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Friends For Life
The Campus Crime Stoppers Friends for Life Program began as a partnership with the Fort Worth ISD “It’s Not Okay” campaign during the 2010-2011 school year. The campaign encourages students to make healthy decisions and ask for help when they or their friends are in need. The Campus Crime Stoppers Friends for Life Program focuses on behaviors and issues that can place the student and others at risk and will serve as a resource for students who want to report fellow students who are victims of bullying, cyber bullying, sexting, dating or family violence, gang activity, sexual harassment, or has suicidal tendencies.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder and When to Seek Help
Many people who struggle with GAD experience symptoms for a long time before seeking help. Reaching out for a diagnosis can feel challenging, especially when anxiety feels so constant and widespread.
Only around 20% of people who have symptoms of anxiety seek treatment. In 2020, a national coalition of women's health professionals recommended that all women aged 13 and older should be screened for anxiety.11 The lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders is approximately two times higher in women than in men, so preventative screenings may be helpful in ensuring that women and girls receive appropriate interventions to improve health and well-being.
Contacting a mental health or other clinical provider is a courageous step that can help clarify what is happening and, in turn, lead to creating a plan of care that can help you find relief and regain a sense of well-being.
When deciding to seek help, something to consider is how difficult it is to feel any sense of calm, comfort, and reassurance around your worry.
If you find yourself constantly seeking reassurance from others, or repeatedly trying different methods of stress management and relaxation to no avail, it may be worth contacting a professional.
Also, know that not experiencing panic attacks is another primary reason people don't seek help for their anxiety. Their worry may be chronic and concerning but, because there are no periods of acute panic attacks, they simply chalk the challenges up to being a "worrywart."
They may even be told this by others when seeking reassurance or trying to find comfort. Remember, however, that GAD is different in that panic attacks aren't typically present, so don't let this factor stop you from seeking help.
Additionally, take note of the physical symptoms that are accompanying your worry. As the anxiety continues, you may find more and more challenges with things like headaches, digestion, restlessness, and fatigue.1
Should you find that your worry feels excessive and begins leading to other physical symptoms, you may benefit from talking with a mental health or other care providers.
Read more at https://www.verywellmind.com/dsm-5-criteria-for-generalized-anxiety-disorder-1393147
March is Adolescent Self-Injury Awareness Month. This month is all about centering education on self-harm including what self-harm is, who is most likely to self-harm, and how you can help.
Self-Injury, otherwise known as self-harm, is not a mental health disorder, rather it is a behavior that people use to cope with intense, negative emotions.2 Individuals most susceptible to self-harm are those 12 to 24 years of age with approximately 15% of teens and 17% of college students reporting some form of self-harm.2,3 Without proper help, self-injury can become a destructive cycle where the individual self-harms in order to cope, yet the relief gained is only temporary leading the individual back to the perceived need to self-harm.3 Provided below are general warning signs of self-injury3:
Unexplained frequent injuries including cuts and burns.
Low self-esteem.
Difficulty handling feelings.
Relationship problems or avoidance of relationships.
Poor functioning at work, school or home.
It is important to note that those who self-harm are NOT necessarily suicidal. Two things are important to note: (1) those who self-harm are looking for relief and usually do so to avoid suicide; (2) self-harm can lead to suicide by accidentally inflicting more harm than intended, or loss of control over the self-harm behavior leading to suicidal attempts.2,3
For those who would like to learn more about self-harm please visit our website’s page on Suicide & Self-Harm by clicking here.
Friends for Life is a program of Crime Stoppers of Tarrant County that is equipped to take anonymous reports on self-harm. If you or those you work with know someone who is self-harming and are worried for their safety, please leave an anonymous tip through Friend for Life by calling 817-469-8477, going to www.469tips.com, or using the “CCS FFL” mobile app. Friends for Life is NOT a crisis line. For individuals experiencing self-harm or the thought of self-harm please call the MHMR hotline at 817-335-3022.
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