Angels Goal - Worldwide Suicide and Crisis Hotlines

Hi Everyone,
It is so important that we keep the information on Hotlines and helplines easily available to everyone so when ANYONE has need to reach out, there is a way to do so.

This is a link to the Angel's Goal Worldwide Suicide and Crisis Hotlines post on Facebook.  In case you do not have access to Facebook, I am clipping the content of that post to this blog entry.  THIS IS NOT MY WORK.  It is the work of those who comprise Angels Goal.  I will also link the main website for Angels Goal in case you would like to visit and see what this extraordinary organization is all about!

~Laura
Facebook Link Angels Goal Worldwide Suicide and Crisis Hotlines 

Main Website Angels Goal

Worldwide Suicide and Crisis Hotlines

January 22, 2015 at 11:42pm

This is a very extensive compilation of worldwide resources. Please save a copy to your device for easy access and please share this list with any groups or people you think could use it. Use your search feature to find a specific location or service to find things more quickly.

Adapted from Amanda Todd group pagehttps://www.facebook.com/groups/AmandaToddOfficial

Signs and Symptoms of suicidal person and link to report suicidal threats on FB; Sign of Suicidal Person/ FB Suicide report link. Sometimes a crisis may involve thoughts of suicide. Learn to recognize these warning signs (this is not a complete list): Hopelessness, feeling like there’s no way out, anxiety, agitation, sleeplessness, or mood swings, feeling like there is no reason to live, rage or anger, engaging in risky activities without thinking, Increasing alcohol or drug abuse, Withdrawing from family and friends.
The following signs require immediate attention, thinking about hurting or killing yourself, looking for ways to kill yourself, talking about death, dying, and/or suicidal self-destructive behavior such as drug abuse, weapons, etc.

To contact FB regarding suicidal post or content report here:
https://www.facebook.com/help/contact/?id=305410456169423

Suicidal remarks on fb- United States/Canada National Suicide Prevention lifeline:
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/GetHelp/WhatifSomeoneIKnowNeedsHelp.aspx

ReachOut- http://us.reachout.com/get-help/help-a-friend

United Kingdom/ Ireland Samaritans:
http://www.samaritans.org/your_emotional_health/worried_about_someone.aspx

Germany Telefonseelsorge:
http://www.telefonseelsorge.de/

Nummer gegen Kummer:
https://www.nummergegenkummer.de/

Australia Lifeline:
http://www.lifeline.org.au/Find-Help/Preventing-suicide/Do-you-know-someone-who-may-be-suicidal
http://www.mindhealthconnect.org.au/

Denmark Livslinien
http://www.livslinien.dk/raadgivning/faresignaler

Finland:
Finnish Association for Mental Health- http://mielenterveysseura.fi/

Romania:
http://www.saferinternet.org/romania

Hong Kong Samaritans:
http://www.help4suicide.com.hk/

Israe lERAN:
http://www.eran.org.il/

Netherlands Foundation:
http://www.113online.nl/

New Zealand National Depression Initiative:
http://www.depression.org.nz/
http://www.thelowdown.co.nz/

South Africa, The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG)
http://www.sadag.org/index.phpoption=com_content&view=article&id=1496&Itemid=59

OtherBefrienders: http://www.befrienders.org/support/index.asp?PageURL=warningSigns.php

Important Contacts: Suicide Hotline - 1-888-777-4443
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Your Life Your Voice 1-888-448-3000

Another link with some numbers not listed here :
http://imthegirlthat.tumblr.com/hotlines

Kids Hotlines:
Child Helpline International: www.childhelplineinternational.org/

Kids Helpline/Helpful Links/Help Lines
http://www.kidshelp.com.au/grownups/getting-help/who-else-can-help/helpful-links/help-lines.php

List of hotliunes for kids to call:
http://addictions.about.com/od/familyrelationships/tp/kidshotlines.htm/

