sadly, that seems to be the case. Elderly people account for less than 10% of community mental  health services even though they represent 15% of the population, a number that could begin to dwindle if we do not take their health, mental as well as physical, into serious consideration.

The Law Offices of Skip Simpson knows how important taking care of loved ones is. We all age, and we all want a quality of life for our loved ones that is comfortable and safe. Achieving this takes more than buying a room, a bed and a caregiver; it means seeing ourselves as caregivers to our elders’ mental health. It could mean saving lives.

Brain Age: Loss of Stability Can Lead to Loss of Life

There is a common misconception that getting older means growing content with an emotional state of nostalgia, and this misconception easily leads to the dismissal of elder mental health care. According to statistics from the CDC, depression affects up to 5% of our elderly population, and their suicides represent 16.6% of the tragic total amount in the United States. What leads to the decline in mental health that seems to plague our elder population?

As we age, we begin to lose parts of our lives that have kept us stable, or remained part of our version of normal life for as long as we can remember. Age contributes to fragile health and can lead to a diagnosis of Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, cancer, or general deterioration of the body that many find hard to cope with. To callous and busy medical staff, these may just be diagnostic codes, but to the patients behind the files, they mean the collapse of a lifestyle they’ve built and been accustomed to for a lifetime. Other triggers for geriatric depression include:

• The loss of a spouse, immediate family member or close friends.
• Financial difficulties.
• Loss of ability to work.
• Loss of independence due to need for caretaking, inability to work, and adult children who do not depend on them anymore; this often leads to the elderly feeling “worthless.”
• Medication side effects, as from anti-inflammatory or cardiovascular drugs.
• Isolation: As we age, socializing may become more difficult. Older patients may be in hospitals or assisted living, away from family and friends. In addition, illness prevents the elderly from living their lives with the clarity and independence that they deserve.
• Slow-acting conditions such as arthritis and macular degeneration.

All of these factors play into the rapid decline of a senior person’s mental and physical health. While we may often see older folks as infantile (a view that is often considered offensive) and simple, they have mental health needs that are overlooked on a consistent basis.

Recognizing the Signs: Red Flags in The Elderly

Older white males are at a higher risk for completed deaths by suicide in this age demographic, 29 per 100,000 and over 47 per 100,000 if over the age of 85.  Due to cultural stigma trickling down from a past generation where men were not encouraged to speak about their feelings, and the systemic societal and medical problems that the elderly face, many feel silenced. They feel trapped, without the support of their families who are off living their lives while they remain stuck living alone, or in assisted living where the assistance is too often minimal. In some homes, registered nurses aren’t even on the premises most of the time, leaving patients without critical care. This problem led to the filing of a very self-explanatory bill: “Put a Registered Nurse in the Nursing Home Act of 2014.”

The statistics for elder suicide may in fact be under-reported. Very little focus is on their demographic, and the United States already suffers a startling lack of mental health support for its overall population. While it may seem difficult to recognize the signs of mental deterioration within our aging loved ones, red flags associated with the depression and loneliness that they feel are not so different than the ones we see in younger people:

• Withdrawal from social life
• Lack of interest in daily activities such as eating, socializing or basic hygiene, and a general lack of interest in life.
• Giving away prized possessions; this may seem normal as people advance in their age, but is hallmark behavior of the suicidal.
• Verbal signs such as “You would all be better off without me”
• Feeling a loss of independence
• A medical condition that could affect their impulsivity
• A recent death in the family, especially a spouse, sibling, child or pet.
• Sudden personality changes, especially with impulsive behavior

Missing the signs can mean the eventual loss of a life. Nurses and caretakers should be properly trained in recognizing when a patient or resident’s mental health begins to decline. The elderly population is often thought of as wanting to be alone, or desiring solitude to find calm. This mindset can come with a heavy penalty: death. “The proportion of older people who take their own lives without a diagnosable mental illness is very, very small,” says Dr. Conwell, a psychiatrist at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Medical Complications: One of These Conditions is Not Like the Other

In yet another blow to the myth that aging is a peaceful and simple process, physical medical complications can contribute to the deterioration of one’s mental health. As previously discussed, the diagnosis of a medical condition can easily cause a rapid spiral into depression. However, some conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s disease can directly contribute to a lack of cognitive and emotional stability.

