(Guest post by Barbara Van Dahlen, PhD, psychologist, founder and president of Give an Hour)

Every American adult can pinpoint exactly where they were on Sept. 11, 2001, when they heard the news that we were under attack, and most of us can recall exactly how we spent that day and the next several.  That day changed so much. It set in motion a series of events and decisions that continue to affect so many lives 10 years later.

Our country went to war 10 years ago, and we remain at war today. More than 2.2 million men and women have served in Iraq and Afghanistan since 9/11. More than 6,000 service members have died in these wars and tens of thousands have come home with visible and invisible injuries resulting from their experience in combat.

While some Americans decided to serve our country by joining the military effort, others chose to focus on caring for those who come home from war. During the first few years of the war in Iraq efforts at home focused on creating care packages to ship overseas so that our men and women fighting there would know our country supported them. This was a very different America than the one that failed to welcome home veterans from Vietnam.

But the Iraq War continued to grind on, and the fighting in Afghanistan intensified. Homefront efforts to support the men and women of our armed forces began to take into account the reality that many of our soldiers, Marines, airmen, and sailors were serving four, five, and even six tours of duty. And many people and groups began to focus on providing support for the families—of the fallen, of the injured, of those who came home to a struggling economy and to an uncertain future.

My own organization, Give an Hour, was founded six years ago out of concern for the mental health of those who experience the brutality of war and with awareness that war comes home to affect the wives, husbands, children, and other loved ones of those who serve.

Give an Hour was founded with the belief that the mental health community has important knowledge and expertise to offer and to share during this time of war. This is an opportunity for the mental health community to do our part to serve our country, by offering free services to our armed forces, their families, and their communities. It is an opportunity to fill gaps in care and service by joining with colleagues in the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to help those who fight heal from the invisible injuries of war.

To mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Give an Hour is joining with mental health partners, including the American Psychological Association and other state and national mental health associations, by asking all mental health professionals to support those who serve and their families.

We are asking our mental health colleagues to make a commitment by 9/11 to join an organization like Give an Hour or another pro bono effort in their community, or to give a talk in their community about the issues that affect those who serve and their families.

Anyone can join the the 9/11 Tribute Movement and offer a way to honor the 9/11 victims, survivors and those that rose in service in response to the attacks.

And you don’t have to be a mental health professional to support the men, women and families who serve our country. Take the time to educate yourself about the issues our returning troops and their families face as they return to our communities. Offer to join efforts to help military families that are currently underway through nonprofit organizations or veterans services organizations.

The anniversary of 9/11 provides us with an opportunity to refocus our attention and renew our commitment to our returning troops and their families. Americans have the chance to ensure that all of those who serve our country come home to the services they need, the support they deserve, and the understanding and respect that a truly grateful nation can provide. Please join us.

Dr. Barbara Van Dahlen is a clinical psychologist in the Washington, D.C. area and president of Give an Hour. Concerned about the mental health implications of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Dr. Van Dahlen founded the nonprofit organization in 2005.

Photo by the U.S. Army (via flickr)

What are you doing in May? We hope you’ll join us and many others in recognizing May as Mental Health Month.

Why do we need a month to tune in to something that affects us everyday? Because even though we all benefit from good mental health, there are still too many people who suffer in silence with untreated mental illnesses. There are too many people who struggle alone in making behavior changes that seem impossible. There are still too many myths and misconceptions about the connection of the mind and body.

• If you write for a blog, we want you to share your story on May 18. If you’re a parenting blogger, a fitness blogger or a health activist, this may not seem too far off from your usual topics. But remember, mental health is about everyone. So no matter who you are or what you write about, there’s a way to incorporate healthy minds.
• On the Facebook page of the American Psychological Association, we’ll host chats throughout the month with psychologists who will answer questions and lead discussion on a variety of topics.
• Be creative! If you want to make a video, a Slideshare, a photo essay or any other creative endeavor, do it! Let us know so we can include your activities.

Last year many of you joined us for our Mental Health Month Blog Party, and we hope to see you blogging again. How are you getting out the word about mental health?