Kids Line Australia:
http://www.kidsline.com.au/
TeenCentral.net

Teen Help-lines/Other Help Lines
http://www.teencentral.net/Help/other.php

World Help
www.worldhelp.net

International Help:
www.globalvolunteernetwork.org/Help

German members:
http://www.telefonseelsorge.de/

Domestic Abuse: www.thehotline.org
1−800−799−SAFE(7233)

Child Abuse:
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) then push 1 to talk to a hotline counselor

Canadian Kids Help line:
Canada call toll free 1-800-668-6868

International Suicide Hotlines: suicidehotlines.com/international.html
UK help links: http://www.samaritans.org/  http://www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk/http://www.relate.org.uk/home/index.html http://www.llgs.org.uk/
Argentina :Helpline 1: (54-11) 4758-2554 Website: www.familiardesuicida.com.ar 
AustraliaHelpline 1: 13 11 14 Website: www.lifeline.org.au 
AustriaHelpline 1: 142 Website: www.telefonseelsorge.at 
BarbadosSamaritains of BarbadosHelpline 1: (246) 4299999 Email Helpline: samaritansbdos@yahoo.com
BelgiumHelpline 1: 0800 32 123 Website:  www.preventionsuicide.be Helpline 1: 108 Website: http://telefonhilfedg.org/
BotswanaHelpline 1: 3911270 Website: http://www.lifelinebotswana.org/index.html 
BrazilHelpline 1: (55) 11 3107 2051 Website: www.cvv.org.br Helpline 1: (55) 48 3222 4111 Website: www.cvvflorianopolis.org.br Helpline 1: (41) 3381-5986 Website:www.cvvsamaritanos.com.br
CanadaOntario Helpline 1: +519 416 486 2242 (Admin) Website: www.dcontario.org
Helpline 1: Fredericton Area: 450-HELP (4357) Helpline 2: Toll free provincial helpline: 1-800-667-5005 Website:  http://www.chimohelpline.ca/  24 Hour service: Alberta Helpline 1: Toll free: 1-888-787-2880
Helpline 2: 327-7905 24 Hour service: Helpline 1: 604-872-3311 (Greater Vancouver) Helpline 2: 18666613311 (Toll free-Howe Sound/Sunshine Coast)
Helpline 3: 1-866-872-0113 (TTY) Helpline 4: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) (BC-wide) Website: www.crisiscentre.bc.ca 24 Hour service: Ontario Helpline 1: +1 (905) 849 4541 Website: www.distresscentreoakville.com/
Ontario Helpline 1: +1 (905) 459 7777 Website: www.telecarebrampton.org Helpline 1: 1 800 465 4442 Website:  www.developmentalservices.com Helpline 1: 1-877-470-5200 Website: www.dcontario.org  Ontario Helpline 1: +1 (613) 544 1771 Website:http://members.kingston.net/talk  Ontario Helpline 1: +1 (519) 667-6711 Helpline 2: Seniors Helpline (SHL): 519-667-6600 Website: www.londondistresscentre.com  Ontario Helpline 1: +1 (905) 877-1211 Website: http://search.hipinfo.info/details.asp?RSN=10280  Ontario Helpline 1: +1 (613) 741 6433 Helpline 2: 1 800 567 9699 Website: www.tel-aide-outaouais.org Email Helpline: plume@tel-aide-outaouais.org Ontario Helpline 1: +1 (519) 821 3760 Helpline 2: Toll free: +1 (888) 821-3760 Helpline 3: Crisis Line: +1 (519) 821-0140 Website: www.dc-wd.org 24 Hour service: Helpline 1: (514) 723 4000 Website:www.suicideactionmontreal.qc.ca