According to studies, the link between depression and Alzheimer’s disease is well-established. However, diagnosis may prove difficult, given that the presentation of dementia greatly varies. In one study, 11.8% of surveyed seniors with dementia lived with major depression, compared to 3.9% of seniors without dementia.

As with any condition that affects the brain, emotions can suffer. Factoring in the feelings of isolation, loss of independence and loneliness that seniors often feel can show an easily visible cocktail for major depression. Healthcare providers should take careful note to survey seniors using the Geriatric Depression Scale. Answered with a YES/NO format, these 15 questions are meant to be used as a screening for depression and depressive symptoms: 10 indicate depression when answered positively, and 5 can be indicative of depression when answered negatively. Screening, especially when a person already has a neurological condition, can help to assess the best course of action for treatment.

Medicare does cover mental health services, including prescription drugs. With not all seniors aware of their coverage, they could be missing life-saving treatment. In fact, 18 to 25% of elderly people need mental health care, but only roughly 3% of Medicare reimbursement is for mental health and psychiatric treatment.

Addiction: The Hidden Figures

Someone’s mother, grandmother, uncle, cousin or brother is caught up in the claws of addiction at this very minute. The opioid crisis is ravaging the United States, leaving no demographic untouched. With community agencies not equipped to take care of the needs of seniors, elder suicide is not often seen or dealt with by them. This leaves homeless and low-income seniors without many options for coping with their mental health. Sadly, some turn to substances in the absence of professional help.

Currently, widowers over the age of 75 have the highest rate of alcoholism in the United States. This seems to occur after the sudden loss of a partner or child, or unchecked trauma. An entire generation before us did not have access to the mental health care or even proper diagnosis for the effects of trauma or mood disorders. In an age where physical, sexual and emotional abuse were swept under the rug with most mental problems, older adults are left with untreated Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, depression, and more.

Painkillers are an unfortunate second source of addiction. Relatively accessible for most seniors, the emotional high and relief from physical discomfort the drugs bring can be addicting at the first try.
“Chronic pain as a result of age, past injuries and other medical illnesses is certainly present in the older adult population,” said Dr. Wang of Caron Treatment Center, “It leads to prescribing painkillers for years, if not decades. “

According to research by Caron Treatment Centers, 39% of older adults entering treatment there come with a chronic pain diagnosis.

The signs of substance abuse disorder can be confused with those of aging by healthcare professionals who miss their mark. Thankfully, older adults are more likely to be willing participants in their own recovery, especially with the support of family or loved ones.

Nursing Home Protections Rolled Back

Under the new administration, the use of fines against nursing homes that harm residents has been greatly scaled back. Four of every ten nursing homes since 2013 have been cited for violations, often serious ones. While Medicare has fined two-thirds of the offending homes, the problems still exist. Failure to protect residents from circumstances that could cause injuries, neglect and bedsores are among the list of offenses.

New fining regulations in place discourage regulators from levying fines even in fatal situations. A promise to reduce the government’s presence in businesses has left many seniors at risk.

Hold Healthcare Accountable

With the demand for registered nurses to have a 24/7 presence at nursing homes, it is safe to say that at least some problems and gaps in our healthcare system have been identified. Seniors are a particularly vulnerable demographic that can easily fall between the cracks and go ignored, but they suffer surprisingly high rates of suicide. As our loved ones age, their needs for care change along with their bodies and minds. We entrust them to facilities and primary caregivers who should be screening them for depression, paying attention to changes in their behavior, offering accessible mental health, and being present when the elderly are ready to use resources available for them.

Most late-life deaths by suicide are completed, even though older adults do not attempt as often as their younger counterparts. This is largely attributed to an increased access to firearms or other lethal weapons. In some populations such as older veterans, detailed knowledge in operating them is a key factor in death by suicide. We as a society have the capacity to reduce these numbers, and we must hold the responsible parties accountable. Our healthcare has too little to offer our seniors, from the inconsistent presence of nurses in homes to the confusion of dementia and depression symptoms. Screening is in order. Proper care is in order.

