Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is about family, food, and friends. It's about making travel plans and trying new recipes. It's about seeing cousins and kissing grandmas. It's all the things that make us feel warm inside.

As the holidays approached, I wondered what new recipes Kathy would have made for Thanksgiving. I started remembering the dishes she made during the holidays and all the cakes and desserts she baked and decorated beautifully. Kathy loved cooking and baking; she baked birthday cakes, Christmas cookies, pastries, bread, and her dad's favorite Cuban dessert. She was a Jack of many trades, but cooking and baking were her happy place.

On behalf of Kathy and her love for baking, in her name, we donated boxes of cake mix and frosting to Boca Helping Hand for Thanksgiving. The cakes and frostings went to 60 families in need, thanks to Lisa P and her generous donation.

From our family to yours, may the holiday season bring love, peace, and happiness and remind us always to be kind to each other and lend a helping hand to those in need.

Men and Mental Health

Both men and women can suffer from mental health; however, men are less likely to seek treatment and are more likely to die by suicide (CDC, 2012). Recognizing the signs that you or your loved one may have a mental illness is the first step toward getting treatment. Here are some of the warning signs to look for:

• Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness

• Noticeable changes in mood, energy level, or appetite

• Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much

• Difficulty concentrating, feeling restless, or on edge

• Increased worry or feeling of stress

• Misuse of alcohol and/or drugs

• Sadness or hopelessness

• Suicidal thoughts

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that suicide rates are higher for men. Read More

If you or someone you know is in a crisis, get help immediately. Call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988.

How to Help a Loved One who is Suicidal

Please learn about the warning signs and what to do if your loved one is suicidal. The link below gets you access to a guide from the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for family and friends.

Here is an example of what you will find in the guide.

Ask Questions and Listen: Talk openly and honestly about suicide, and don’t be afraid to use the word “suicide.” Help them feel understood, not accused or blamed. Listen to their concerns and take them seriously. Your job is to listen so they can talk about the feelings that might be contributing to their distress.
Some examples of what you can say:
“I want to help you. Please tell me what I can do to help.”
“I am here for you whenever you want to talk.”
“I’m here to support you, not judge you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t realize you are in such pain.”

Read More

To Socialize or NOT

"Social anxiety is an intense, persistent fear of being watched and judged by others. For people with social anxiety, the fear of social situations may feel so intense that it seems beyond their control. For some people, this fear may get in the way of going to work, attending school, or doing everyday things." (NIH, 2022)

Here are some of the symptoms of social anxiety.

• Blush, sweat, or tremble.

• Have a rapid heart rate.

• Feel their “mind going blank” or feel sick to their stomach.

• Have a rigid body posture, or speak with an overly soft voice.

• Find it difficult to make eye contact, be around people they don’t know, or talk to people in social situations, even when they want to.

• Feel self-consciousness or fear that people will judge them negatively.

• Avoid places where there are other people.

  
  

Read More

Exhaustion from Mental Fatigue

Exhaustion from mental fatigue causes additional fatigue on the body to the point where you cannot get out of bed, let alone physically move. You want to stay in bed and don't get up even though you must. Your muscles and body ache, you feel restless, and you think you will faint because of this extreme fatigue.

It's just ANXIETY!

Anxiety is an emotional response to stress; it is brought on by how you react to a situation. Anxiety can even be a subconscious situation you are stressing over. The reactions created by anxiety can cause the body to feel and experience physical symptoms. Symptoms such as a racing heart, breathlessness, jelly legs, faint feelings, and blurry vision.