China (Mainland) BEIJING Helpline 1: Free: 0800-810-1117 Helpline 2: Mobile/IP/extension users: 010-8295-1332 Website: http://www.crisis.org.cn/
SHANGHAI Helpline 1: (021) 6279-8990 Website: www.lifelineshanghai.com Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10:00 - 22:00 Yanji Contact by: - Phone Helpline 1: 0433 273 9595 Helpline 2: 0433 273 5222 Helpline 3: Mobile (on after 16:00) : 86 433 139 4332 1004 Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 08:00 - 16:00
CroatiaHelpline 1: (01) 4833-888 Website: www.plavi-telefon.hr
CyprusHelpline 1: +357 77 77 72 67 Helpline 2: 0809 1122 / Military 2345 Helpline 3:www.samtalk.org Website: www.cyprussamaritans.org Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 18:00 - 22:00
DenmarkHelpline 1: +45 70 201 201 Website: www.livslinien.dk Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 11:00 - 23:00
EstoniaHelpline 1: +372 6558088 Website: www.eluliin.ee Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 19:00 - 07:00Helpline 3: 646 6666 Website: www.usaldus.ee 24 Hour service
FijiHelpline 1: 679 670565 Helpline 2: 679 674364 Website: http://www.lifeline-international.org/looking_for_help/fiji
SUVAHelpline 1: 679 302998
FinlandHelpline 1: 01019-0071 Website: www.evl.fi/kkh/to/kpk/pap.htm
FranceParisHelpline 1: (+33) (0)9 51 11 61 30 Website: www.sos-amitie.org Email Helpline: appel@sos-amitie.com Helpline 1: 05 49 87 97 36 (answerphone) Website: www.opendoor-civray.com Helpline 1: 01 45 39 40 00 Website: www.suicide-ecoute.fr 24 Hour service Helpline 1: 0800 235 236 Website: www.filsantejeunes.com
GermanyHelpline 1: 0800 181 0721 (to Samaritans) Helpline 2: 0800 181 0722 (to Samaritans) Website: www.samaritans.org 24 hr ServiceNational Helpline 1: 0800 1110 111 Helpline 2: 0800 1110 222 Website: www.telefonseelsorge.org 24 hr ServiceDepression Numbers : http://www.depressionen-depression.net/notfaelle/notfallnummern.htm
GhanaHelpline 1: 233 244 846 701 Website: http://www.lifeline-international.org/looking_for_help/ghana 24 hr Service
GibraltarNational Contact by: - Phone Helpline 1: 55666 (to Samaritans) Helpline 2: Military 5666 (to Samaritans) Website:  www.samaritans.org  24 Hour service
GreeceATHENS Contact by: - Phone Helpline 1: (0) 30 210 34 17 164 Website:www.klimaka.org.gr 24 Hour service
Hong Kong (SAR) of PRCCentral Hong Kong Helpline 1: (852) 2896 0000 Website:www.samaritans.org.hk  Email Helpline: jo@samaritans.org.hk 24 Hour service: Suicide Prevention Services G/F, 14-15 Yat Tung House Kowloon Hong Kong Contact by: - Phone Helpline 1: +852 23820000 Website: www.sps.org.hk Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 00:00 - 23:00
HungaryHelpline 1: (46) 323 888 Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 00:00 - 23:00
IndiaHelpline 1: +91-413-233 9999 Website: www.maitreyi.org.in
ANDHRA PRADESHHelpline 1: 9166202000 Helpline 2: 9127848584 Email Helpline: help@roshnihyd.org Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat: 11:00 - 21:00
GUJARATHelpline 1: +91 79 2630 5544 Helpline 2: +91 79 2630 0222
