mental health

There has been an on-going conversation about mental health care in the U.S. After tragedies like the school shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary and Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School, some political actors are quick to blame mental health issues.

Despite these political talking points, public funding for mental health care has plummeted over the past few decades. And the history of mental health care in this country is fraught with mismanagement and abuse, often exacerbated by a lack of funding.

Thursday was World Suicide Prevention Day. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley marked the date by unveiling an expansion of a program designed to prevent deaths from suicide. He says the numbers are growing at an “unsettling” rate.

“The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s office stated that current trends show we will likely surpass last year’s numbers for suicides, stating that there were 23 suicides last month alone," he says.

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrust many of us into isolation — both physically and in some cases socially. While this isolation can feel disheartening, for most of us it will be temporary. But that’s not the case for people with dementia.

Updated Sunday at 6:43 p.m. CT

A bicycle ride in Milwaukee this Saturday called Riding Over Stigma will attempt to de-stigmatize mental illness, especially in the Black community. One of the sponsors of the ride is the local chapter of Red Bike and Green — riders who bring more diversity to biking.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can’t be overstated. At least 5 million Americans have been diagnosed with the infectious disease, which some experts believe is a massive undercount. Unemployment has skyrocketed and the economy is struggling to hang on.

Minority Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed each July since 2008. Formally known as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, it honors the late American author, journalist and teacher Bebe Moore Campbell. Her work centered on bringing awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face regarding mental illness in the United States.

Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction are a nationwide problem. Wisconsin is no exception. 

To help address this issue in Ripon, Wis., the Ripon Police Department is bringing in outside help as a part of the Fond du Lac County Opioid Initiative. In partnership with WisHope, police officers now have 24/7 access to a peer recovery coach with lived addiction experience to help provide support and treatment options to those who need it.

Americans are more unhappy today than they've been in 50 years, according to a recent study from the NORC at the University of Chicago.

The survey was conducted in late May, before the death of George Floyd sparked international protests. It tries to understand how American’s beliefs, mental health and outlook have shaped their attitudes during the coronavirus pandemic.  

Many health care workers risk their physical and mental health to do their jobs. The coronavirus pandemic has intensified these challenges.

Just last month, emergency department medical director Dr. Lorna M. Breen committed suicide. Her family cites her work helping COVID-19 patients as the reason.

COVID-19 has implemented immediate challenges to our health care system and the health of the country. And these immediate and long-term changes pose an exponential risk to those with addiction.

Social distancing, working and teaching children from home, unemployment — all of those can be a triggering stressor for those in recovery. Spending more time at home could dramatically increase relapse rates, especially as access to recovery care is limited or changed.

For many, work is already pretty stressful. But during the coronavirus pandemic — whether you’re still employed or not — the stress has multiplied. 

This pandemic has revealed some of the harmful aspects of work-life balance that have been around for years. For example: why does our isolated-at-home social life feel so much like work?

The coronavirus pandemic has been stressful. Fear and anxiety surrounding it can be overwhelming at times for people of all ages.

While we worry about the health and safety of ourselves and others, stress can manifest in many ways: trouble sleeping, changes in eating patterns, having a hard time concentrating, and could worsen existing mental or physical health conditions.

All 14 branches of the Milwaukee Public Library system have been closed to prevent the spread of coronavirus — and for good reason. In healthy times, people from all walks of life congregate at the public library.

Libraries usually provide an important social service, in addition to being a place for information, literature, and entertainment. But a librarian’s training mostly focuses on organizational skills. They are often ill-equipped to handle so much social interaction — especially among the vulnerable populations who depend on libraries for computers and meeting spaces.

During World War I, soldiers coined the term "shell shock" to describe their post-traumatic reactions to war. "Battle fatigue" came along during World War II and Korea, and by Vietnam it was called "combat stress reaction." It was all post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).