With suicide and depression on the rise in Metro Detroit, here are six places to find help during Mental Health Awareness Month
After more than two years of problematic disruptions because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us expected consequences and repercussions on our collective mental health.
Deaths of friends and family, fear, anxiety, and financial stressors caused challenges for many adults, but recent research has shown it also has heavily impacted children and teens.
Suicide has been rising among young people across the nation since 2009. Feelings of hopelessness, depression, and suicide ideation among youth has become alarming and widespread. It’s a trend that challenges families in Michigan, including in Metro Detroit.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It is more important than ever to become educated about mental health and warning signs of illness and suicide risk. The isolation, stress, and loss of parents and family members due to the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated a worrisome trend, and the statistics are alarming.
In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that suicide was the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 34 and ninth among all age groups. In 2021, a CDC survey showed that about 20% of high school students and 40% of LGBTQ youth said they had contemplated suicide.
Although children and teens are disproportionately affected by this mental health crisis, adults, particularly people of color, also feel the effects.
Most mental illness goes untreated, especially in communities of color. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy warned, in an advisory issued in December 2021, that young people are facing “devastating” mental health effects because of the challenges their generation is experiencing, including the pandemic.
Often, many people don’t know where to turn for help. Here are six places to seek assistance with mental health issues in Metro Detroit:
Inception – Native Detroiter David McCullar searched the nation for a solution for his debilitating anxiety. He used his learnings to develop what is believed to be the nation’s first mental health gym in Farmington Hills. Treatments such as saltwater floating and brain training offer detoxification and deep relaxation that reduce and eliminate trauma and anxiety. Select three mind-body aligning therapies for 90-minute sessions that help reset the mind for optimal mental healing.
31410 Northwestern Highway, Suite G
Farmington Hills
Inceptionep.com
248-436-2606
Bloom Transformation Center – Since the pandemic began, people who have never suffered from depression or anxiety have reached out to Detroit-based psychologist Dr. Rose Moten for help. At her Bloom Transformation Center, she practices traditional psychotherapy and holistic healing methods, such as sound therapy, to help clients meditate at deeper levels. The author, speaker, and life transformation coach help people find a sense of calm and grounding that leads to optimal mental and emotional health.
Bloom Transformation Center
227 Iron St., Detroit
313-285-9886
Mood Lifters – This 15-week online mental wellness therapy program has shown significant benefits for people suffering from depression and anxiety during the pandemic. Mood Lifters, created at the University of Michigan, has partnered with Beaumont Health to offer the one-hour weekly program free to Metro Detroiters. New groups are starting in February and March.
Visit moodlifters.com to register and for more information.
Detroit Heals Detroit – This program offers youth-centered healing circles to help mental wellness among young people ages 12 to 21. Youth are encouraged to speak, write and advocate around their trauma as an essential step toward healing. Topics such as gun violence, police brutality, and the pandemic’s impact on their lives and mental health are discussed.
To join a Detroit Heals Detroit Zoom group, call 313-721-0717 or visit detroithealsdetroit.org and all social platforms.
Emergency Help – Suicide deaths were climbing in Metro Detroit before the pandemic, and the numbers continue to rise. People are grieving the loss of loved ones and experiencing fear, anxiety, stress, and isolation during these troubling times. Detroit-Wayne Integrated Health Network offers free mental health screening and free resources.
For around-the-clock help, call 800-241-4949.
HUDA – Besides offering a community health clinic that provides free or low-cost primary and dental care, HUDA has psychiatrists and licensed clinical social workers that offer therapy and treatment for people suffering from depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Free psychiatric medication evaluations, counseling, and treatment are provided to teens, veterans, the homeless, uninsured people, and the working underinsured.
13240 Woodrow Wilson St., Detroit
313-856-8446
Mental health is essential to our well-being. Adults and children can recover from a mental health condition and lead a balanced, gratifying, and joy-filled life. With the right health professional and community resources, we can get the help needed to strengthen mental health and realize no one is alone.
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