Photo courtesy of Alaska Careline website
Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – HUB Dustin Morris, Statewide Area Director American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-Alaska talks about taking care of mental health during the holiday season during a Public Health Meeting Wednesday.
Morris acknowledged that the holidays can bring up conflicting emotions for people dealing with grief and other mental health struggles.
“It’s okay to feel both love and loss over the holidays. A gift you can give yourself this year is allowing emotion, emotional space for your feelings whatever they may be. Appreciate what you have this holiday while also feeling deep sadness for what has been lost. You can experience both love towards those not present while missing their presence terribly. It’s okay not to be okay this holiday season.”
He also addressed feeling pressure to participate in holidays, and stressed to do what is best for yourself.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need, even if it means departing from usual traditions or skipping them altogether this year. List those around you to help carry out the traditions you want to keep, such as asking others to help with your mental health preparation, or your plans. If you are estranged from family, stay connected to your family of choice, those that support you and allow you to express yourself authentically.”
Morris also suggested that setting small goals of self care, like reading five pages of a book, going on a short walk and other activities can give a feeling of accomplishment without becoming too overwhelmed.
Morris said support is available over the holidays, and it’s a good time as any to reach out to a mental health professional.
“The holidays are an excellent time to explore joining a support group. Many of them are online now. You can reach them by calling or texting 988 or using the chat feature at 988lifeline.org. You can also call the Alaska Careline at 1-877-266-4357.”
More from News of the North
-
SHI releases feature-length film on the origin of CelebrationJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has released a feature-length film on the history and origin of Celebration since its 1982 inception.
-
CBJ Offices & Facilities releases holiday scheduleJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Most City and Borough of Juneau offices and facilities—including City Hall offices and all Juneau Public Library branches—will be closed for the holidays.
-
Judge hears case challenging Alaska House candidate winJUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – An Anchorage Democrat facing a legal challenge to her state House win says she had been a resident of Alaska just over three years when she filed to run for office.
-
Jacobs puts forth Reducing Plastics in Wastewater Act with PeltolaJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Congressman Chris Jacobs and Congresswoman Mary Peltola introduced the Reducing Plastics in Wastewater Act.
-
Kodiak’s Santa to the Villages 2022Kodiak, Alaska (KINY) – Six Santas, 16 elves, 14 pilots, and 2,000 pounds of Christmas presents traveled to the seven remote villages of Kodiak Island from Nov. 28 to Dec. 7.
-
The Alaska Public Health ECHO meeting discussed the ‘tripledemic’ this flu seasonJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – The Alaska Public Health ECHO is a virtual meeting on every third Wednesday of the month for the public to interact with scientific and medical experts across Alaska and the State of Alaska’s Public Health Leadership Team.
-
NWS: Winter storm warning in effect for much of SoutheastJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – A winter storm warning is in effect for Southeast Alaska with heavy snow expected to fall Friday afternoon.
-
Orphaned polar bear cub brought to the Alaska Zoo for its welfareAnchorage, Alaska (KINY) – The choice was made because the polar bear expressed abnormal comfort around people, raising concerns for potential bear-human conflicts.
-
Wednesday marked Winter Solstice – time to gain daylightJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Winter Solstice was Wednesday, marking the shortest day of the year.
-
Kodiak man’s murder convictions upheld by court of appealsJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld James Wells’ murder convictions which were handed down by a trial jury in October 2019 for the April 2012 murders of two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) employees, Electrician’s Mate First Class James Hopkins and retired Chief Boatswain’s Mate Richard Belisle at a United States Coast Guard base on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
-
HAARP to bounce signal off asteroid in NASA experimentJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – An experiment to bounce a radio signal off an asteroid on Dec. 27 will serve as a test for probing a larger asteroid that in 2029 will pass closer to Earth than the many geostationary satellites that orbit our planet.
-
SHI expands support for Native Language Study and instruction at UASJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will fund University of Alaska (UAS) students interested in taking courses in X̱aad Kíl, Sm’algyax and Lingít through a new initiative, Our Ancestor’s Echoes.
