Author: jewelsangels

The Jewels’ Angels Foundation is sponsoring a toy drive in our local community of Corona, CA.

During the last week before Christmas, we are collecting new unwrapped toys and clothes for children /teens, ranging from ages between 1 month to 18 years old.

Saturday December 23rd we will donate these items to the Parent Center and Corona Mission for them to distribute amongst the families who are financially struggling this year.

The Jewels’ Angels Foundation wishes to make this Christmas a happier time for our families in need during this holiday season.

Please contact us directly through e-mail or send us a private message to obtain the location to drop off your gift.

Thank you for supporting our cause to make this world a better place and help to end teen depression and spread awareness on suicide.

WALK OUT OF DARKNESS – SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION (AFSP)

This past Saturday, December 2, 2017, we were invited to attend the Walk Out of Darkness, sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, held in Upland, CA.  Donations supported research, education & prevention, advocacy & public policy, and support for survivors of suicide loss and people at risk to help spread the awareness and prevention of suicide.

It was a great experience for us personally and a tremendous recognition for our foundation.  We even got our own booth, as you can see in our picture.

It was their 8th year of hosting the walk, and the purpose of it was not only to raise money for suicide prevention and awareness strategies, but to also honor a loved one lost from suicide.  Every single walker had experienced some loss from suicide, or greatly supported suicide prevention efforts.  It was very sad, but also beautiful to see so many people affected by suicide all together and the ability to connect and share our experiences together, as well as explain our foundation and what we do.

It was a great turnout; we ran out of our patchwork bears within the first hour, gave away tons of pens and cards.  We also reached out to many people and shared with them what our foundation does and when to come to our support groups if needed.  Our booth featured two paintings done by us representing suicide awareness and our foundation, and a collage of Jewels.

On a personal level, it was sad to see so many people hurting over something we know is extremely painful.  It was an emotionally exhausting day, to say the least; however it is all worth it in the end.  The goal and recognition to spread awareness about suicide, and provide our own services through the Jewels’ Angels Foundation makes all the emotions worth it; if we only save one life, it was worth it!

The top sponsor spotlight was the Loma Linda University Behavioral Medical Center.  Their goal is in recognizing the complex needs of patients facing mental illness and chemical dependency.

The next walk is schedule for Saturday March 24, 2018 at Palm Desert Civic Center Park, in Coachella Valley, CA – and yes we will be there with a booth giving away Patchwork Bears with the suicide awareness ribbon and pens.

Register at afsp.org/inlandempiredc

If someone you know is in crisis, call the 24-hour hotline at The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:  1-800-273-8255

Sponsored sites:

Loma Linda Behavioral Medical Center

AFSP

Sometimes it seems that all this country thinks about is what they do not have. What they are missing, what they wish they had, and what they could have if they would have done this or that differently.

While these thoughts may be hard to get rid of completely, there is a way for us to better think about our lives. Try thinking positively about your life; instead of focusing on what we wish we had, instead focus on what we do have.

What are you grateful for? If we take the time to think about what we are grateful for in our own worlds it can greatly increase the positivity of our daily mindset.

I  am grateful for:

-My family, my health, my apartment, my car, my intelligence, my pets, my job, my determination, and my strength; just to name a few!

These are large things in my life that I am grateful for. Even consciously thinking about the little things we take for granted can make a big difference.

Subsequently, putting into our awareness the things we aimlessly take for granted, that not everyone may possess. Maybe its being able to walk, or being able to get an education.

Make a conscious effort to put into the forefront of your mind the things you DO have and the happiness and strength you DO possess.

Friendship plays a huge role in human development. During early childhood, the experience of socializing with friends and making connections with other human beings is vital to a child’s self-esteem, emotional development, growth of social skills, problem solving skills, and many other concepts. Friendships can also work to help children develop and discover their self-identities, as they move into adolescence. Simply having a friend provides a person one can rely on, share their ideas and problems, and be there to support each other through life’s good and bad times.

Having a friend is extremely important to adolescents because it gives them someone to connect with and someone who they can talk to about things they may both be experiencing. Transitioning from childhood to adolescence is an awkward and confusing time and friends can be a source of similarity. Talking to a friend about your transitioning phase, such as puberty, and having commonalities helps expand an adolescent’s confidence and helps them to understand that other teens are going through the same hurdles. Friendship also provide a sense of belonging and security in the teenage world.

Remember to be kind to one another. If someone is sitting alone at lunch, maybe try sitting with them and sparking up a conversation. If someone looks lost, walk up to them and ask if they need help getting somewhere. Humans by nature are social creatures, and everyone can benefit from some friendly conversation. Be understanding and respectful; lend a helping hand or simply offer some kind words to a stranger this week. Little moments can make a tremendous difference in a person’s life!

