The following information is from the Minnesota Department of Health’s Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Toolkit. This toolkit includes key messages, images, and resources.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Although mental health and suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices and share that there is hope, help is available, and healing is possible.
This year’s theme is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” with the call to start the conversation. The aim of the theme is to raise awareness about the importance of changing the narrative surrounding mental health and suicide. Changing the narrative on how we perceive and talk about mental health and suicide requires systemic change. To make change happen, we will need to shift our culture from silence and stigma, to encouragement, understanding, and support.
Week 1: Let’s Change How We Talk About Mental Health. What we say to ourselves and others about mental health matters. We all have mental health and it is as essential to a person’s life, just as physical health. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, and shapes how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
It can be hard for people, families, organizations, and communities to talk about mental health. Not talking about mental health and suicide can increase the risk of people that are struggling, and potentially decrease the likelihood that someone will seek help when they need it most.
Too often, public messaging conveys negative narratives about mental health and suicide. These negative narratives stigmatize mental health and suicide, which can contribute to feelings of uncertainty, shame, and self-loathing that prevent someone from seeking help or putting them at greater risk for harm. Instead, a narrative of hope and resilience can influence how people think, feel and act and lets us know that there is hope, there is help, and suicide is preventable. What we say to ourselves and others can encourage hope, celebrate life, and help ourselves and others understand that mental illnesses are treatable.
Ideas for action to start the conversation with yourself about your mental health:
Know that you are never alone. Do you have crisis numbers available or a plan if you do feel like you get into a state of emotional crisis? 988 resource reminders and safety plan sheets are available year-round at Meinders Community Library.
Identify what you do and do not have control over. As hard as it may be, life is a balance of holding on and letting go.
Manage your own life and take responsibility for your actions. Recognize that you cannot control every event, but you can always choose how you respond. Put your energy into what you can fix right now instead of ruminating about the past.
Seek help and support from family, friends, or health care professionals during times of need. Therapy and/or medications are sometimes needed to control your symptoms and better understand your illness.
Seek help during times of struggle with loneliness or isolation by reaching out to a family member, friend, counselor, health care provider, or the 988 Lifeline by calling or texting 9-8-8 or using the 988 Online Chat feature.
Sometimes it is hard to know when you need to connect with someone to support you with your mental health. If you want to learn more about when you may need to get support, check out My Mental Health from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Starting the conversation around mental health doesn’t have to be heavy. Seize the Awkward has tips and opening lines to help make starting the conversation easier.
We are less alone when we turn to each other. The Mental Health Coalition has tips for fostering connection and how to find people to connect with through technology.
Be sure to stop by the library and browse our selection of suicide and mental health materials. From books to promotional items, magnets, and stickers, our display will be up throughout the month of September. I am one of four wonderful librarians, so please don’t be afraid to ask questions or reach out. Even if I don’t know you, I am always open for a conversation.
Keep following along during the month of September for more information and resources. Week two will cover talking about mental health with loved ones using the five action steps from #BeThe1To.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~
Summer Music Series—Project Constellation, Scandinavian Acoustic-Folk-Rock-Punk-Pop Duo: Sunday, August 9th at 3pm, bring your lawn chairs and blankets for an outdoor concert
No Strings Book Chat: Tuesday, August 11th at 6pm, reading These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean
Classics Book Club: Thursday, August 13th at 12pm, reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor
Early Bird Book Club: Thursday, August 20th at 8:30am reading We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
This is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, please consult a professional. I will include a list of resources at the bottom.
It’s no secret that July typically brings the hottest weather of the year. With elevated temperatures, you also face the increased risk of heat related illness, such as heatstroke and heat exhaustion. Implementing immediate measures, like frequent water breaks, is essential to protect against heat stress. And if you take SSRIs for a mental health condition, the risk of heat related illness increases.
SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are the most widely prescribed class of antidepressant medications, primarily used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, OCD, and PTSD. They work by increasing the availability of serotonin—a neurotransmitter that regulates mood and emotion—in the brain. SSRIs block the reabsorption (reuptake) of serotonin by the presynaptic nerve cells. By preventing the brain from immediately reabsorbing it, more serotonin remains in the synaptic space to bind with receptors, which helps improve mood and communication between brain cells. Some commonly prescribed SSRIs include Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zoloft), Escitalopram (Lexapro), Citalopram (Celexa), Paroxetine (Paxil), and Fluvoxamine (Luvox).
SSRIs can impair your body’s temperature regulation and disrupt thirst perception, significantly increasing your risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stroke. They can also cause photosensitivity, making you more prone to sunburn. Here are some ways you can stay safe this summer, while keeping your mind happy and healthy:
Manage your medication: Keep SSRIs in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight, as high temperatures can degrade their effectiveness.
Protect your skin: Because some SSRIs cause photosensitivity, apply an SPF 30+ sunscreen daily and wear protective, lightweight clothing.
