Monmouth County's Ask The Doctor May - June 2021

H E A L T H A R T I C L E S A N D Q & A

“Home Health Care with Feeling”

LICENSED • BONDED • INSURED 800.603.CARE (2273) PreferredCares.com • Care for Infants, Children, Adults, and Seniors • Skilled Nursing (RNs, LPNs) • Pediatric/Adult Ventilator Care • Home Health Aides • 24-Hour Live-In Aides • Private Pay and Most Insurances Accepted

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Working with her little brother Charlie, Hannah created NotOK for teens struggling with mental health. After pressing the digital button, the system sends a text message to at most 5 people you can count on, telling them that they should check up on you because you are not okay, along with your ad- dress. This accessible platform surely saves so many lives. Not only does the software provide mobility for mental health strugglers, it also shows teenagers drowning in their isolation that they are not alone in their obstacles. The app’s, and Hannah’s, motto is “that it is OK to not be OK.” The stigma surrounding mental health issues is large, but with one app at a time, hopefully people feel less afraid to reach out to others and talk about their experiences. Other apps include Calm Harm, which provides methods like Distract to thwart self-harm impulses in kids, and It Gets Better, which showcases vid- eos of people from the LGBTQ+ community that uplift teens who are still struggling through challenges like acceptance.

The prevention of suicide is possible. Do not hesitate to reach out to family, to friends, to teachers, to peers, and to apps online that can relieve your struggles to some capacity. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text HELLO to the Crisis Text Line at 741741. Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/02/02/962060105/child-psychiatrists-warn-that-the-pandemic-may-be-driv- ing-up-kids-suicide-risk | https://teenkidsnews.com/after-surviving-a-suicide-attempt-this-teen-and-her-brother-created-the-notok- app-to-alert-your-friends-when-you-need-help/

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