I.C. HOPE

I.C. HOPE bears a bandage on his head to remind us that mental illness is real and treatable, and a life preserver around his neck to remind us that every life is worth saving!

I.C. Hope is the perfect tool to teach children and youth about the importance of good mental health and about various mental illnesses. Please call 316-425-6666 if you would like additional information.

Proud sponsors of the I.C. Hope - Don't Duck Mental Health Campaign:

American Psychiatric Foundation
The Cessna Foundation, Inc.
The K.T. Wiedemann Foundation, Inc.
Madeline Hynes

Click here to get down with the Duck!

The I.C. Hope - Don't Duck Mental Health Campaign is designed to:

Promote good mental health. Good mental health has to do with how you feel about yourself, how you interact with others and how you solve problems. It has to do with how you treat others and how you want to be treated. It's about friendships, being fair, and treating others with kindness and respect.

The brain is what controls our feelings or emotions such as being sad, angry, happy, or scared. Sometimes it helps to discuss our feelings with parents, teachers, and/or counselors. If this doesn't help, then doctors are available that specialize in mental health. Seeing a mental health doctor is no different than seeing a physical health doctor for a cold or the flu. It's very important not to ignore your mental health because it can affect your physical health and both are equally important.
Remember, the life preserver I.C. Hope is wearing. Life preservers are designed to help and we all need help occassionally.
Definition of mental illness. A mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbance in thought and/or behavior, resulting in the inability to cope with life's ordinary demands and routines. However, with the proper care and/or treatment, many individuals learn to cope and/or improve through the recovery process.
Erase stigmas associated with mental illness. When a person has a mental illness they may not be able to control their behaviors and/or emotions. But, like physical illness, with the proper treatment and medications a person can feel much better. The important thing to remember is -mental illness is no one's fault and the majority of the time it's treatable. There is no reason to feel ashamed, guilty, or afraid. It's important to seek help when needed.
Identify mental health resources. Please refer to the resources outlined under the various mental health topics. If you would like additional mental health information, please call 316-685-1821 or access the Mental Health America website at www.nmha.org.

I.C. Hope Presentations:

All programs are tailored to meet the needs of the audience!
The I.C. Hope Broadcast puppet is perfect for smaller classroom presentations to children 4-9 years of age.
The I.C. Hope walk-around mascot is perfect for larger presentations to youth 10-18 years of age and/or adults.
Presentations are also available to adults about stress, depression, etc.
To schedule a FREE presentation - please call 425-6666.

Click here to download a presentation request form.

Please fax completed presentation request forms to 316-685-0768, attention Connie F.

Mental Illnesses and Symptoms

Please note, this is not an inclusive list of mental health topics.

SUICIDE PREVENTION

IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE, PLEASE CALL THE SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE THAT IS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK AT 316-660-7500.

Facts about suicide and young people:

Over 30,000 young people commit suicide each year.
Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people.
Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between 15 and 19 years of age.
One young person commits suicide every 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Click here to learn more about suicide prevention.

A FIRST LOOK AT BULLYING

Three conditions must be present to constitute bullying. They are:

1. Negative or malicious behavior.
2. Behavior repeated over a period of time.
3. A relationship in which there is an imbalance in strength or power between the two parties involved

Click here to learn more about bullying.

STRESS

It's important to understand stress is a natural part of life. Stress can be both negative and positive. Stress can be felt if a person gets too little sleep, has poor eating habits, or has been diagnosed with a physical illness. Stress can take place when a person worries about a loved one, illness, money, or devastating life changes. People handle stress differently and have different levels of tolerance for stress.

