#1

Summary: Angie Drakes speaks up during National Suicide Prevention Week as she stands
with suicide prevention, and the mental health field. Angie Drake is a past, good friends mother
who unfortunately lost her daughter, Brittany, to suicide days before she was to turn 18.
Brittanys loss has affected many people, due to her outgoing personality and the love she
showed to everyone. Angie took her daughters loss, and is now spreading the word on suicide,
using her campaign Be the Voice #stopsuicide.

Evaluation: KDLT and Angie together give insight on Brittanys life, and a briefing of Angies role
in suicide prevention. The importance of her Be the Voice #stopsuicide is to inform people who
know someone or personally have a mental illness that there is more to life than their current
struggles. She hopes by spreading awareness and informing the public that mental health
should be looked at just as a disease, rather than this freakish quality.

Reflection: As Brittanys close friend and teammate I knew she struggled with depression, but
sadly I was one of the few that did. Brittany hid her depression through her bright smile and
heart warming hugs. She wasnt okay with people knowing she had attempted suicide multiple
times and that mentally she was ill. The stigma around mental health is greatly embedded in
today's society, which is why we need to bring realization to the problem and not keep sweeping
it under the rug. I stand with Angela and her campaign and agree that it is time to stop suicide.

Citation:
David, R. (2017, September 11). Mother Uses Daughter's Story to Advocate For Suicide
Prevention. Retrieved October 13, 2017, from http://www.kdlt.com/2017/09/10/mother-uses-
daughters-loss-advocate-suicide-prevention/

Check out Angelas Story here.

#2
Summary: This cartoon describes a girl with a mental illness, most likely anxiety. The picture is
titled the Perils of Chronic Overthinking. There is about 10 thought bubbles placed from this
girl's brain, asking many unnecessary questions.

Evaluation: The thought bubbles consist mainly of worries that a person without anxiety doesnt
come across, or even realize is a problem. An example is everyone is staring at me, this how a
person with anxiety feel just by simply walking past a crowd of people.

Reflection: I think this is very interesting and accurate description of mental illness. People
without the disease can't see what physically goes on inside of someone who does suffer. This
is where some disagree with seeing mental illness as a disease, because they believe there
isn't physical evidence. People have little support to their claim, as neuro-imaging is now
proving them wrong.

Citation:

Correll, G. (2015). The Perils of Chronic Overthinking [Cartoon]. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
#3
Summary: Rascal Flatts produced a song in 2009. The song is to be said about a late friend
who committed suicide of a guitarist Joe Don Rooney. The lyrics speak of the aftermath it left
their others with. The chorus of the song goes,
Oh why, that's what I keep askin.
Was there anything I could have said or done
Oh I, had no clue you were masking a troubled soul, God only knows
What went wrong, and why you'd leave the stage in the middle of a song.

Evaluation: In this song there is deep attributes made that relate to an individual who took their
life. It is evident to see that a 17 year old boy who was athletic and a star in a small town
committed suicide. The question repeated is, Why? What else could have been done, if there
was knowledge of the struggle this boy fought.

Reflection: My favorite part of this song is how it relates personally, as my friend who also took
her life was 17 years old, was also very athletic, and masked her depression. Hiding your
illness, and not being comfortable to talk to someone without judgment simply worsens your
cause. This is why many end up committing suicide as they can't see past todays problems ,
and as Rascal sings, 'Cause It's not like you, to walk away in the middle of a song.

Citation:

Why [Recorded by R. Flatts]. (2009). On Unstoppable [MP3]. Lyric Street Records Inc. . (2009,
April 07)

Check out Rascals song here.

#4
Summary: Kevin Lein, the former principal of Harrisburg High School, was shot Sept. 30, 2015
by 16-year-old Mason Buhl. Buhl was tackled by assistant principal, Ryan Rollinger, and athletic
director, Joey Struwe. Lein was injured, but returned to school the next day as he was still
recovering. During Buhls case, mental health was associated with his reasoning behind the
shooting. After Mason Buhl pleaded guilty to attempted murder, he then was ordered to enroll
into a mental health program as part of his sentence.If there's a lesson to be learned from the
Harrisburg shooting, Lein said he hopes the community takes a good look at the fact that having
some sort of mental illness is not a weakness. (USA Today, 2017)

Evaluation: Kevin Lein, my high school principal, is an extraordinary human being and was well
before the shooting. Dr. Lein believed that Mason Buhl wasn't personally attacking him but
attacking his disease. Lein hopes to see more help in society for mental illness.