KERALA Helpline 1: +91 (0)484 2540530 Website: www.maithrikochi.org Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 10:00 - 19:00
Maharashtra Helpline 1: +91-22-32473267 Website:www.mumbainet.com/health/samarita.htm Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 15:00 - 21:00 Sat, Sun: 10:00 - 21:00 Helpline 1: +91 22 2754 6669 Website:www.aasra.info 24 Hour service
New Delhi Helpline 1: 2338 9090 Website: www.sumaitri.org Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 14:00 - 22:00 Sat, Sun: 10:00 - 22:00
Tamil Nadu Helpline 1: +91 (0) 44 2464 0050 Helpline 2: +91 (0) 44 2464 0060 Website:www.snehaindia.org Email Helpline: help@snehaindia.org
WEST BENGALHelpline 1: +91 2463 7401/7432 Helpline 2: +91 2474 5886 Website:www.lifelinekolkata.org Email Helpline: reach@lifelinekolkata.org KARNATAKAHelpline 1: 2549 7777 Website: www.mpa.org.in Opening hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat: 10:00 - 18:0024 Hour service
IrelandNationalHelpline 1: +44 (0) 8457 90 90 90 (UK - local rate) Helpline 2: +44 (0) 8457 90 91 92 (UK minicom) Helpline 3: 1850 60 90 90 (ROI local rate) Helpline 4: 1850 60 90 91 (ROI minicom) Website: www.samaritans.org Email Helpline: jo@samaritans.org 24 Hour service
IsraelERAN Helpline 1: 1201 Helpline 2: Tel from abroad: 972-9-8891333 Website:http://www.eran.org.il/ 24 Hour service:
ItalyHelpline 1: 199 284 284 Website: www.telefonoamico.it Helpline 1: 800 848 444 Helpline 2: 02 395 968 81 Website: www.telefonoamicocevita.it
JapanTOKYO Helpline 1: Counselling: 03 5774 0992 Helpline 2: Face to Face: 03 3498 0231 Website: www.telljp.com
KenyaNairobi Helpline 1: +254 20 3000378/2051323
LiberiaHelpline 1: 06534308 Website: http://www.lifeline-international.org/looking_for_help/liberia Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat: 09:00 - 17:00
LithuaniaHelpline 1: 8-800 2 8888 Website: www.jppc.lt Email Helpline: www.jppc.lt/draugasOpening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 16:00 - 07:00
MalaysiaKUALA LUMPUR Helpline 1: (063) 92850039 Helpline 2: (063) 92850279 Helpline 3: (063) 92850049
MaltaHelpline 1: 179 Website: www.appogg.gov.mt/supportline179.asp 24 Hour service
NamibiaHelpline 1: (09264) 61-232-221 Website: www.lifeline.org.za
NetherlandsHelpline 1: 0900-0767 Website: http://www.sensoor.nl/ Email Helpline: hulp@sensoor.nl 24 Hour service
New ZealandAUCKLAND Helpline 1: (09) 522 2999 Helpline 2: 0800 111 777 Website:http://www.lifeline.org.nz/ 24 Hour service
BLENHEIM Helpline 1: 03 - 578 2333 Email Helpline: lifelinemarlborough@lifeline.co.nz CARTERTON Helpline 1: (06) 379 8442  CHRISTCHURCH Helpline 1: (03) 366 6743 Website: www.lifeline.co.nz/chch/ HAMILTON Contact by: - Phone Helpline 1: (07) 838 0719 Website: www.lifelinewaikato.org.nz NEW  PLYMOUTH Helpline 1: 0800 538 782 Lifeline Hawkes Bay PO Box 7277 TARADALE Helpline 1: (06) 835 3300 Lifeline Whangarei PO Box 8024 Kensington WHANGAREI Helpline 1: (09) 437 5055
Northern Ireland and UKSamaritansUK: 08457 90 90 90ROI: 1850 60 90 90 Emailjo@samaritans.org Write Chris, P.O. Box 9090 Stirling, FK8 2SA If you are a child call CHILDLINE 0800 1111
