The recent suicide of former Miss USA Cheslie Kryst has renewed a conversation on mental health, an often-overlooked area that has affected nearly everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kryst, an attorney and a correspondent for the entertainment show “Extra,” spoke openly about the importance of mental health and how she saw a counselor regularly. But on Sunday, the 30-year-old died by suicide after jumping from her apartment building in Manhattan.
“People are suffering in isolation and when something like this happens to someone so prominent, such as Cheslie, people are left wondering why,” said Andre Newfield, MD, chair of psychiatry at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport. “Hopefully her death prompts us to talk about our concerns and normalizes asking for help.”
Hartford HealthCare’s Jocelyn Maminta recently spoke to Dr. Newfield on the importance of assessing our mental health during the recent Omicron surge and how to recognize the signs that you or someone you know may need help.
“When we’re thinking about symptoms, you want to look at food, sleep and hygiene,” Dr. Newfield said. “Most people are not tending as well to those things when they’re depressed or going through mental or emotional issues. You also want to think about school, work and friends and family. If you’re not able to do the things that you need to do to maintain your performance then it might be time to ask for help.”
Nearly two years into the pandemic, many people are left feeling hopeless and wondering when life may return to normal. Dr. Newfield advises making sure you are taking steps to remain mentally healthy, including having a strong support system.
“Try to not just maintain your social network, but try to grow it,” Dr. Newfield said. “You want to set up a system where you’re checking in on others and letting them know when you’re worried about them. Try to have other people in your life that have gotten to know you well enough that when things are off with you they can express their concern.”
Marissa Sicley-Rogers, PsyD, staff psychologist at the Institute of Living and operational leader of the Behavioral Health Network’s Zero Suicide Prevention Initiative, agreed it is important to make strong connections.
“With the many pressures, expectations, and decisions young people face, it is incredibly important to find things that give them passion, purpose, and true joy; as well as finding people in their lives that are champions for who they are, their beliefs, and their passions,” she said.
The Zero Suicide initiative is a system-wide, evidenced-based approach to establish more focused assessment and timely follow-up care for patients who are at risk of suicide. It focuses on training clinical and non-clinical staff with evidenced-based treatments focusing explicitly on suicide risk, establishing policies to ensure safe handoffs between caregivers, and effective engagement of patients at risk, including a follow-up phone call within 24 hours after discharge.
“No one is immune to the effects of stress, emotional pain, and mental health concerns. When we recognize this reality, we destigmatize help-seeking for these experiences and create opportunities for education and support as early as possible. We also normalize the act of checking in with ourselves, allowing early identification of warning signs that we are not OK,” Dr. Sicley-Rogers said of the importance of seeking help. “We can all take a role in helping ourselves and one another. Some warning signs of a developing crisis include: hopelessness, difficulty finding purpose, dramatic mood changes, withdrawal/isolation from friends and family, anxiety, agitation, sleep disturbance, and preparatory behaviors to end one’s life.”
Dr. Newfield also recommends following the three “I”s — socialize, exercise and eat wise — to ensure you are staying healthy both mentally and physically. For parents, modeling this behavior to children is important to help guide them through the constant stressful disruptions caused by the pandemic.
“Children need positive interactions and we need to teach them the right ways to take care of themselves,” he said. “You want to get off the couch and you want to participate in games, get the right amount of sleep and get the right amount of exercise.”
To get help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1.800.273.8255 (TALK).
Kate Carey-Trull contributed to this story.