Morris Stigma Free: Social Media and Teen Suicide Awareness Talk in Wharton Nov. 14

Published on October 22, 2018

Emojis, Acronyms, Apps: Clues to Your Teen's Well-Being

Social media trends and teen suicide awareness is the topic of a talk on Nov. 14 in Wharton.

Speaker Heather DiDomenico, LPC, from Bridges Counseling, will talk to participants about the warning signs of children in crisis and solutions for prevention.

Teenagers are using a language all their own to talk and keep secrets that includes emojis, acronyms and their own terms. During the discussion, DiDomenico will discuss social media apps and explain how kids use them, and how they can be appropriate, misused or even dangerous. A Q&A will follow the talk.

Hosts of this FREE event are Wharton Police Department and the Wharton Municipal Alliance. It will be held at 7 p.m., Nov. 14 at Marie V. Duffy Elementary School, 137 E. Central Ave., Wharton.

For other Stigma-Free events, visit the calendar of events.

Upcoming: Nov. 1, Randolph: Countywide Prevention Forum €“ Raising Resilient Teens in Challenging Times

The Morris County Board of Freeholders in 2016 passed a resolution designating Morris County as a Stigma-Free County, joining an already established movement as a partner.

A Stigma Free website www.morriscountystigmafree.org provides a members-provided wealth of information and resources, and a calendar of upcoming events related to mental illness and substance abuse. A Stigma-Free Toolkit also is available for towns, schools, and faith-based communities.

As part of the countywide initiative, residents are urged to take the Stigma Free Pledge: https://morriscountystigmafree.org/take-the-pledge/

For information on the disease of mental illness, visit www.nami.org and for information on NAMI's national Stigma Free effort, visit: https://www.nami.org/stigmafree

Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace which results from the judgment by others. When an individual is labeled by their illness they experience judgment and prejudice. Stigma brings experiences and feelings of shame, embarrassment, distress, hopelessness and reluctance to seek or accept help.