NorwayHelpline 1: +47 815 33 300 Website: www.kirkens-sos.no Email Helpline:www.kirkens-sos.no (via web) 24 Hour service
Papua New GuineaHelpline 1: 675 326 0011 Website: www.lifeline.web.za/papua.htmOpening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri: 09:00 - 17:00
PhilippinesHelpline 1: 02 -896 - 9191 Helpline 2: Mobile phone: 0917 -854 - 9191
PortugalCOIMBRA Helpline 1: (808) 200 204 Website: www.aac.uc.pt Opening hours:Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 20:00 - 01:00Telefone da Amizade Porto Porto Apartado 4857 4014 Porto Codex OPORTO Helpline 1: 22 832 35 35 Website: www.telefone-amizade.pt
Romania - http://www.saferinternet.org/romania
Website:http://helpline.sigur.info/ Telephone:0744300476 Skype:helpline.sigur.info Email:helpline@sigur.info Hotline Website:www.safernet.ro Email:contact@safernet.ro Telephone:0213103116
SamoaHelpline 1: 32000 Website: http://samoalifeline.org/
South AfricaBloemfontein Helpline 1: 051 444 5691 Website:minotaur.marques.co.za/befrienders-sa/main.htm Johannesburg Helpline 1: 0861 322 322 Website: www.lifeline.org.za 24 Hour service MITCHELL'S PLAIN Helpline 1: +27 (0)21 3972076
South KoreaCHEJU Helpline 1: (064) 52 9191 CHOONGBUK Helpline 1: (0441) 847-9191 CHUNBUK Helpline 1: (0652) 86-9191 INCHON Helpline 1: (032) 421-9191 KYUMGKIDO Helpline 1: (032) 663-9191 KYUNGBUK Helpline 1: (0562) 72-9191 KYUNGKIDO Helpline 1: (0344) 915-9191 KYUNGNAM Helpline 1: (0522) 67-9191 PUSAN Helpline 1: (051) 807-9191 SEOUL Helpline 1: (81)-2-2649-9232/4 SEOUL Helpline 1: (2) 715 8600 Helpline 2: (2) 716 8600 Helpline 3: (2) 717 8600 Helpline 4: (2) 718 8600 Website:www.counsel24.com/ TAEGU Helpline 1: (053) 475-9191  TAEJON Helpline 1: (042) 254-9191
Scotland Samaritans (external link) on 08457 90 90 90 or Breathing Space (external link) on 0800 83 85 87.www.chooselife.net/gateway/contactus.aspx
SpainWebsite: www.telefonodelaesperanza.org
SwedenHelpline 1: 020 22 00 60 Helpline 2: Textphone: 020-22 00 70 Website:www.nationellahjalplinjen.se
Switzerlandnumber 147 | 24h available http://www.147.ch/ SMS to 147, for lower prioritized things Helpline 1: 143 Website: www.143.ch
TaiwanWebsite: www.life1995.org.tw/
TongaHelpline 1: 23000 Helpline 2: 25144
Trinidad & TobagoCUREPE Helpline 1: (868) 645 2800
Uk and Northern IrelandSamaritansUK: 08457 90 90 90ROI: 1850 60 90 90 Emailjo@samaritans.org Write Chris, P.O. Box 9090 Stirling, FK8 2SA If you are a child call CHILDLINE 0800 1111
UkraineHelpline 1: 058 Website: www.dovira058.netfirms.com 24 Hour service
INTERNATIONAL - World-Wide Suicide & Crisis Hotlines -suicidehotlines.com/international.html
Cutters Help Sites: http://brokenmasterpiece.tripod.com/ http://www.certsgroup.com/?gclid=CJ_C0uukhrMCFRRynAodSWEAtQ http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ulifeline.org%2Fmain%2Fpage%2F224%2FCutting%3Fgclid%3DCNyy2uykhrMCFQjznAodSTkAEA&h=gAQGTwVry  http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailystrength.org%2Fgroups%2Fcutters-hope&h=EAQHD6gtB

