Millennial Health

This episode is part two of a with New York City-based psychiatrist, Dr. Claudine Jones-Bourne about grief, suicide, and how to create a safety plan. She also shares valuable resources for anyone struggling with mental health issues.

Dr. Jones-Bourne starts by reminding us that our head is real and the psychiatric problems we may face are valid. Our mental health deserves attention just like any other part of our body.
She provides us with some key statistics on suicides. In 2019, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in America and it was the 2nd leading cause of death for millennials aged 10 to 34. And though the official statistics are not out yet for during the pandemic, she believes that the number of suicide attempts and completions has risen.We discussed the spectrum of suicidality. Dr. Jones-Bourne warns that if you are anywhere on the spectrum, it is time to get help. This even includes passive thoughts about death and being better off being dead.

We also learn how to develop a suicide safety plan. A safety plan is epecially useful if you have suicidal thoughts of any type. It should include warning signs, internal coping strategies, social situations and places that provide a distraction, people you can ask for help, professionals or agencies to contact during a crisis, and ways to make your environment safe.
In addition to this, Dr. Jones-Bourne encourages suicidal persons to think about the one thing that’s most important to them and is worth living for. Whatever this answer may be, it should be written down as part of the safety plan.
Dr. Jones-Bourne and I also discuss important resources for dealing with mental health. We are encouraged to make good use of exercise, good nutrition, sleep, and fresh air. Plus, speaking kindly to yourself.
In the event that a person is unable or not willing to find a therapist, she tells us about alternatives including self-help tools (podcasts, audiobooks, therapy workbooks) and online platforms like Talk Space, Cerebral, BetterHelp. Some people also find adopting meditation practices to be helpful. Dr. Jones-Bourne‘ final message to us is that, “You are your biggest resource... you have so much power inside of you.”Key Points

• Our mental health deserves attention just like any other part of our body.
• In 2019, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in America and it was the 2nd leading cause of death for millennials aged 10 to 34.
• If you are anywhere on the spectrum of suicidality, you should seek help.
• A safety plan should be created if you have suicidal thoughts.
• Other resources are available to those who are unable or not willing to find a therapist.
  

References:

• List of resources mentioned in the episode:
  • Talk Space
  • BetterHelp
  • Cerebral
• Additional wellness resources
  • Headspace
  • Calm
  • Stop.Breathe.Think

Connect with Dr. Jones-Bource: WebsiteThank you for listening to the Millennial Health Podcast. If you have questions or comments feel free to reach out on Instagram and Twitter @DrJaySheree
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are my own and do not represent those of my employer.

In this episode of the Millennial Health Podcast, Dr. Jay-Sheree is joined by another Millennial MD, Wife and Mom -- Dr. Darcie Joseph-Watkins for a candid conversation on maintaining her health as well as that of her family. She is a wife, mom, physician and youtube blogger. She chronicles her life as an anesthesiologist in the midst of the pandemic and her journey as a new mother. She is currently practicing on Long Island, New York
Thank you for listening to the Millennial Health Podcast. Please subscribe, share with your friends and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or comments feel free to reach out on Instagram and Twitter @DrJaySheree

In this episode, Dr. Jay-Sheree Allen opens the 2021 season by acknowledging the challenges we’ve been facing for greater than 1 year in this pandemic. We also set the record straight on a few popular terms including herd immunity, variants, mutations and we discuss the way in which vaccines work. She believes that the vaccines are offering us some light at the end of the tunnel. What are your thoughts and are you getting the vaccine?

Thank you for listening to the Millennial Health Podcast. Please subscribe to the podcast, share with your friends and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or comments feel free to reach out on Instagram and Twitter @DrJaySheree

On this episode we are joined by Dr. Tamika K. Cross for a discussion on Black Maternal Health. We've heard the statistics and the stories about Serena Williams among others, but why exactly are Black mothers dying at such a disproportionate rate?
Dr. Cross is a board certified physician who completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology and is currently practicing in Texas. Dr. Cross has a passion for improving health outcomes for patients in underserved communities, and has served on several multidisciplinary hospital committees aimed to address the alarming maternal morbidity rates in the country.
Thank you for listening to the Millennial Health Podcast. Please subscribe to the podcast, share with your friends and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or comments feel free to reach out on Instagram and Twitter @DrJaySheree

Do you know what grief really is? On this episode of the Millennial Health Podcast Dr. Jones-Bourne and I talk about what grief really is and how it can escalate. In this episode you can also learn about the seven stages of grief, and how the pandemic has impacted mental health.
Dr. Jones-Bourne is a New York City-based psychiatrist that works in emergency departments throughout the United States.

Reference: Millennial Health Podcast on Depression

Connect with Dr. Jones-Bourne: Website
Thank you for listening to the Millennial Health Podcast. Please subscribe to the podcast, share with your friends and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. If you have questions or comments feel free to reach out on Instagram and Twitter @DrJaySheree
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are my own and do not represent those of my employer.
--
Summary of episode:
Dr. Claudine Jones-Bourne is a New York City-based psychiatrist that works in emergency departments throughout the United States. Through her professional experiences she has gained significant insights into grief and its impact, and she tells us all about it in this episode.
First, she helps us define grief. We discuss that grief is not just the loss of a loved one, but the loss of anything. You can grieve persons, things, events, or even plans you had for yourself. Unfortunately, since many of us don’t know what grief looks like, we don’t recognize that we’re grieving.
We also talk about the connection between mental health and grief. When grief goes unresolved it can lead to psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or even suicide. For a more in-depth look at depression, Dr. Jones-Bourne and I discussed this topic in a previous episode of the Millennial Health Podcast.
In this week’s episode, Dr. Jones-Bourne acknowledged that the pandemic has had a significant impact on our mental health. This has resulted in emergency departments across the country filled with psychiatric patients, and the rise of new terms like “post pandemic stress” and “FONO” (fear of normal).
She also teaches us about the seven stages of grief. These stages of grief are: shock and denial; pain and guilt; anger and bargaining; depression, loneliness and reflection; upward turn; reconstruction; and acceptance and hope.
Dr. Jones-Bourne explains that if you are grieving but don’t get to the final stage of grief, this can ultimately lead to unresolved conflict in your psyche. And if the grief does escalate to mental illness, then it’s time to get help.
Key Points

• Grief can be defined as the loss of anything, not just the loss of a loved one.
• Grief can escalate into psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicide if left unresolved.
• Dr. Jones-Bourne advises that if grief does escalate to mental illness, then it’s time to get help.
• The pandemic has negatively impacted our mental health.
• There are seven stages of grief.