Refection: On September 30th, my life was changed, not many can say they heard a gunshot in
their high school building. Fortunately for the community of Harrisburg, one gunshot was all that
was fired. I still remember returning the next day to school, very scared and still shaken. It
hadn't yet set in that just the day before, my principal was lying on the floor in his office with a
bullet in his arm. It was announced over the loudspeaker to meet in the gymnasium just after
attendance was taken in first period. Whispers, and tears were being shed in the gym, then
Lein, Rollinger, and Struwe entered the doors. Everyone stood and applauded, and shed more
tears. Lein stood there in front of his 750 kids as he referred to us as, with a bright smile. He
thanked god in front of us that yesterday was not his last goodbye to his wife that morning and
that his kids would still have a proud father sitting in the bleachers at their basketball games.
Then he asked us to pray for Mason Buhl and his family. Sitting there a classmate of a shooter
who had 50 more bullets in his backpack, I simply couldnt think of a reason why I should, as
practicing christian, I kept asking why I should pray for him. Yet our principal less than 24 hours
after being wounded, had the audacity to ask us to forgive the shooter. It was a completely eye
opening tragedy, that has taught me so many important values to hold on to in life.
It was shortly announced in the media that Mason Buhl was battling a mental illness, and was
not receiving the help to fight it. You kind of figure someone has something wrong with them if
openly fire a gun at their principal with no reasoning or logic in the situation. Lein doesnt think
Buhl should be punished, but be helped. Lein also wishes to see more progression in teen
mental health. I finally stand with Lein, and that people with mental illness need to be able to
seek help when they find themselves fighting a battle alone, in hopes that it will reduce the
amount of shooting and other crime due to disease that occur

Citation:

Raposa, M. (2017, August 10). Former principal on Harrisburg school shooter: 'Who was helping
him?' Retrieved October 13, 2017, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/08/09/
harrisburg-school-shooting-kevin-lein-mason-buhl/554321001/

Check out the rest of Leins thoughts here.

#5
Summary: You've most likely heard of the National Suicide Line, the number to call if you feel
suicidal, depressed, anxious, or just need to talk to someone. But you probably don't know what
to expect when you actually reach the hotline number. However, there is actually more ways to
reach the hotline than just calling; now you are able to chat online, email, or even text. You may
be wondering who you are talking to, well you may be talking to a trained personnel or
volunteers with minimal training. The police could be called if the operator thinks you are
harmful to yourself or others, but if you are just wanting to just talk this procedure will not be
applied. The people on the line other line are in their positions to help you which leads to a
positive experience.

Evaluation: The suicide hotline seems like a great way to anonymously reach out to get help,
especially in the thought of suicide. While it is not guaranteed you will be talking to a
professional, knowing someone is listening is an overwhelming joy itself.

Refection: I absolutely love this concept of being able to change someone's mind by talking
them out of taking their own life or even having the ability to know you were there for someone .
That itself would be the most rewarding thing I can imagine doing. I truly believe this number
has saved lives and will continue to do so as long mental illness exists.

Citation:
Tracy, N. (n.d.). Suicide Hotline: What Happens When You Call? - Suicide. Retrieved October
13, 2017, from https://www.healthyplace.com/suicide/suicide-hotline-what-happens-when-you-
call/'
Check out what happens when you call the suicide hotline here.

#6
Summary: Stigma is brought up often when conversing about mental illness. A stigma is an
unfavorable opinion of a person or group based on characteristic that is different from the
standard person or group. Stigmas in mental health are most likely formed from four possible
explanations including; dangerousness, attribution of responsibility, poor prognosis and
disruption of social interaction. The dangerous component is due to the misconception that
people fear the mentally ill because they may display violence or harm. The attribution of
responsibility role in the stigma forming part is believed that sufferers from mental problems are
seen as responsible for their conditions. The next factor in stigmatism is that conditions are
more recognizable if they are perceived as being chronic and difficult to treat and having a poor
prognosis. The final element believed to contribute to the formation of a stigma is the disruption
in society, and that those who do suffer from a mental illness do not fit into normal role of
society. When rule of society are broken, outsiders feel uncomfortable.

Evaluation: A stigma is clearly a problem, and is often a misunderstanding of the facts. An

example is how the media portrays crime and what they don't speak of. The public is missing
normalcy because mental illness, because often we only hear of mental illness when it disrupts
society.

Reflection: Stigmas contribute to people hiding their problems, which could ultimately lead to
taking their own life, if help isn't available. The start of the rigorous battle begins at the stigma. I
am shy to that anxiety and OCD took over my life my freshman year of high school, and I still to
this day still suffer with these illnesses. I decided to cover up my counseling appointments, what
I was taking medications for, and why I had to do certain things before I could leave the house.
It seemed easier than to explain that I suffer and am different than others. I didn't want my own
friends to know that I obsessive and anxious all the time. Ending the stigma is only possible by
speaking up and getting help and if you don't struggle by talking to someone who you know that
suffers with a mental illness.

Citation:
Hayward, P., & Bright, J. (1997). Stigma and mental illness: a review and critique. Journal Of
Mental Health, 6(4), 345-354

Check out the study here.