If you or a loved one has lost an elder due to suicide, you aren’t alone. Help is closer than you think-contact The Law Offices of Skip Simpson today.

Connecting the missing pieces

In 2016, one person in the United States died by suicide every 11.7 minutes. Parents, children, siblings and cousins are lost in droves on a daily basis, leaving questions in their wake. How could this have been prevented? What was the spark that caused it? While most victims suffered from a mental illness, the quality of their treatment and support network is often questioned. While not a mental illness, autism is a developmental disorder that comes with a startlingly high rate of suicide and suicidal ideation.

Depression appears to be more common in people with developmental disabilities. In a study focusing on children with autism spectrum disorders, the percentage of children (rated by parents through interviews) who were rated as “very often” contemplating or attempting suicide was twenty-eight times greater in autistic children than those with no developmental disorders.

The Law Offices of Skip Simpson knows how difficult it is to deal with the aftermath of suicide. The effects on family and friends are devastating, compounded by the fact that the death was more than likely preventable. We work to help loved ones find closure and justice in a system that has failed them, and to better understand the events and conditions surrounding their loss.

Suicidal tendencies can be difficult to spot

The trope of autistic people having little to no facial expression, reflecting little to no emotional depth, is a harmful stereotype. It turns out to be the opposite that is true for autistic people, which leads to an overlap of symptoms found in depression. Those with autism or spectrum disorders can feel emotion, and can also feel the lethargy, disconnection with the world and social withdrawal that are common symptoms of depression. This can lead to a patient with undiagnosed, ignored depression left to attempt to cope and understand their own illness – and the risks that come with it.

While depression is not the only mental affliction that can lead to suicidal tendencies, its symptoms cannot go ignored. A representative from Coventry University’s Center for Research in Psychology, Behavior and Achievement conducted a study on 365 adults diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, known as a high-functioning form of autism. 66 percent had contemplated suicide, and 35% had planned or attempted suicide. While the representative was quoted as saying “the journey from suicidal thoughts to suicidal behaviors might be quite different,” the journey is one well worth investigating, and such an investigation may save lives.

Common warning sides of suicide include:

• Threats of self-harm
• Active research into ways to die by suicide
• Vengeful thoughts or behavior, or fits of rage
• Acting reckless, as though the consequences of their actions don’t matter
• Dramatic mood changes
• Withdrawing from society, family and friends
• Giving away treasured possessions

Anxiety, depression and stress are on the rise among Americans. Access to healthcare between the years 2006 and 2014 was on the decline for many, partially due to the Great Recession. People with mental health issues were less likely to receive help, making it harder for people with autism spectrum disorders to recognize and treat their depression and anxiety. They’ve been left vulnerable ever since.

Emotional Turmoil as a Symptom

The explosive moods that plague people with autism spectrum disorders and Asperger syndrome can be startling, frightening the sufferer as well as those around them. Up to 50% of adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders have considered death by suicide as an option, which is double the rate of the general population. It is reported that those newly diagnosed are the most at risk, having come from years of not understanding their condition and considering themselves outcasts. Emotional regulation can be difficult for many.

The struggle to fit in is a lifelong battle, often isolating those with autism and putting them at risk for depressive episodes. Emotional turmoil is common, and autistic people can suffer from a cognitive pattern that causes a fixation on a particular line of thought. This can easily turn into a hazard when that thought involves the end of life. Stress, isolation, undiagnosed depression and lack of access to care are all factors in a potentially deadly mess. “This is a community in distress”, said Katherine Gotham, the assistant professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN.

Suicidal thoughts are all too common in those with autism

Adults are not the only ones affected by both depression and autism. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in American teens, and those with autism are even more at risk. Studies have suggested they are 28 times more likely to plan out or attempt a suicide. A study published in Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders surveyed the mothers of 791 children with autism aged 1-16 years, 35 nonautistic depressed children and 186 neurotypical children. When asked about behavior problems, bullying or talk of suicide, children with autism were overall more at risk to talk about or attempt suicide. When compared with neurotypical children, the disparity was huge: 14% to 0.5%.