For Reporting Cyber bullying http://www.pacer.org/bullying/?gclid=CJ-Ezo-1iLMCFQTOnAodBBUASQ http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stopbullying.gov%2Fcyberbullying%2Fhow-to-report%2Findex.html&h=lAQFzzvfO Cyber Bully Hotline  http://www.cyberbullyhotline.com/
Internet Safety Links:http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/parent-guidehttp://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/net_safety.htmhttp://kidshealth.org/kid/watch/house/internet_safety.html?tracking=K_RelatedArticle
Good reads on suicide and bullying: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bullyingstatistics.org%2Fcontent%2Fbullying-and-suicide.html&h=xAQFs0obF http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.netfamilynews.org%2Fbullying-cyberbullying-suicide-new-study&h=DAQGX-PPP http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fcyberbullying.us%2Fblog%2Fthe-relationship-between-cyberbullying-and-suicide.html&h=yAQGQrfRk
https://www.lifeline.org.au/ 13 11 14

Help with Medications - A Couple Resources

WOOHOO!! I was browsing some of the groups to which I belong on Facebook and found a post referencing some helpful links for medication assistance.  I was excited enough about these resources, I thought I would share.

I do not have any connections to these resources and I would suggest you do your own due-diligence to make sure any link you use from them meets your needs and suits your preferences for privacy.

Resource 1: NeedyMeds

Resource 2:  Prescription Help on Facebook

Resource 3:  Rx Assist

Resource 4:  Medicare Directory for Medication Assistance

Resource 5:  NAMI Prescription Drug Assistance Directory

Resource 6:  Partnership for Prescription Assistance

Cookbooks for Allergies - a couple resources

Allergy cooking resources.

Suggestions on resources:

http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/best-allergy-blogs#1

http://www.food-allergy.org/books.html

http://calorielab.com/news/2011/01/03/allergy-cookbooks/

http://www.food-allergy.org/

And I really, really like any cookbook by Carol Fenster - although I have to customize things to be safe for me.

Having multiple food allergies, I pretty much figure I am going to have to substitute in safe-for-me foods. But, having cookbooks is a great way to get ideas. And, I tend to find better results in OLD cookbooks - as canned and other processed (i.e., death in a box/can foods) were not available in the early 1900's.

Indicators versus triggers - knowing about these can help you control symptom expression

In managing chronic physical health or mental health conditions, it is important to know the difference between indicators and triggers.  Identification of the two allows for increased control of symptom expression.

An indicator is something that often (or always) PRECEDES symptom expression.  A trigger is something that CAUSES symptom expression.

Allow me to provide an example from my life.  I have migraines.  When I am exposed to an allergen such as the chemicals in someone's perfume, that TRIGGERS a migraine.  In other words, I have no migraine symptoms, encounter the chemicals, and develop a migraine.  Often, migraine intensity is linked to how much I was exposed to the allergen.

Once or twice a month, I have a random migraine.  This migraine is not tied to ANY trigger I can identify.  However, each time one of these migraines comes along, I feel really, really happy for 48 hours prior to onset of migraine pain.   While I am typically content and positive, I rarely am happy to the point of giggling.  So, I watch for giggling and out-of-my-ordinary happiness.  When that happiness occurs, I can increase my sleep amounts, make to to be extra careful in avoiding triggers, and start taking preventative medication.

Knowing triggers and indicators can allow you to reduce symptom expression.  Another example, for someone who has bipolar disorder, tracking stimulus for several weeks/a couple of months will often show a pattern of how much stimulus results in mood switching.  When I have worked with people who have tracked stimulus, the people typically find that a certain level of "good stimulus" (eustress) and a much lower level of "bad stimulus" (distress) will result in mood change.  With this information, the person can then plan events to reduce likelihood of mood switching.

Specifically, if John Doe can tolerate 2 eustress activities (like going to dinner with friends, and staying up late to watch a movie), but can only tolerate 1 distress activity (finding out he has work that is past due), John can plan to take care of the work over the weekend.  To avoid mood switching, John will have to change the evening out to another weekend.

Sometimes using mood tracking, the person will be able to link intensity of stimulus to length of mood change.  For example, when I was working with a person who had bipolar disorder, that individual found it was possible to predict the length of depressive episodes by tracking how much stimulus was being experienced.  Using this information, the individual was able to attend a week-long, highly-important-to-the-individual event.  The person planned self-care activities throughout that week to reduce stimulus.  And the individual understood the level of stimulus would likely result in a 3 week depression afterwards.  The depression lasted 2 1/2 weeks.

