Self-esteem Saturday is dedicated to Women’s History Month!

Hi everyone.  For this week’s Self-esteem Saturday, I thought it made sense to talk about Women’s History Month.  This is a month that highlights women and their contributions to family, politics, literature, all the forms of art, science, math, psychology, technology, and so much more.

Before we had Women’s History Month, the recognition of women was limited to International Women’s Day (March 8th) and in the U.S., Women’s History Week in Santa Rosa, California.  As the movement spread across the country, there was a call for national recognition.  In February 1980, President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the week of March 8th, 1980 as National Women’s History Week. This continued until March 1987 when Congress passed additional resolutions requesting and authorizing the President to proclaim March of each year as Women’s History Month.  Since 1995, each president has issued this annual proclamation. 

The majority of the text in this blog comes from (https://www.womenshistory.org/womens-history/womens-history-month).  There are too many amazing resources to share here, but I encourage you to check out their events, videos, social media cards, find activities for children, to name a few.

This year’s theme is #BreakTheBias!

Imagine a gender equal world.
A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
A world where difference is valued and celebrated.
Together we can forge women's equality.

Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.

Individually, we're all responsible for our own thoughts and actions - all day, every day.
We can break the bias in our communities.
We can break the bias in our workplaces.
We can break the bias in our schools, colleges and universities.
Together, we can all break the bias - on International Women's Day (IWD) and beyond.
Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias exists isn’t enough, action is needed to level the playing field.
Are you in? Will you actively call out gender bias, discrimination and stereotyping each time you see it?
Will you help break the bias?

Cross your arms to show your solidarity!

Strike the IWD 2022 pose and share your #BreakTheBias image, video, resources, presentation or articles on social media using #IWD2022 #BreakTheBias to encourage further people to commit to helping forge an inclusive world.

                        Credit to https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme

Thursday Thoughts on Mental Illness

Shares the first Awareness event RSC will participate in

Hopefully, you read my blog post from February 17th (https://rscil.com/thursday-thoughts-on-mental-illness/), where I announced practice goals for RSC. This year, I will be participating in more national and international events for 2022.

The NEDA Walk is the first event I have committed to.

Did you know that 30 million Americans struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their lives? And, despite their prevalence, eating disorders receive significantly less funding than other major mental illnesses, and support options are often inaccessible!

As a result, too many people are left feeling helpless, hopeless, and frightened.

This is why I’m participating in the NEDA Walk on April 23rd to benefit the National Eating Disorders Association.

As the leading U.S. nonprofit supporting individuals and families affected by eating disorders, NEDA serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures, and access to quality care. Learn more about NEDA’s mission and work at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

Thank you so much for your support!

Suicide Prevention Month 2021

Are you wondering why you should read this blog? Or share it?

I’ll tell you why.

Because Suicide Touches All Communities

In this past year, Nation wide,

  • There were 1.4 million attempts and more than 47,000 deaths from suicide.
  • Suicide is at its highest level and is still rising.
  • Rural counties are being hit the hardest with suicide rates double the rate in urban counties.
  • There has been an alarming 50% increase of suicide rates among women.

It’s important to know, everyone can help decrease these numbers. The first step is to know the

Risk Factors

  • 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
  • Family history of suicide
  • Job or financial loss
  • Loss of relationship
  • Easy access to lethal means
  • Local clusters of suicide
  • Lack of social support and sense of isolation
  • Stigma associated with asking for help
  • Lack of health care, especially mental health and substance abuse treatment
  • Cultural and religious beliefs, such as the belief that suicide is a noble resolution of a personal dilemma
  • Exposure to others who have died by suicide (in real life or via the media and Internet)

While those who are contemplating suicide don’t always demonstrate warning signs, most do. The

Warning Signs

#BeThe1To be aware of the risks and notice the signs, then

include:

  • Talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves.
  • Looking for a way to kill themselves, such as 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 their 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.
  • Displaying extreme mood swings.

Suicide is preventable.

Thank you for committing to doing your part.

If you are in crisis or having suicidal thoughts, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

Please call 800.273.8255, 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.

Exciting news for the LGBTQ+ community!

Just hours ago, the Supreme Court released their landmark decision to extend protection to folks who identify as gay, lesbian or transgender under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

The key to making this decision was interpretation of the word “sex.”  In the past, sex referred to gender only.  We now know that “sex” in the eyes of the Supreme Court refers not just to gender identification, but also includes sexual orientation.

Other than the June 26, 2015 decision to legalize same sex marriages, this decision is one of the most significant rulings in respect to LGBTQ+ community.  While the ruling specifically addresses discrimination in the workplace, it also opens the door for future discrimination cases against the LGBTQ+ community in other arenas.

Thank you Associate Justices Neil M. Gorsuch, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Stephen G. Breyer, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor and Chief Justice John G. Roberts for your support and respect for the rights of all!!!

Keep advocating!  Keep making your voice heard!

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

With the 1st also being a day to celebrate Mother Goose, the author of fairy tales nursery rhymes we love.

In that spirit, I’ve written my first rhyme. I hope it works and you like it.

As mental health awareness month begins,

            It’s time to think about what comes from within.

Our thoughts and views,

            We’ve learned not just from news.

Competency, confidence and managing stress

          Are crucial to your mental success.

And with success we have a drive

            To help ourselves and others strive.

For relationships that have lots of value.

            Feeding self-love, healthy connection and renewal.

Look ahead in this month to come

            For thoughts and ways to become,

The one you love.

            With continued growth and authenticity,

            Your mental health will bloom abundantly.

The United Nations has declared today as Holocaust Education and Remembrance of Global Justice January 27, 2020

This historic event warrants a blog that is longer than usual.  I hope you read the entire post and leave your comments and questions.