Roughly 75% of autistic children who talk about suicide had the disorder comorbid with depression. Class, race and age seemed to play a role as well. Males, those over the age of 10, those in low economic classes and Black and Hispanic children all seemed have an increased risk of talking about suicide. Over 50% of the group experienced bullying, an all too common factor in death by suicide, especially for the young who may already feel “atypical.” The study concluded that it was important to develop prevention techniques for, call attention to, and develop therapy practices for this group.

The life of an autistic child is no tragedy, but what they experience can certainly be tragic. Bullying can lead to isolation, or thoughts that one (no matter what age) does not “belong” in a society that classifies them as “abnormal” or somehow inferior or incapable of participating in life like a “regular” person would.

Autistic people eat, breathe, feel and have hopes and dreams for the future, the same as any other. They are also at risk for mental health issues that can have devastating consequences if not treated properly, or recognized.

Awareness is the solution

Diagnosis is a powerful remedy. Misdiagnosis, or ignorance of a potential patient’s complaints about their mental or cognitive state can be deadly. Healthcare providers should consider screening those with autism for depression, and pay attention to symptoms that could correlate with Autism Spectrum Disorders. A study involving 374 autistic adults found that the average age of diagnosis was 31. Without proper screening, diagnosis and treatment for spectrum disorders and depression, healthcare providers are putting an already vulnerable population at further risk for suicidal ideation, debilitating depressive episodes, and suicide attempts. It doesn’t have to be like this.

For every person thinking of death by suicide, there are thousands more struggling with repetitive thoughts and emotional turmoil that is a dangerous precursor. Autistic people are valued members of our families and communities, and fully capable of surviving trying times to lead a fulfilling life. They deserve the proper therapy and screening that can get them the help they need in times of crisis.

If you or someone you know has suffered a loss due to suicide, contact the Law Offices of Skip Simpson today.

Eating disorders, comorbid depression and suicide in children and adolescents

Many illnesses have symptoms that are physically identifiable, and health professionals can visually observe their progression. However, just as many illnesses do not manifest outwardly. Some may not affect the body in the same way as more common diagnoses, but deeply alter the mind.

Too often, signs and symptoms of mental illness are missed in children and adolescents, chalked up to a “quirk” or “bid for attention” when urgent, competent care is needed. We know this too well. At the Law Offices of Skip Simpson, we deal with tragic cases of death by suicide that have many different causes, but have one thing in common: these deaths are preventable with proper awareness and treatment.

Mental illness still carries a heavy stigma in the United States. Taking sick days to care for a mental condition like depression or severe anxiety is a concept still misunderstood and underutilized by employers and employees alike. The idea that the adult mind can simply “get over” or “work through” problems is pervasive, and those toxic ideas pass on to our most vulnerable population: our youth.

When cries for help fall on deaf ears

In Long Island this year, a mother lost sight of her son. He was trapped in the throes of two devastating mental (and often comorbid) illnesses: an eating disorder and depression. Barely a teenager at 13, Liam used to enjoy playing soccer and looked forward to beginning high school. However, as his mother noted in a moving Facebook post, he began to waste away mentally and physically. He was withdrawn, and had stopped eating. For the longest time, he was silent about his troubles until, finally, his parents learned the cause: bullying on a daily basis. Admitted to a hospital where treatment for his eating disorder and depression, Liam had already lost a year of his life he will never be able to get back, and was at extreme risk for suicide.

Nearly 43,000 Americans die by suicide annually, making it the 10^th leading cause of the death in the entire country. While we scramble for answers – who was responsible for these deaths – we often overlook the what. Liam, like many children, was suffering from mental illnesses exacerbated by bullying.

