Silver Hill Hospital's 2015 Giving Hope Gala was another successful evening! We raised over $1 million for the patient financial aid fund.

1 in 4 people use social media worldwide. Most people login to social media sites, like Facebook and Twitter, multiple times a day. For some, it’s the first thing they see when they open their eyes in the morning and the last thing they see before bed. Although it seems harmless to scroll through your Facebook newsfeed to see what’s going on with your friends, it does come at a price. 

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and with good reason. Being bullied is linked to many mental illnesses including depression, anxiety, substance abuse and even suicide. Cardinal signs of school bullying include school avoidance, academic difficulties, changes in sleep patterns and health problems. The impact can last a lifetime.

Every September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors National Recovery Month. The goal is to promote and reinforce the message that behavior health is  essential to overall health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover.

Every forty seconds, someone in the world takes their own life. Approximately 105 Americans die by suicide every day. Suicide is a topic nobody wants to talk about; it seems scary and sad. Although it isn’t a pleasant subject, it’s important to know the warning signs. As we observe National Suicide Prevention Week, we encourage you to educate yourself so you are prepared to help a person in need. 

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness marked by characteristic changes in thinking, emotions and behavior.

Summer vacation is just beginning, but before you know it, it will be time for many teens to start a whole new chapter in their lives and leave home to begin their freshman year of college. A certain amount of stress and anxiety is bound to come with the transition to independence no matter how excited a kid is to leave the nest. 

You struggle to get out of bed in the morning and then have all you can do to make it through your day once you get to work, so how can your doctor even think to suggest that you add exercise to your to-do list? It’s because research has shown there are multiple benefits for your mental health. 

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by impulsivity and instability in mood, self-image, and personal relationships. This instability often disrupts family and work, long-term planning and the individual’s sense of self-identity. Many people with BPD also have a co-occurring disorder such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse or eating disorders. 

On June 10, 2015, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) celebrated its 80th anniversary. Founded in 1935 in Akron, Ohio by New York stockbroker, Bill W and Akron Surgeon, Dr. Bob S, both of whom were alcoholics, AA has helped countless people maintain sobriety over the past 80 years. AA groups and members quickly popped up all around the world.

Prom and graduation season is a time for celebration but also a time when underage drinking develops into binge drinking by some teenagers. 

Everyone feels sad once in a while, but depression is more than normal sadness and doesn’t go away in a few days. It is a serious, yet treatable, illness that affects an estimated 16 million Americans. Depression interferes with a person’s ability to function and get through their daily routine. If left untreated, it can lead to extreme hopelessness and suicidal thoughts or actions. Depression is not caused by one single factor. While genetics can play a role in the cause of depression, it can happen spontaneously or be triggered by a life crisis, serious physical illness, childbirth or other major life events. 

Mental illness is not uncommon. One in four people will struggle with a diagnosable mental illness every year. That means that it will most likely affect you, someone you know and love, or even your kids. But unlike other illnesses, there is still a stigma attached to mental illness and behavioral problems. When it comes to kids, many will begin to develop a stereotypical image of mental illness as they get older based on what they see in the media or hear from friends, which is why education is important. So the question arises - when and how can we talk to our kids about mental illness in a way that will be educational and reassuring?