What are the warning signs of suicide with untreated depression?

Warning signs of suicide include:

• Talking, writing, or thinking about killing or hurting oneself or threatening to do so
• Depression (deep sadness, loss of interest in once pleasurable activities, changes in sleeping or eating patterns)
• Having a “death wish”, tempting fate by taking risks that could lead to death – for example, driving through red lights
• Losing interest in things one used to care about
• Making comments about being hopeless, helpless, or worthless
• Putting affairs in order, tying up loose ends, or changing a will
• Saying things like “it would be better if I wasn’t here” or “I want out”
• A sudden switch from being very sad to being very calm or appearing to be happy
• Suddenly visiting or calling people one cares about
• Talking about suicide
• Increase in alcohol consumption or drug use
• Writing a suicidal note
• Watching well publicized murder and / or suicide reports in the media
• Conducting online searches on ways to complete suicide
• Seeking methods to kill oneself, such as getting a gun or pills

This article is credited to WebMD

WebMD

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or having suicidal thoughts, ask for help or call The National Prevention Suicide Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

You are not alone!

WHAT CAUSES DEPRESSION?

Harvard Medical School recently published an article on the causes of depression; the onset of depression is more complex than a brain chemical imbalance.

The research suggests three areas of the brain that are effected in a patient diagnosed with depression.

• Amygdala
• Thalamus
• Hippocampus

The Amygdala is activated when a person recalls emotionally charged memories, such as a frightening situation.  Activity is higher when a person is sad or clinically depressed.

The Thalamus receives most sensory information and relays it to the appropriate part of the cerebral cortex, which directs high-level functions, such as speech, behavioral reactions, movements, thinking, and learning.

The Hippocampus has a central role in processing long-term memory and recollection.  It is the part of the brain that registers fear.

Working together, these regions of the brain have a direct effect on a person’s mood.  Mood is affected by dozens of genes; such as the following:

• A person’s temperament effects behavior
• Stressful life events
• Stresses on the body
• Early losses and trauma
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
• Medical problems

Research suggests that depression doesn’t start from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals.  Rather, there are many possible causes of depression; including faulty mood regulations by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems.  It’s believed that several of these forces interact to bring on depression.

If you would like to read this article in its entirety, visit their website at

Harvard Medical School

Published:  June 2009, updated April 11, 2017

This last Friday, we gave our first  motivational speech. We were excited about the turnout; almost every chair was filled. Since it was our first speech, on behalf of our foundation (Jewels Angels), we learned a lot about ourselves and what we are capable of producing. We opened our hearts to a group of strangers, reading our personal stories and tragedies, this was no doubt extremely difficult. However, we fought through, because we knew we had to do it for Jewels, and the outcome was beautiful.

Not only did we have questions about suicide, such as, what are warning signs to look for, but so many families came up to talk to us personally afterward. Since we shared our stories with them, they shared their personal stories with us. They shared their worries, fears, and hopes for their child/children. We were able to give our best advice, based on our personal experiences, and offer compassion and hope.

It is no joke when I say, reading those speeches are PAINFUL. It’s scary. But sharing our stories with families who need our support, makes it worth it. Changing one family and saving one life, that would make such a big difference. Facing our fears of publicly speaking, especially about such a sensitive topic, will only make us stronger and benefit society as a whole.

Parents…how well do we really know our kids?  They are suffering right under our roofs and we don’t even see it.

Trust our hearts, not the words of a stranger.  This song says it all.

CHLOE ADAMS SONG ABOUT DEPRESSION

The entire month of September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness month. September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. As stated on our website, suicide has become the 2nd leading cause of death among teens in the United States. One of the reasons we believe so many teens are taking their own lives is because the subject is not talked about very often. To some, the topic of suicide can feel like a “taboo” or when someone mentions the word suicide in general there can be a sense of shame. This should not be the case!

Just like mental health in general, suicide and depression are real life issues, and we should not shame other people for either asking for help, in terms of their own suicidal ideation, or speaking out about suicide awareness based on personal experiences, on the behalf of others. Of course society, as a whole will take a lot longer to change than will us as individuals, but something to keep in mind for yourself this month is not to think of suicide as a “bad” word. Try not to feel uncomfortable bringing up suicide and talking about the subject. If adults feel uncomfortable talking about it, teenagers are not going to want to speak up and tell an adult if they are having suicidal ideations.

Let’s keep our minds and hearts open to this topic, not just this month, but all the time. Tell your loved ones and your teenagers that you are there to listen to them and nothing they say or admit will make you love them any less.

If someone out there needs to talk about anything related to suicide, depression, or mental health, please feel free to contact us through our emails or phone number.

jwilkinson@jewelsangels.org          pwilkinson@jewelsangels.org     (951) 393-0375

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YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!