Click here to learn more about stress

DEPRESSION

It's important to acknowledge that too much stress can lead to depression. Depression is more than just feeling blue every once in a while. Depression can affect your every day routine and normally does not go away just on its own. Depression can lead to bad grades, alcohol or other drug use, or feelings of wanting to commit suicide. If you have thoughts of wanting to hurt yourself or others, it's important to talk to parents, teachers, and/or friends that can help you get professional advice. If you are feeling depressed, can't concentrate, don't enjoy being with friends and would rather spend most of your time alone -it's important to seek help

Click here to learn more about Depression

UNDERSTANDING ANGER

Anger is a normal feeling but the key is how you handle anger. It's important to:

Express anger in an assertive non-aggressive manner.
Never use physical violence to resolve an issue.
Learn to verbalize your feelings without hurting someone else's feelings.
Being assertive does not mean being demanding or pushy. It means being respectful to yourself and others.
Learn to convert your anger into constructive behavior.
It's important to control your anger but not suppress it to the point it causes high blood pressure, also known as Hypertension,
and/or depression.
It's important to learn alternative outlets when angry such as counting to ten, taking a walk, etc. Learn to develop a "cooling off" method until you can organize your thoughts and behavior.
If you feel your anger is out of control -don't be afraid to seek professional help. Anger management classes are available for both children and adults.

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders in children and is characterized by inattention, severe hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. When a child's hyperactivity, distractibility, poor concentration, or impulsivity begins to affect performance in school and/or social relationships -ADHD may be the cause. These symptoms appear early in childhood and over the course of several months.

Click here to learn more about ADHD

ANXIETY DISORDERS

There are several types of anxiety disorders such as Generalized Anxiety Disorders, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, Panic Disorders, Phobias, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Anxiety disorders can dramatically affect a person's daily routine.

Click here to learn more about Anxiety Disorders.

BIPOLAR DISORDERS

Mood Swings are a normal part of growing up but when mood swings continue and start to interfere with a person's ability to live a happy, productive life, bipolar disorder can be the cause. Bipolar disorder is also known as manic depressive syndrome. Bipolar Disorder it's a mood disorder that causes a person to have extreme changes in mood, behavior, and energy level. Symptoms are most common in teenage and adult years. People with Bipolar Disorder have extremely high moods called mania, followed by low moods, called depression. The lows and highs can vary in length. When a person has Bipolar Disorder, it can affect many things such as grades, friendships, appearance, sleep patterns, eating patterns, ability to complete assignments, and self-esteem.

Click here for additional information about Bipolar Disorder

BODY IMAGE AND SELF-ESTEEM

Self-esteem is an indicator of good mental health. It's how we feel about ourselves. Good self-esteem means you like yourself all the time, not just when things are going great. Poor self-esteem is nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. Some self-doubt, particularly during adolescence, is normal and even healthy, but poor self-esteem should not be ignored.

Click here to learn more about self-esteem.

DUAL DIAGNOSIS

Dual Diagnosis is when a person has both an alcohol or drug problem and a mental illness. Common mental illnesses that co-occur with substance abuse include depressive disorders and/or anxiety disorders. To recover fully, a person needs to be treated for both the mental illness and the substance abuse at the same time.

Click here to learn more about Dual Diagnosis

EATING DISORDERS

Both females and males can have an eating disorder. Eating habits, concerns about weight, and attitudes about body shape can have an effect on a person's mental health. When a person's mental health is affected, and eating habits and exercise habits cause harm to a person, it is possible the person has an eating disorder. Eating disorders, if not treated by a doctor, can kill a person!

There are three types of Eating Disorders -Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating. There is not a single cause of eating disorders. Causes of Eating Disorders include stress, depression, and the desire to always be the best, the need to always be in control, or an attitude you are not good enough. Abnormal levels of chemicals in the brain may also be a cause of Eating Disorders. Some researchers believe that Eating Disorders run in families because of genetics, and studies confirming this are ongoing.

Click here to learn more about Eating Disorders

UNDERSTANDING DEATH

There are a lot of emotions attached to death such as why people die, how to say good-bye, and how to remember someone who has passed away.

It is important to remember that grief is a normal process and it takes many forms and lasts various periods of time depending upon the relationship.
A grieving person may experience anger, confusion, denial, despair, disbelief, humiliation, sadness, or shock.
The death of a loved one is very difficult -especially when it is unexpected and/or sudden.
Listening to the person grieving is extremely helpful.
Be patient and if needed -seek professional help.

If you would like additional information about any of the above topics, please call 316-685-1821 or please access the Mental Health America website at www.nmha.org.