Photo courtesy of Alaska Careline website
Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – HUB Dustin Morris, Statewide Area Director American Foundation for Suicide Prevention-Alaska talks about taking care of mental health during the holiday season during a Public Health Meeting Wednesday.
Morris acknowledged that the holidays can bring up conflicting emotions for people dealing with grief and other mental health struggles.
“It’s okay to feel both love and loss over the holidays. A gift you can give yourself this year is allowing emotion, emotional space for your feelings whatever they may be. Appreciate what you have this holiday while also feeling deep sadness for what has been lost. You can experience both love towards those not present while missing their presence terribly. It’s okay not to be okay this holiday season.”
He also addressed feeling pressure to participate in holidays, and stressed to do what is best for yourself.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need, even if it means departing from usual traditions or skipping them altogether this year. List those around you to help carry out the traditions you want to keep, such as asking others to help with your mental health preparation, or your plans. If you are estranged from family, stay connected to your family of choice, those that support you and allow you to express yourself authentically.”
Morris also suggested that setting small goals of self care, like reading five pages of a book, going on a short walk and other activities can give a feeling of accomplishment without becoming too overwhelmed.
Morris said support is available over the holidays, and it’s a good time as any to reach out to a mental health professional.
“The holidays are an excellent time to explore joining a support group. Many of them are online now. You can reach them by calling or texting 988 or using the chat feature at 988lifeline.org. You can also call the Alaska Careline at 1-877-266-4357.”
More from News of the North
-
SHI releases feature-length film on the origin of CelebrationJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has released a feature-length film on the history and origin of Celebration since its 1982 inception.
-
CBJ Offices & Facilities releases holiday scheduleJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Most City and Borough of Juneau offices and facilities—including City Hall offices and all Juneau Public Library branches—will be closed for the holidays.
-
Judge hears case challenging Alaska House candidate winJUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – An Anchorage Democrat facing a legal challenge to her state House win says she had been a resident of Alaska just over three years when she filed to run for office.
-
Jacobs puts forth Reducing Plastics in Wastewater Act with PeltolaJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Congressman Chris Jacobs and Congresswoman Mary Peltola introduced the Reducing Plastics in Wastewater Act.
-
Kodiak’s Santa to the Villages 2022Kodiak, Alaska (KINY) – Six Santas, 16 elves, 14 pilots, and 2,000 pounds of Christmas presents traveled to the seven remote villages of Kodiak Island from Nov. 28 to Dec. 7.
-
The Alaska Public Health ECHO meeting discussed the ‘tripledemic’ this flu seasonJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – The Alaska Public Health ECHO is a virtual meeting on every third Wednesday of the month for the public to interact with scientific and medical experts across Alaska and the State of Alaska’s Public Health Leadership Team.
-
NWS: Winter storm warning in effect for much of SoutheastJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – A winter storm warning is in effect for Southeast Alaska with heavy snow expected to fall Friday afternoon.
-
Orphaned polar bear cub brought to the Alaska Zoo for its welfareAnchorage, Alaska (KINY) – The choice was made because the polar bear expressed abnormal comfort around people, raising concerns for potential bear-human conflicts.
-
Wednesday marked Winter Solstice – time to gain daylightJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Winter Solstice was Wednesday, marking the shortest day of the year.
-
Kodiak man’s murder convictions upheld by court of appealsJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld James Wells’ murder convictions which were handed down by a trial jury in October 2019 for the April 2012 murders of two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) employees, Electrician’s Mate First Class James Hopkins and retired Chief Boatswain’s Mate Richard Belisle at a United States Coast Guard base on Kodiak Island, Alaska.
-
HAARP to bounce signal off asteroid in NASA experimentJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – An experiment to bounce a radio signal off an asteroid on Dec. 27 will serve as a test for probing a larger asteroid that in 2029 will pass closer to Earth than the many geostationary satellites that orbit our planet.
-
SHI expands support for Native Language Study and instruction at UASJuneau, Alaska (KINY) – Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) will fund University of Alaska (UAS) students interested in taking courses in X̱aad Kíl, Sm’algyax and Lingít through a new initiative, Our Ancestor’s Echoes.
