As the seasons change and the kids head back to school, it’s an ideal opportunity to focus on your family’s overall health. But it’s not just their physical well-being; it has become clear, especially in the last few years, how important it is to be aware of your family’s mental health.
Many believe we have hit a critical stage with mental health in our country. The number of adults dealing with depression prior to the COVID-19 pandemic was 8.5% of the population. But depression among adults in the United States tripled in the early 2020 months of the pandemic to a shocking 27.8%. Now, according to researchers at Boston University School of Public Health, depression rates are climbing even higher, affecting one in every three American adults.
The numbers are equally troubling for youth experiencing depression. The number of kids struggling with depression, anxiety, and thoughts of suicide has reached all-time highs, making suicide the second leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults. In 2020, more than half of teens reported very frequent thoughts of suicide and self-harm.
With September being National Suicide Prevention Month, if you or any of your loved ones are experiencing risk factors or warning signs of depression or suicidal thoughts — help is available. In an emergency, call The National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or call 911 immediately.
Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Suicide
Prevention is the key to decreasing the number of people who are at risk for suicide. Although stats indicate an overall decline in suicides, nationally, there are some disparities in those numbers. Often the warning signs are subtle or well hidden. The CDC has a comprehensive list of risk and protective factors that outline individual, community, relationship, and societal triggers that could lead to someone considering suicide.
Are you aware of some of the risk factors for suicide? They may include:
- Mental disorders, particularly mood disorders, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and certain personality disorders
- Alcohol and other substance use disorders
- Hopelessness
- Impulsive and/or aggressive tendencies
- History of trauma or abuse
- Major physical illnesses
- Previous suicide attempt(s)
- Family history of suicide
- Job or financial loss
Do you know some of the warning signs of suicide? They include:
- Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves
- Looking for a way to kill themselves, like searching online or buying a gun
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live
- Talking about feeling trapped or in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing the use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious or agitated, behaving recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or isolating themselves
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Extreme mood swings
If you or someone you love is showing risk factors or warning signs, we can help. Any Lab Test Now® is a health center, giving you direct access to thousands of beneficial lab tests to ensure wellness, including mental health. These tests are confidential and designed to provide answers to concerns that you may have and allow you to determine how to proceed. Taking these proactive measures helps you advocate for your family’s health. You may choose to share those results with your medical provider.
Tests for Mental Health
- Consider the Mental Health PGX Panel, a big step in putting science behind the dosing of medications for mental health issues. A total of 13 genes are analyzed, and the report indicates the response one might expect from the medications used to treat these conditions.
- This next test helps determine the stress someone is experiencing and whether those levels are indicative of a problem. The Saliva Adrenal Testing Kit looks at the adrenal glands to see if they are in balance to produce adequate amounts of hormones to power us through the day. These hormones impact just about every process in the body, from energy production and immune activity to cellular maintenance and repair. They are key regulators of glucose, insulin, and inflammation, and play a major role in bone and muscle building, mood and mental focus, stamina, sex drive, and sleep cycles.
This kit tests the levels of adrenal hormones DHEA-S and cortisol, the master stress hormone. When individuals experience continuous stress, not only from emotional stressors (e.g., marital, financial, and occupational) but also from physical stressors (e.g., sleep deprivation, caffeine consumption, pain, extreme exercise), it can lead to changes in adrenal hormone levels, related to disorders ranging from anxiety to allergies and irritability to infertility.
- Sleep and the lack of it can be a big problem for our overall health. Without the proper amounts of sleep, our body and mind cannot get the replenishment needed to be restored and operate efficiently. Any Lab Test Now® has a Sleep Balance Kit, which checks hormone levels. If there are high cortisol levels it can result in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired, and increased belly fat. It also checks for melatonin levels. Low melatonin results in excessive fatigue, depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
To restore the vital balance of hormones, you need to start with an accurate measurement of hormone levels.
Take Back Your Family’s Health
Remember, these tests can be the first step in getting the answers you need. You may choose to discuss this further with a healthcare professional to give you guidance about medications or counseling.
If you are ready to check your family’s mental health as you head back to school, Any Lab Test Now® is the health center you’ve been looking for. Call now to schedule an appointment at a location near you to take back your health.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health emergency, call The National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or call 911 immediately.
