Teens Royal Oak Ferndale Look At Suicide s ome 150 members of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization from southeast Michigan and Canada listened intently Oct. 30 as a panel of speakers related their personal and professional experiences with mental illness. Jason Zaks, program chair for Michigan Region BBYO, had a personal stake in the program at Tamarack Camps. His battle with depression and obsessive compulsive disorder began when he was in high school. "I am a suicide survivor," he said. "I couldn't talk about the way I was feeling. When I was in high school we had speakers on drunk driving, drugs and AIDS, but I never heard about mental illness. Zaks described his deliberate drug overdose and another inci- dent when he decided not to pull the trigger on a shotgun pointed "right down my throat." He told the BBYO group, "I couldn't see any other way to end Jason Zaks. of BBYO discussed his suicide the pain, but at the last minute, attempts. something made me stop. "My goal is to talk about this life outside of an institution. Wanetik now, so others know where to turn alerted the teens to the common for help. problem of "dual diagnosis" where an Mental health clinician Ann individual may be abusing drugs and Wanetik from the Oakland County alcohol to self-medicate the symp- Community Mental Health Authority toms of an affective disorder. told the teens that mental illness most Zaks asked the BBYO teens to often strikes during the late teen years increase their involvement in commu- or early 20s. She stressed that affec- nity service projects. He will be distrib- tive disorders are biologically based uting information about the Light for and need to be viewed in the same Life Foundation Yellow Ribbon pro- light as other physical illnesses. gram, which is a teen suicide preven- "It is not an embarrassment to tion outreach. Castine, OCCMHA have diabetes, or cancer. It should not community education specialist who be an embarrassment to have a coordinated the panel, said her organi- depressive disorder or schizophrenia," zation is available to provide informa- she said. "What is a shame is not to tion to other groups. I 1 have those symptoms identified because without this step there can be no treatment." For information about mental A panel of four talked about their health education, call Jacqueline illnesses: major depression, schizo- Castine of the Oakland County phrenia and bipolar disorder and all Community Mental Health said that new medications make it Authority, (248) 975-9684. possible to live a productive, happy 53 Plymouth Canton The Jewish Community Council is bringing the Jewish community to your doorstep with a series of Town Hall Meetings geared toward your unique needs and concerns as a Jewish member of your community. Each meeting takes place in an area where a new pocket of Jewish growth is emerging. Join Us For A TOWN HALL MEETING FOR DOWNRIVER AREA RESIDENTS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, at 7:30 p.m. BETH ISAAC SYNAGOGUE 2730 Edsel Drive Trenton (Off of West Road, east of 1-75) Hosted by: Beth Isaac Synagogue * -7 Sponsored by: Jewish v Community Council agri="8 DETROIT JEWISH WE'WS For more information about the Town Hall Meetings Call the Jewish Community Council (248) 642-5393 FREE DIGITAL PHONE FREE NIGHTS FREE WEEKENDS 200 MINUTES $39 A MONTH ANY QUESTIONS! PAG E RONE entech Cellular and Paging Services - Crosswinds Plaza • Next to Kroger d Lake and Lone Pine • West Bloomfield 248-538-2100 11/12 1999 U'