By: Mandie Schreck What happens when we are in a work environment or even an institution for medical or mental health care and suffer from abuse? This is where education on what qualifies as Organizational Abuse can help us recognize and bring awareness to this unique type of abuse. We often work in conditions that may not be suited for our mental or physical health but are left with no way to escape. Individuals who suffer from Organizational Abuse may see a lack of communication with higher management, poor or dirty work conditions, lack of proper supervision, or an unsafe...
The Dangers Of Self-Neglect And The Importance Of Listening To Your Needs
By: Whitney Derman The Department of Health and Human Services defines self-neglect as “the behavior of an older adult that threatens their own health or safety and generally manifests itself by failure to provide themselves with adequate food, water, clothing, shelter, personal hygiene, medication (when indicated), and safety precautions.” (Godfrey, 2019). Although self-neglect is very common in older adults, it applies to any adult unable or unwilling to care for themselves (Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2018). This can apply to mentally ill people; however, people can self-neglect even if they are mentally healthy. The major causes of self-neglect are:...
Self-Abuse And Self-Harm Education
By: Rashmi Negi TW: Discussions of Self-Harm Self-Abuse can be defined as any behavior that causes damage or harm to oneself. This type of abuse has many different terms and may be more commonly referred to as self-harm, self-injury, or even non-suicidal self-injury (NSII). Individuals who self-harm do so to release painful emotions which can develop into a coping mechanism in situations of extreme distress. Self-Abuse can be done for many different reasons and in different ways. Individually, we need some way to process complex situations and emotions, and individuals who self-harm have found that hurting themselves is currently their...
What’s In Your Bag: Self Defense Edition
By: Whitney Derman For many women, traveling alone can be risky, especially at night or in an unfamiliar location. We want to believe that everyone has the right intentions and there won’t be any issues, but it is always wise to be extra cautious. I have curated a list of inconspicuous self-defense tools you can easily carry with you just in case you happen to be in an unsafe situation or just to give you extra peace of mind. Clicking the image description will bring you to the links to purchase or recommend them to friends or family members. We also...
Basic Self-Defense Moves Anyone Can Try
By: Rashmi Negi It is always better to be mindful and prepared instead of being in an unprepared and compromising position. Mugging, taunting, or any form of harassment can make a person feel helpless and isolated. It is always good to be prepared for the worst and learn to keep yourself safe regardless of your location. Often people emphasize that learning martial arts, judo, jiu-jitsu, karate, boxing, and other practices are useful for self-defense. These practices are great tools, but it does depend on personal interest, financial constraints, and time. Prevention is the Best Self-Defense There are some basic ways anybody...
Time To Set Healthy Boundaries
By: Rashmi Negi A person in a healthy relationship trusts their partner the most and feels secure in their presence. However, this can easily change when things fall between the cracks that result in misunderstandings, disagreements, arguments, and other issues in a relationship. There are ways to mend and work toward a healthy relationship, but when there are red flags, it is precisely the time to think about it all over again. Spousal Abuse or Domestic Violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, and financial. It can be harmful when the partner uses hurtful words or behavior to control their spouse....
Giving Tuesday
By: Lauren Jacques And Eileen Shea What is Giving Tuesday? Since 2012, Giving Tuesday has been a global event to “encourage people to do good.” The event organizers encourage generosity every Tuesday, but the official celebration will be on November 30th this year. Giving Tuesday started in New York City, and according to the Giving Tuesday website, “Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to...
How To Be There For Someone
By: Whitney Derman Being truly there for someone is not a one-size-fits-all package. It can take very different approaches depending on who needs you and the situation. When consoling someone, it is best to use the 90% rule, meaning you listen 90% of the time and talk maybe 10% of the time (Brown, 2020). This allows the other person to feel like what they say matters and express their thoughts on the situation without being interrupted or bombarded with questions or advice (Brown, 2020). More often than not, if a friend comes to you about a difficult situation, they simply want someone to...
Prison Abuse
By: Rashmi Negi Prison Abuse refers to abuse suffered by a person who is incarcerated or under arrest. It can include Physical, Sexual, or Psychological Abuse, among others. In some cases, medical treatment may be denied, which could be considered neglect. The idea of confinement can affect mental health, and if followed by abuse, it can be traumatizing for life. Sometimes an incarcerated person is abused for years, affecting their psychological and physical health during the confinement period. The prison environment fosters constant violence and includes inmates being bullied, tortured, or forced to have physical fights and even sexual conduct...
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
By: Mandie Schreck October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which has been nationally recognized since 1989. This form of abuse affects over ten million individuals per year in the United States. It has been reported that one in four women and one in nine men have been affected by Domestic Abuse sometime in their life (Huecker, King, Jordan, & Smock, 2021). So how can we help those in need and raise awareness this month and every day? Contact your State/Local Coalition You can search your Local Coalition to help ensure perpetrators are brought to justice and help local legislation enforce protection...