Ruby Castilla Puentes, UIS Physician. Specialist in Psychiatry, president and founder of WARMI (Women’s Mental Health) and president of the APA Hispanic Psychiatrists Group 2024-2026, recently published her book “Saving Olito: Empowering Communities and Building Resilience to Prevent Youth Suicide”.
“Saving Olito, is a book I wrote for me. To resolve my own grief. The story of this book goes back 40 years. “Olito” was what he was called by his very young nieces who called him ”Tio Olito.” (“Tio Jorgito”). Olito was my first boyfriend. At a very young age he lost his life. He was a victim of a condition that, like other conditions in medicine, can be preventable: suicide,” says the author.
That is what the book is about, she says, explaining in simple words the importance of early identification and management of the comorbidities associated with this condition, so that it ceases to be a taboo. Suicide and its prevention can be talked about in homes and schools, and people who are experiencing depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts or behaviors can be treated appropriately. That is one way to prevent suicide.
It is well known that the risk of suicide in patients diagnosed with depression is three times higher than in the general population. It is estimated that 80% of suicides involve depression. “As physicians we must be committed to prevention, and that is what this book is about, to provide clear information on this problem that affects many families,” said the UIS graduate.
This is her third book. The first was “Psychiatry Quixotes” and the second “Mental Health for Hispanic Communities: A Guide for Practitioners”.
Those who wish to read the book, which is currently only available in English, can get it at Amazon https://a.co/d/8XTSCSd.