Starving for recognition

Up to 30 million people suffer from eating disorders. Too often regarded as a problem with vanity, or a passing phase, the reality is that an eating disorder is a mental illness with a direct, potentially deadly effect on the body. Many sufferers have been barely surviving with carefully concealed bloated cheeks, cracked lips and sunken abdomens since childhood, and the road to recovery can last a lifetime.

Some of the potentially deadly eating disorders currently known are:

• Bulimia Nervosa – characterized by a binge and purge cycle in which the sufferer consumes an irrationally large amount of food, then purges via forced vomiting. These episodes are often triggered by feelings of malcontent, self-hatred, or stress.
• Anorexia Nervosa – A restrictive type of eating disorder in which the sufferer seeks negative caloric intake and positive output. Though not strictly attributed to just this disorder, over-exercising and fasting as well as fad diets are common.
• Orthorexia – An unhealthy, disordered type of relationship with food and diets comprised of obsessive dieting and exercising. The sufferer may appear to be a “health nut” while actually struggling with a serious mental illness.
• BED – Stands for “binge eating disorder,” which is characterized by periods of compulsive overeating far beyond feeling full. Unlike bulimia nervosa, there are no (or very few) instances of purging as part of the cycle.
• EDNOS – “Eating disorder not otherwise specified”. This is often used for people who miss the mark on Anorexia Nervosa’s current weight requirement-usually a BMI below 17.5 in adults, or less than 85% of what is considered normal for the patients’ body. Mixed symptoms and behaviors are present that do not fall into any one category.

Anorexia nervosa carries the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, partially due to the physical damage to the body, and partially due to the damage to the mind. Deprived of nutrients and turning to itself for energy, the body will cannibalize its own muscle in order to survive. This often affects the heart, which may lead to sudden cardiac arrest. The brain suffers as well, losing the ability to think clearly, remember, or regulate emotions and personality traits. These effects on a child’s still developing brain are devastating. Those with anorexia nervosa are 56 times more likely to die by suicide than those without.

Eating disorders can easily exacerbate any existing mental health problems, or cause depression in a stressed and nutrient-deprived brain. In such an extreme state, suicide commonly comes to the mind of a sufferer lost in the disease. Younger females with AN are 12 times more likely to die than their ED-free peers, and bulimia nervosa carries with it the risk of cardiac arrest from so much repetitive stress on the body.

Children who develop eating disorders are often the products of bullying, overbearing families, and neglect. Emotional and physical trauma in early childhood can easily lead to a feeling of emptiness and obsession with consuming emotions, often comorbid with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. An eating disorder in a child can be seen as a symptom of an underlying problem, but not many people are trained in recognizing the warning signs that need to be addressed in order to treat it.

Neglect can kill

Suicide is on the rise for children. In teen boys, our country saw a 30% increase in suicide rates between 2007 and 2015. A study done in 2016 showed that suicide can strike children as young as 5. Among older children, depression was the most common present disorder. Males saw a particular climb, and these numbers should prompt a discussion on why mental health care is not advocated for or spoken about as much as it should be. How can we fix this, and stop this deadly epidemic? The answer lies in discussion, as well as immediate action.  Schools should advertise counseling services, doctors should pay close attention to symptoms of mental illness, and our children should grow up knowing that emotions are not a taboo.

Eating disorders can be hard to spot in children. Like most mental health issues, they are frequently dismissed. Someone’s son is a picky eater, he’s sensitive, or he’s “being difficult.” Teachers and even healthcare professionals are not always properly trained to identify and treat eating disorders. In many eating disorder inpatient wards, children aren’t even allowed to enter as visitors – so where do they go as patients? Bodies and minds can fail as a consequence of the development of eating disorders. With proper treatment, 60% of sufferers can make a full recovery. Without it, 20% and counting will die from medical complications, including suicide.

Inpatient and outpatient programs must be ready to accept children, and communities must be held accountable for prevention. If a child is neglected by a healthcare provider, dismissed by a school counselor or misunderstood by a teacher they confide in, it could cost them their life. Treatment is multi-dimensional. A patient has to receive proper medical and mental help, as well as re-learn a basic life skill lost: how to eat again.