Avoid peak sun: Limit outdoor activities and exposure between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM when UV rays and temperatures are highest.
Preempt dehydration: Drink fluids regularly before you feel thirsty. Carry water with you, and take breaks in the shade or indoors where it is cooler.
Watch for warning signs: Monitor for rapid heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, headache, or excessive/absent sweating. Seek medical attention immediately if you feel you are experiencing a dangerous, heat related emergency.
In addition to SSRIs, individuals taking antipsychotics are also at risk. Antipsychotics, which are used to treat conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, can also interfere with the body’s natural cooling system, reducing awareness of heat or thirst, and increase the risk of overheating. This means people taking them may find it harder to stay cool during a heatwave.
So, as the temperatures rise, so must our ability to recognize the symptoms of a heat crisis. Watch for warning signs, stay hydrated, and limit outdoor sun exposure. Be sure to speak to your physician or healthcare professional if you notice severe or persistent sweating, are feeling faint or confused, or are unusually hot, which could be signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, cool, and safe! ~Sally~
Classics Book Club: Thursday, July 9th at 12pm, reading TheHouse on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros
Maker Event—Tiny School of Art and Design, Mobile Comedy Suitcase & More: Tuesday, July 14th starting at 2pm
Summer Music Series—Annie Humphrey, Anishinaabe Singer & Songwriter: Tuesday, July 14th at 6pm
Early Bird Book Club: Thursday, July 16th at 8:30am, reading The Berry Pickers by Amanda Peters
Maker Event—Printmaking INC, Nature Prints: Tuesday, July 28th from 2-5pm
Maker Event—Pedal to the Metal, Traveling Foundry: Wednesday July 29th from 1-4pm
Weekly Storytime: Tuesdays at 10am
Crafternoon: Wednesdays from 1:30-4pm
Thank you to the Pipestone Area Friends of the Library, United Way of Pipestone County, Prairielands Library Exchange, and Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage fund for supporting Summer Reading activities at Meinders Community Library!
To celebrate America’s 250th birthday and Pipestone’s 150th, Meinders Community Library is collecting responses to the phrase “I am…” It could be anything that describes you—how you’re feeling, identities or heritage, things you’re passionate about. Here are some examples:
I am kind
I am a musician
I am excited to go camping
I am a Twins fan
All responses submitted through the form below will be anonymous and we will not gather any information beyond the words shared with us. At the end of the project, we will put together a word cloud of who we are as members of the Pipestone Community. Thank you for sharing!
Meinders Community Library will be closed Friday, July 3rd through Sunday July 5th in observance of Independence Day. Our Plum Creek delivery will come on Thursday, July 2nd. We hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July weekend!
Meinders Community Library will be closed Friday, June 19th in observance of Juneteenth. Our Plum Creek delivery will come on Thursday, June 18th. We will be open regular hours on Saturday, June 20th from 9am-2pm.
While mental health is important to address year round, May provided a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters!
This year’s Mental Health Awareness Month theme was “You Matter.” The theme is intended to remind you that no matter who you are, where you are from, or what you are going through, you belong here and matter to the people in your life and community. Whether it is through advocacy, education, community engagement, or direct action in your own lives, “You Matter” reflects our commitment to creating a world where everyone’s mental health is valued and supported, no matter who they are.
Each week of May, I used the Minnesota Department of Health’s Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit to raise awareness and provide actionable tips and resources around mental health and suicide prevention. I include key messages for discussion, as well as images and additional resources focused on mental health. Minnesota’s Mental Health Awareness efforts are rooted in the belief that help is available and healing is possible. Use the link above to download your own copy of this year’s toolkit.
I hope the information I provided was helpful and you took some time to explore the resources and you made time to explore your own mental health. Everyone’s journey is different, but you are never alone! Get connected with your own mental wellbeing. Prioritize yourself and give yourself permission to embrace it.
A huge THANK YOU goes out to the following people and organizations that made this month’s programs and events possible:
The Meinders Library staff: Jody, Emily, and Kim – For letting me plan and proceed with my vision for Mental Health Awareness Month. Their continued support, encouragement, and guidance is truly amazing and I am so proud to be a member of this wonderful team!
Caitlyn VanDamme from SWHHS – For coming and discussing the CredibleMind platform and all of it’s resources. It is very easy to get lost in the content, but also very easy to learn new things about the over 100 topics that it covers!
Joel Gindo: Author & Storyteller – For coming and reading from his published book, “The Bee’s Colony” and filling our minds with amazing bee facts!
Kristee Hart and Mariah Dragstra from Pipestone County Medical Center – For coming and discussing the Senior Life Solutions program and the options available for older adults in our community.
And lastly, our community and patrons – For every like, share, comment, and discussion that you had that was centered around mental health! TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~