When processing the entire chain of events, the individual was able to state unlike previous depressive episodes, having an expected time frame for the depression and understanding that the depressive episode was part of how his body and brain worked resulted in the individual being able to resist suicidal impulses.  Prior to understanding how the individual's bipolar disorder worked, the individual would self-harm while depressed.  With the tracking tools and education the individual was able to use planning, self-talk, and understanding to reduce anxiety about depressive episodes.

There are excellent tracking applications, websites, and files on the internet.

• Psychologytools.org has multiple worksheets.  
• PatientsLikeMe.com has some lovely possibilities.  
• Latuda (medication for bipolar disorder depression) has a great mood tracker on its website (http://www.latuda.com/bpd/treating-bipolar-depression.html).    
• SparkPeople.com lets you track food and exercise.
• It is also possible to track triggers and indicators just using pen and paper.  

I would suggest, if you are looking for indicators as well as triggers, to track activity, food intake, weather patterns, and as much detail as you can in your life.  Sometimes it can be a combination of things that result in triggering symptom expression.

Sometimes indicators are subtle and hard to identify without enough information to track down the indicator.  For example, one individual identified moon phases as her trigger for symptom expression,  The day after a full moon, she experiences increase in symptoms, with this increase lasting about 72 hours.  The couple days before the full moon, she feels very tired.  The fatigue is an indicator.  The full moon is a trigger.

MHSS - What it is and what it is not

I work in the field of mental health.  For a year, I was a clinician.  Now, I am a team leader (supervisor to clinicians).  In both roles, I have often explained Mental Health Skill-building Services (MHSS) to community members and those with whom I work.  (Disclaimer:  These are my own opinions and thoughts, not necessarily those of the company for which I work.)

I think this analogy is the best description I have created:

A psychiatrist is the one who prescribes medications to address chemical imbalances in a person's brain.

A counselor is the one who helps a person work through previous trauma, family relationships, and all the other things that lay heavy upon a person's heart.

A MHSS clinician is the one who helps you learn how to do the things you need to develop a healthy life by reducing impact of mental illness.  MHSS clinicians also teach skills which were not otherwise developed - for example, communication skills, social skills, independent living skills like maintenance of hygiene, budgeting, cooking, household maintenance, etc.  MHSS clinicians train your hands how to work.

A Case Manager helps coordinate all other mental health and physical health providers and links people to community resources to meet a person's needs.

A treatment team means all the mental health providers and medical providers work together in order to provide appropriate treatment.


What MHSS is not... based on medicaid requirements and purview of services.

MHSS is not a taxi service or a companionship service - clinicians accompany clients to appointments when there is MHSS justification for doing so.  If the clinician is not needed, then developing independent transportation becomes an skill upon which client and clinician works.

MHSS is not a counseling service.  While many MHSS clinicians have Master's Degrees, not everyone does.  Further, counselors must hold a counseling license.  MHSS clinicians have a different criteria/qualification.  In Virginia, clinicians must be Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) and specified for adults (QMHP-A) or chidren (QMHP-C).

MHSS is not a butler or maid service.  While clinicians often work with a client, it does no good (and often causes harm) if clinicians work harder than the client or "take over" tasks the client is able to complete.  Further, MHSS focuses on teaching skills, which means the client should be doing the work with assistance from the clinician.

MHSS is not a crisis service.  Because MHSS is not a counseling or therapy service, it would be inappropriate to attempt to provide crisis intervention and stabilization services - which have a fairly significant amount of therapeutic components.

MHSS is not a forever service - once goals are accomplished, discharge occurs.  The focus of MHSS is training people to be independent as much as possible.  Progress is tracked on a regular basis and treatment plans are tailored to the needs of each client.

Chicken Frittata

Chicken Frittata

In a glass cake pan, Layer the following

2 cups shredded, cooked chicken mixed with 1 cup sour cream

4 ounces crumbled Feta cheese

8 jumbo or large eggs whisked until smooth

4 ounces mozzarella


Bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour until browned on top.

Serve with green veggies (steamed Kale, lima beans, peas, broccoli, etc.) or salad.  Have cherries for dessert.