We are responsible for knowing the signs

Bullying is an all-too-common denominator in the development of pre-pubescent and adolescent children, and it’s often body-based. The word “fat” becomes synonymous with “worthless,” “stupid,” and other negative terms that the child will internalize. The more their disorder manifests, with every meal they skip or exercise they overdo, the further their minds can spiral into devastating isolation. Neglecting proper education on eating disorders and related mental illnesses means few healthcare providers know what to do when a child is in pain, and fewer counselors know who to refer them to.

Eating disorder red flags in children include:

• A sudden obsession with food – its caloric value, nutritional data and any information on the topic becomes both repulsive and fascinating.
• Disturbed eating habits such as eating in secret, excessive chewing (or chewing and spitting), cutting food into tiny bites and taking excessive amounts of time to finish a meal.
• Intense fear of becoming overweight, which can have an incredibly fluid definition to the child.
• Dieting even when already a healthy weight, or underweight
• Perfectionism, which often develops in children enrolled in demanding sports or academic programs that involve a high stress and competitive atmosphere.
• Reporting problems at school or home. Bullying especially is a large contributor to deteriorating mental health, and can lead to the eventual development of an eating disorder and/or depression.

Intervention is crucial. A child is a work in progress, and an eating disorder is a mental health condition that must be addressed, along with any comorbid conditions. Pediatric depression and trauma issues are serious. They can follow into adulthood if not treated correctly and promptly – or the child may not make it to adulthood at all. At the Law Offices of Skip Simpson, we know that our youth need to be cherished and cared for, not to waste away or be taken by preventable suicide. We are dedicated to bringing justice to the void neglect has left. Contact us today.

Are protective laws really working?

Over 700,000 LGBT adults and more than 158,000 LGBT youth live in Texas. They are doctors, store clerks, parents and students. Just as many are in shelters, estranged from family and friends and at extreme risk for the tragedies of a harsh and often short life. All face challenges based solely on who they love, and who they are.

Some lawmakers want to pass bills dictating public bathroom use in public schools and strip protections from LGBT students. Their health and sex education needs are not being met in school, and that’s true in the adult world as well, where there is a severe shortage of accessible mental and physical healthcare for trans and queer individuals. A bill introduced in 2016 even suggested that outing LGBT+ students to their families and peers should go hand in hand with one that previously allowed students’ concerns relating to gender identity (like bathroom use to be addressed) privately on a case-by-case basis.

The problem is, if students are not out on their own terms, there is most likely a good reason for it. As it stands, 40% of homeless youth report as LGBTQIA identifying. According to a 2015 GLSEN study on National School Climate, 66.2% of queer students felt discriminated against at school due to their orientation. Students who face these high rates of discrimination are more likely to miss school as a result.

They want to avoid bias, harsh language, bullies, and the mental anguish that should never jeopardize education. As they are tormented, we lose them. LGBT+ identifying youth are five times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers. The Law Offices of Skip Simpson advocates for all who have sadly died by suicide, and the loved ones left behind.

Sticks and Stones: The Effects of Bullying

Recently, David’s Law was put into effect. Following the tragic death of a student from Alamo Heights due to bullying, the law is meant to hold school districts responsible for the abhorrent and deadly behavior of students on campus, and online. Cyberbullying kills: it has taken the life of a 12-year-old cheerleader, among too many others.

The law, decided upon after the main source of bullying was discovered to be via text messages, covers bullying on a cell phone, computer, camera, messenger apps, texts and social media. If this occurs on school property, during a school activity or on a school bus, punishments can be meted out. In addition, if such actions disrupt a student’s access to education or disrupts school activities, the measures of the law can be applied.

LGBT youth are at risk

Without a society that accepts who they are, many youth and young adults who are discovering their identities may find themselves met with more opposition and anger as they dare venture into expressing and embracing their honest selves. Using the bathroom if not given a unisex option can become a matter of personal safety. Students affected by harmful legislature will see headlines like this one from USA Today: “In Texas: ‘It’s an all-out assault on LGBT people’“ detailing the conflicting bathroom bills that would affect the trans population tremendously. This is the material our queer youth have to look up to, the future they’re presented.