Photo by allietheoptimist (via Flickr)

According to the CDC, someone dies by suicide every 16 minutes in this country. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds and the fourth for kids ages 10 to 14. Suicide also touches the lives of many who are often bewildered by having to learn how to cope with an often unexpected and very traumatizing event.  In the wake of a suicide, there are usually more questions than answers. Culturally, we still do not do a good job in aiding those who survive a suicide. We cannot fix it … there is no clear answer … so we often pretend that it will go away on its own. This is of little solace to those loved ones who lost someone to suicide.

What would it take to decrease the stigma that shrouds suicide? Perhaps, if we spoke of suicide with less judgment and more compassion, less fear and more understanding, less secrecy and more willingness to engage those who are affected and afflicted by suicide, maybe then our perceptions toward suicide would change. Often people say that they just do not know what to say. Yet, it is not so much about talking or having answers but about listening.

If you have lost someone to suicide, or would like to learn how to help someone who has, here are some resources:

• National Survivors of Suicide Day is Nov. 20, 2010
• American Society of Suicidology
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center
• Subtance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
• American Psychological Association Help Center

Photo by  NuageDeNuit (via Flickr)

We all have bad moments. We can be going along in life and everything seems just fine. Suddenly, out of nowhere something bad hits us. For some of us, it feels like our lives our ruined, the very fabric of our life destroyed.

The following information came from a religious service devoted to providing hope and healing to people facing those dark times in their lives.  It was provided by the National Center for Jewish Healing. I have found it to be extremely beautiful and meaningful. Here it is with a couple of small editorial changes.

Oriental rugs that are found in many homes are all woven by hand. Usually there will be a group of people weaving a single rug together under the directions of an artist who issues instructions to the rest. He determines the choice of colors and the nature of the pattern.

It often happens that one of the weavers inserts the wrong color thread. The artist may have called for blue, and instead, black was used. If you examine an oriental rug carefully, you may be able to detect such irregularities.  What is significant about them is that they were not removed. The skillful artist just proceeded to weave them into the pattern.

This is a wise procedure we can follow in life to build our resilience.

Think of the patterns of your life as being woven exclusively of bright colored thread. But every now and then, a dark color thread slips into the fabric.  We are often tempted to try to get rid of the darkness. We want to rip it out, and forget it ever existed. But without the darkness, life is often flat and without texture.  However, if we are true artists of life, we can weave this thread into the pattern and make it contribute its share to the richness and beauty of our lives and even the world.

Photo by carpetview (via flickr)

Suicide has been called the permanent solution to a temporary problem. This is because although people with depression often feel hopeless that life will ever get better for them, treatment for depression is generally cost effective, readily available and generally very successful.

The National Council for Suicide Prevention (NCSP)   has developed a program called Take 5 To Save Lives. The steps identify 5 ways we can all work to prevent suicides.  These include, learning the warning signs of suicide, joining a movement on Facebook to send and receive updates on suicide, informing 5 friends about World Suicide Prevention Day, supporting a friend and reaching out for help if you are having thoughts of suicide.

Some more statistics from the American Association of Suicidology:

• Males complete suicide at a rate 3.6 times that of females.
• Relative to those younger, rates of completed suicides are highest among the elderly (over 80).
• Suicide ranks as the third cause of death among young Americans age 15-24, behind accidents and homicide.
• Firearms are the most common method of suicide by most groups. But more males use firearms than females.
• The most common method of suicide among females is poisoning.
• Suicide rates are highest among those divorced, separated, widowed and lowest among those married.

The following  signs may indicate the presence of a depression or other mental health disorder. Psychologists and other mental health professionals can provide appropriate assessment and treatment.

• Feelings of hopelessness
• Rage or uncontrolled anger
• Engaging in risky behaviors
• Feeling trapped in a bad situation and believing there is no way out
• Increased use of drugs and/or alcohol
• Withdrawing from friends/family
• Anxiety or agitation
• Change in sleep patterns
• Dramatic mood changes

Other signs of possible suicide which require immediate attention are:

• Clear threats to hurt or kill him/herself
• Attempts by an individual to find specific ways to kill themselves by seeking access to firearms, available pills and other means
• Talking or writing about death, dying or suicide when these actions are out of the ordinary for that individual.

If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these symptoms call 911, Go directly to a hospital emergency room or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255).

Please do not just be a bystander. Watch and listen carefully to your friends and loved ones. Together, we can prevent suicides!

Photo by tinfoil raccoon(via flickr)