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In this podcast we spoke about vaping and smoking. All of us are in high school, some of us just finished our freshman year and Nahjeera is is graduating this year.
Emma, Adrianna and Nahjeera all vape, but Cindy doesn’t and really does not like smoking.
We all talked about why we vape, and when we started. Some of us were in middle school when we started, and others tried it and then stopped for a while.
We spent a lot of time talking about why people vape, including our friends. Vapes come in a ton of flavors, and a lot of us only do it for the taste, or because friends suggested it for stress. Eliza lead us in a conversation about why our friends like to vape, and if we want to stop.
our views on vaping and smoking, why we smoked and why don’t.
Some people smoke because of popularity or as a coping mechanism. We also talked about how advertising makes people smoke more, and why some of us wouldn’t try certain flavors, like tobacco.
A lot of our friends in high school vape, and we talk about how addictive it is and if we think we are addicted.
We all talked about how we would quit if we ever decided to, and how we could help our friends quit if they asked us for help.
If you have ever vaped and want help, or just want to hear about it from the perspective of a high school, then check out our first summer podcast!
A few months ago, Eliza and Diamond (our SMART group facilitators!) were at one of our high schools, talking about vaping during lunch. To check out what that was like, click here.
Our website offers a safe space online to share your story, talk about your problems, get information, and connect with resources. Our staff runs SMART Recovery support groups for teens in Norwalk and Fairfield… with more to come! We connect with other young people at schools and colleges across the state through speaking events, workshops, and resource fairs. Whatever you’re struggling with–mental illness, addiction, homelessness, bullying, family problems–we’ve been there too.
Help us raise $10,000 to support our small part-time staff of young adults in recovery to be able to keep reaching out to schools, making connections with young people, improving our online support, and running support groups! We want every young person to know that they are not alone.
Click this link to Donate today, and share this page with your friends and family so we can reach our goal.
Giving Day runs from 12:00am to 11:59pm on Thursday, February 28th. Help us to reach our goal of raising $10,000.
Your donation may even help us get a bonus grant if you’re one of our first or one of our last donors on Giving Day! If we get at least 25 donations of $25 right after midnight when Giving Day starts, we can win an extra $1000. So think of us Wednesday night before you go to bed and just stay up a few minutes past midnight! If you miss that chance, then please donate Thursday night between 9pm and 11:59pm. If we get enough donations during that time period, we may even win a $2,500 bonus!
Whether you can give as much as possible, or you know people who care about mental health who can donate, we need your help. Click the link to give what you can, share this page, and ask your friends to give what they can.
Together we will raise $10,000 to support young people struggling with their mental wellness!
Click the picture to donate!
(If you want to learn more about Fairfield County’s Giving Day overall, click here.)
September is Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Month.
Eliza is talking about why she fights for recovery, what her life was like, and how it has changed.
Share your recovery story with us, too and tell us why you fight.
Watch the video on Vimeo, Youtube, and TurningPointCT.org
Suicide prevention is possible and 100% of suicides are preventable. In fact, research finds that about 90% of individuals who die by suicide experience mental illness. Preventing suicide is key, and a number of other factors may put a person at risk of suicide, for instance:
Here you can check out NAMI to learn about warning signs and tips on how to deal with a mental health crisis.
Crisis Resources
If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call 911 immediately.
If you are in crisis or are experiencing difficulty or suicidal thoughts, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
Therefore, if you’re uncomfortable talking on the phone, you can also text NAMI to 741-741 to be connected to a free, trained crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line.
If you want the best advice on suicide prevention, here is the place to go!
Here are some resources and links about suicide prevention as well as how to find treatment and advocacy groups. Help is out there!
Know The Warning Signs for someone who may be at risk of suicide:
Crisis Resources
If you or someone you know is an emergency, call 911 immediately.
If you are in crisis or are experiencing difficulty or suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
If you’re uncomfortable talking on the phone, you can also text NAMI to 741-741 to be connected to a free, trained crisis counselor on the Crisis Text Line.
Join in on the coversation as young adults from Connecticut talk about the implications of the new series. First published as a book, maybe from your high school years, 13 Reasons Why is now a Netflix series with a seemingly, even darker twist. Parents, teachers, counselors and mental health advocates are concerned that this new series may have gone a little too far. Has it really though? Do you think that the film is encouraging suicide? What message could this film be sending to young adults and teenagers?
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention sponsors International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, a program that unites survivors of suicide loss across the world.
This year, International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day events will take place on November 19th. It will arise in 3 locations in CT: Berlin, Danbury and Westport. The events will include the screening of AFSP’s new film, “Life Journeys: Reclaiming Life After Loss” and small group discussions.
Furthermore, visit AFSP’s page here for more information. Registrations for the event can also be done on the same website.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Do you know the statistics? Suicidal ideation is common. In CT, the suicide rate has been rising. Do you know how to talk to someone you’re worried about? Check out the video from the QPR Institute, below, to learn more.
As you’ll see, we ALL have a role to play: parents, teachers, friends, colleagues, elected officials. In Ireland, taxi drivers are among those who work to identify people at risk and prevent suicide: clickhere to read about the TaxiWatch program.
So, what about you? If you’ve never taken a suicide prevention training, now is the time! A “SafeTALK” training is being co-sponsored by Mid-Fairfield Substance Abuse Coalition, Positive Directions, and Southwest Regional Mental Health Board on Tuesday, September 27th, 2016 from 5:30-8:45pm at the HSC Building, 1 Park Street (corner of East Wall), Norwalk, CT. There is a $10 materials fee. Please RSVP to transformativetrainings@gmail.com. Click here for the flyer.
Suicide Prevention – May is Mental Health Month! Please join us in spreading the message that suicide is preventable and it starts with being smart about our mental health.
Let people know why suicide prevention is important to you!
Watch the video below and follow this link to learn more about how you can help to prevent suicide.
Find more resources HERE: https://turningpointct.org/resources/.
TurningPointCT.org was developed by young people in Connecticut who are in recovery from mental health and substance use issues. We know what it’s like to feel alone, stressed, worried, sad, and angry. We’ve lived through the ups and downs of self-harm, drugs and alcohol, and the struggle to find help.
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