The mental health of LGBT youth requires special attention, but not all have access to counseling, or remain in the closet out of fear. Without help, many families are left wondering what went wrong, what could have been prevented, and why schools took such little action. Recently, advocates for LGBT youth and rights have spoken out in Connecticut after suicides by trans and gay teens this summer.

One activist was quoted as saying: “To sit in front of a child who looks you in the eye and says, ‘I just want to die. Why should I live? The bullying is not going to stop.’ It is heartbreaking.”

The numbers only get higher

The National Transgender Discrimination Survey showed that about 41% of the trans population attempt suicide.

• The CDC presented research on students in grades 9-12 and found that LGBT students experienced higher rates of physical and sexual violence than straight students. Bullying was also found to be higher. Other findings of the study concluded that LGB teens were:
• Twice as likely to experience physical and sexual dating violence
• Twice as likely to experience online and school bullying
• Four times more likely to attempt suicide
• Five times as likely to have reported usage of illegal drugs and substances to cope

One Ohio college sophomore was punched in the face for kissing his boyfriend. The same student had almost died by suicide at the age of 16 after attempting to crash his car. In discovering his sexuality, he became afraid of the teasing and bullying that would follow when his peers found out. “That was the only way out…” he was quoted as saying in an article by NBC.

According to The Trevor Project, an outreach program for suicidal and troubled queer youth, each episode of LGBT harassment increases the likelihood of self-harming by 2.5 times, and one out of six students between grades 9-12 contemplated suicide seriously in the past year.

“I actually thought I was inhuman.”

Salem Whit, a teen from Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, recounted their experience with bullying surrounding their gender identity with those chilling words in an article published by The Atlantic. Coming out as transgender in high school was not easy, and they barely managed to graduate after skipping classes and dropping extracurricular activities in order to avoid the bullying. They even stopped speaking for a while, when dysphoria (extreme disconnect from body, gender, voice, presentation) triggered a hatred of their own voice. Their story is not unfamiliar.

The GLSEN report titled “Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revised,” pointed that LGBT youth have lower grades in middle and high school, and are not as likely to complete their education as their straight and cisgender (non-transgender) peers. Trauma, including PTSD, is not uncommon in these children who grow up in a world that, despite some improvements, still feels hostile towards them.

Recently, at a Houston bus stop, a poster was put up at a bus stop that encouraged LGBT+ people to kill themselves. The graphic included a hanging cartoon body with a rainbow heart on its chest, citing suicide statistics of gay, bisexual and trans people and encouraging others to “follow.” It is easy to see why youth would not feel welcome or comfortable when hate speech and bullying is so blatant.

Bullying Kills

A student at Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler died by suicide, previously asking to be home-schooled because the bullying he endured was too intense to endure at school.

David’s Law should provide some relief for families of bullied teens, given that it targets one of the most vicious forms of attack: cyberbullying. However, queer teens are still unlikely to speak out to friends and family, and schools do so little to prevent harassment. There are an increasing number of children involved in the current youth suicide epidemic – in 2016 there were 11 suicides that took the lives of those younger than 25 in Pennsylvania. Several of the victims cited bullying as what tainted their mindset in notes, social media, or it was heard from those who witnessed bullying in action. Social media is a particularly toxic environment that David’s Law hopes to help address. Going home and logging on to your own corner of the internet is no longer an escape or stress relief tactic for youth. It can be a death sentence. For queer youth, the odds of being victimized are even higher.

We can help

Struggling youth deserve to know that they belong, they are loved, and they have worth in the face of a society that hasn’t yet fully accepted them. Death by suicide is an epidemic among youth, and LGBTQIA+ youth are on the front lines of assault. With a large gap in access to healthcare, homelessness brought on by rejection, and even educations in jeopardy due to bullying, young people need to be protected and spoken for. At the Law Offices of Skip Simpson, our mission is just that-to bring justice to those who have suffered a loss that could and should have been prevented. Contact us today.

Trevor Project Lifeline for LGBT youth: 866-488-7356