January 27, 2020 is an important date in our World History.  It marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

We are at a crucial time in history as there are few remaining survivors of the holocaust.  This means we will have the ability to hear experiences and evidence first-hand. 

The Holocaust has been documented in many ways.  Through Nazi memos, construction plans, lists of prisoners, interviews of Nazi’s and survivors, books and movies.  There are also second-hand accounts of the stories told by the survivors to their children and family, researchers and others who were trusted to keep their experiences and these atrocious events real.  These will have to do, though there is nothing more powerful than meeting a survivor.

In my research of the Holocaust, I learned the first concentration camps began as soon as the Nazi’s took power in 1933.  The first camp was Dachau with Heinrich Himmler in charge of running the camp.  The goal was to suppress real or potential opposition to the Nazi power.  Targeted were those considered “asocial” or socially “deviant” by the Germans.  Initially included as deviants or asocial groups were political opponents, union organizers, Communists, Socialists, Social Democrats, Roma, Jehovah’s Witnesses and homosexuals.  In 1934, Jews, Romanis/Sintis, Serbs, Soviet POWs, Poles, disabled persons and clergy were also targeted.

While concentration camps were designed to torture those in opposition to Nazi’s, extermination camps had an entirely different purpose!  A note here, in the time following the war, the terms concentration camp and extermination camps were used synonymously.

When World War II began in September 1939, resistance fighters and those who helped the Jews were also captured and held in concentration camps.  While at the camps, the prisoners were starved, suffered horrible living conditions, disease.  They were over-worked, tortured and in some camps experimented on.

Did you know …

  • There were 24 main camps including Auschwitz-Birkenau, Bergen-Belsen, Dachau, Mauthausen-Gusen, Ravensbruck, Sorbibor and Treblinka?
  • There were 42,500 subcamps including:
    • 30,000 slave labor camps?
    • 1,150   ghettos?
    • 980 concentration camps?
    • 1,000 POW camps?
    • 500 brothels with sex slaves?
    • Thousands of camps specifically for exterminating the elderly, and infirm and holding prisoners before they went to extermination camps?

Statistics show…

  • 15 million – 20 million people were imprisoned and died of “natural causes”
  • 6 million Jews were exterminated
  • 11 million others were exterminated

The first liberated camp, Majdanek, was discovered on July 23, 1944.  Most of the camps were liberated in 1945.

Present day

When I think about anti-semitism/racism, or any other “ism,” I think about fear and power.  Racism has existed for thousands of years.  Racism exists because people from one group fear people from another group.  They are taught to distrust, hate and blame.  In response to fear, and because of desire for control, groups work to overpower, or even eliminate, others.

How can you do to help reduce anti-semitism and other ism’s?  Have the difficult conversations.  Explore your own beliefs about Jews and other groups that are different from you.  Ask others, who express anti-semitism what their beliefs are and where they came from.  I think an essential component of fighting anti-semitism is remember that at the core we are all human.  We have the same basic human needs.  Deconstructing the problems demonstrated around the globe today can help connect us individuals to individuals as humans rather than negative stereotypes built from fear.  We need to build tolerance and respect of our differences.  We need to challenge ourselves individually and in our larger communities.  We need to have difficult conversations.

What is 1 thing you can do today?  One thought to challenge, one way to stand up, one way to connect?

January 24th is National Compliment Day

Everyone needs to be noticed and appreciated. 

In honor of National Compliment Day, are you willing to take the challenge to give yourself at least 10 compliments to yourself?

So many of us either ignore the positive we do on a daily basis, don’t believe we add to the world (small or big) or believe we are worthy. Focus on noticing the positives you create in the day, as well as the wonderful characteristics you see! (If that is difficult, consider what someone else might say to you.) 

You can also make sure to give at least 5 compliments to others. Find a way to show appreciate. This makes us feel seen, heard and important.

Some examples include:

  • If someone gives you a gift/present – “Your card made me smile.”
  • Someone’s character – “You’re willingness to be vulnerable encourages me to do the same.”
  • A way someone has helped – “I appreciate your help.” Or “I love the way you handled (that).  It turned out great!”
  • Taking on a leadership or service role – “I appreciate all the hard work you do to make (this) successful.”
  • Time together – “thank you for making plans to get together.  That makes me feel important.”

What are your thoughts about giving compliments to yourself and others?

Can you think of other types of compliments?

National Hug Day

The power of touch

Did you know today is National Hug Day?  As soon as I found out, my immediate thought was about the power of touch.  

Think about it.  Do you have people in your life that give amazing hugs?  What makes it amazing?

For me, a hug envelops me in a persons’ warmth.  Their touch is calming and grounding.  I feel accepted, cared about and supported.  Hugs show me I am not alone.  Hugs feel empowering.

Similarly, people might offer hugs and it doesn’t quite envelope me in the same way.  Those hugs are still valuable.  They are a statement of connection.  These hugs still make me feel cared about.  They show the person has physically heard and emotionally listened.

Even quickie’s have benefit.  When someone hugs me as a greeting, it makes me feel special.  Hugs are always a statement of connection and vulnerability.  We tend to hug someone we feel safe with and around.  If we are vulnerable, we can be hurt.  So, someone giving me a quickie communicates a level of safety.  This is especially true if I know a person only hugs certain people. 

Furthermore, when someone is open to receiving a hug from me, it means I have earned their trust.  It feels just as amazing to give those feelings to others – connection, trust, showing I care, am willing to support you and you are not alone.

So…TODAY offer someone a HUG.  (Yes, get their consent before doing embracing them!)   Bring a moment of joy to someone’s day!

Tell me how you feel when getting a hug and how you feel giving one.  I think you will be amazed when you are mindful about the process.

Have a great hug filled day!

Dr. Irgang

she/her/hers