Helping Kids With Anxiety: What to Do and Not Do
Posted on October 10, 2024
US News & World Report
“It’s helpful for us to know that any sort of change – a transition or stressor – could lead to kids exhibiting some symptoms of anxiety,” says Dr. Christine Crawford, Associate Medical Director at NAMI. She cites starting a new school, transitioning into a new grade, moving to a new community, a death in the family and divorce as examples in an article in US News & World Report.
READ MOREHannah Wesolowski on Efforts to Increase Access to Mental Health Care
Posted on September 14, 2024
C-SPAN Washington Journal
"We want people to get well and stay well. Mental health care should not be a luxury good, and the new Biden administration's rules on mental health parity will help address this issue." – NAMI's Chief Advocacy Officer, Hannah Wesolowski, during her appearance on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss the new rule expanding access and lowering costs for mental health and substance use disorder care.
READ MORE11 Tips to Successfully Get Out of a Mental Rut, According to Psychologists
Posted on September 5, 2024
Well+Good
"If you are a person experiencing recurring negative thoughts, remember methods that have previously helped you cope with or stabilize past negative experiences." — NAMI Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth.
Looking for advice on overcoming a mental rut? Our Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ken Duckworth, alongside other experts, shares 11 practical tips to help you work through it.
READ MORECan Anxiety Cause Weight Loss? Experts Explain
Posted on July 25, 2024
The Healthy
Anxiety and stress are common experiences in our lives, but when they persist, they can profoundly affect our mental and physical health. While “anxiety” and “stress” are terms often used interchangeably, they differ in their origins and impacts. Ken Duckworth, MD, author and chief medical officer for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)...
READ MORECongressional Hearing in Harlem Tackles Black Men’s Mental Health
Posted on July 17, 2024
The Black Wall Street Times
On Friday, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Chair of the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, and Reverend Al Sharpton hosted a field hearing with top mental health leaders on Suicide and Mental Health of Black Men and Boys.
Mr. Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said, “We have to increase our hope, and to do that, we have to increase access to platforms like this that allow for an increase in discussion. It’s about collaboration, and we see through these forums help give hope.”
READ MOREPreventing suicides by Black males is focus of Harlem congressional hearing
Posted on July 12, 2024
PIX11
It’s a difficult but important topic that often doesn’t get spoken about. However, on Friday, some leaders in Congress were on hand at a Harlem forum to listen to advocates give voice to the need for Black men and boys to have access to mental health resources.
“Only 33% of Black adults with mental health conditions actually receive treatment,” said Daniel Gillison Jr., the CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness during his testimony.
READ MOREMother of Former Miss USA turns pain into purpose
Posted on May 22, 2024
WILX
April Simpkins is the mother of the late Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst. Kryst battled persistent, depressive disorder for years and unfortunately died by suicide on January 30th, 2022 at the age of 30. The final chapter of (her new) book includes notes from April Simpkins. She details the pain she felt from the moment she realized her daughter was no longer with her but also how she is managing her grief and helping others to do the same. Simpkins is a national ambassador for NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Health.
READ MORECongress (Finally) Talks Black Male Mental Health
Posted on May 13, 2024
The Sacramento Observer
What’s not shown is the pressure many players feel at carrying their entire families, their neighborhoods and, to some extent, the wider community on their backs and shoulders. Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) asked Marcus Smith II, a first-round draft pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014, to discuss the toll that comes with success for many African American athletes. Other participants included Arthur Evans, CEO of the American Psychological Association; Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association; Daniel Gillison Jr., CEO of the National Alliance on Mental Illness; veteran Rep. Danny Davis; and Congressional Black Caucus Chair Steven Horsford.
READ MOREWatch CBS Mornings: Cheslie Kryst’s book debuts posthumously
Posted on April 22, 2024
CBS.com
Former Miss USA and Extra correspondent Cheslie Kryst shared her excitement about writing her first book, finishing the manuscript shortly before she died by suicide in 2022, at age 30. Her family says she battled severe depression for years. Now, her mother, April Simpkins, is honoring her daughter's wish by publishing her book. It's called "By the Time You Read This: The Space Between Cheslie's Smile and Mental Illness." April Simpkins joins us first on "CBS Mornings." For more information on Cheslie Kryst go to cheslieckrystfoundation.org
READ MORESuicide Is On The Rise For Young Americans, With No Clear Answers
Posted on April 11, 2024
BBC
In December 2021, the US surgeon general issued a rare public health advisory on the rising number of youth attempting suicide, singling out social media and the pandemic, which had "exacerbated the unprecedented stresses young people already faced". The Covid pandemic could be a contributing factor, says Dr Christine Crawford, a psychiatrist and associate medical director at the National Alliance on Mental Illness. "It caused this significant hit on our young people in terms of acquiring the social skills and tools that they need," she says. "They were at home, they were disconnected from their peers and from the elements that are so critical for healthy development in a young person."
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