Here at b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel, we’re always doing something.

This week, we’re rounding up our “Top 5″ posts.

Some bloggers are focusing on their top five most popular posts, their favorite posts, and even posts that aren’t very well known to their readers.

Because Mental Health Notes is still celebrating its one-year anniversary, I thought I’d go retro with it and list the top five posts I had the most fun writing within the first five months Mental Health Notes was live. (Five just seems to be a common number here, so I’ll stick with it.)

So, without further ado…

May 2007 – Brush Up On Your Health Literacy – This post was actually part of a Mental Health Month series I ran in May 2007. For each day of the month, I offered a “tip” to help better manage mental health. The main reason I enjoyed writing this post is because health literacy was, at that time, completely new to me. So, I was learning while I was passing along information to you.

June 2007 – Is There a Line That Separates Politics and Human Compassion? – I had some trouble choosing a post from this month. Initially, I wanted to select DMB Takes a Stand Against Inadequate Mental Health Care because – hello – Dave Matthews Band is the best. band. ever. However, the related petition was expired, so I moved on to Is There a Line That Separates Politics and Human Compassion? While the information in that post isn’t exactly up to date, it’s still very relevant in today’s politics. And it was fun to write, because I just don’t like Ann Coulter.

July 2007 – Harry Potter: A Cure for Depression? – Choosing a post for this month presented a dilemma, too. I thought about highlighting Damage Control: How To Deal With Losing Mental Health Care Coverage (it is extremely beneficial information, after all), but I ultimately chose the Harry Potter post because it was the funnest to write.

August 2007 – Reduce Stress The Interactive Way – This was by far the funnest post to write during August 2007, because the research that went into writing this post was fun!

September 2007 – Long Abandoned Suitcases From A State Mental Institution – I didn’t have to think too long about this one. Writing about the Willard Suitcase Exhibit was not only fun; it was fascinating.

That’s all for the top five posts I had the most fun writing during the first five months of Mental Health Notes. Did I include any of your favorites?

Image: Newscom

Remember! You have until May 31, 2008 to enter the Mental Health Notes Birthday Giveaway, and forever to join the This Is Why I ROCK! series!

Post from: Blisstree

Top 5 Posts I Had The Most Fun Writing For Mental Health Notes

If you watched The Today Show today, you enjoyed – or loathed – the recap of Elizabeth Edwards’ and Ann Coulter’s ill attempt at a “debate” yesterday.

(Need to catch up? Check out the transcription of Elizabeth Edwards vs. Ann Coulter. You can also watch the video, Edwards to Coulter: Stop personal attacks.)

“Debate” summary: Edwards is tired of Coulter using Edwards’ son’s death in 1996 as a way to oppose the Democratic Party, claiming these are personal attacks that should be stopped. Coulter attempts to make Edwards’ requests seem ridiculous and damaging to her husband’s presidency campaign by claiming Edwards’ is telling her to stop writing books.

My opinion? Coulter is an arrogant, heartless, hair-flipping, attention-seeking, cocktail dress-wearing “political commentator” and Edwards is completely justified in her request.

How is any of this related to mental health?

Anyone who’s ever experienced the death of a family member knows how painful it is, and anyone who’s ever experienced the death of a child knows a pain like no other. Heartache aside, the mental strain alone is enough to send you spiraling into deep depression – or worse.

After traumatic events, many folks are inspired to do something in the name of the deceased. If your mother dies from breast cancer, you may be moved to help raise money to pay for the costs of mammograms for women who can’t afford health care. If your son dies from AIDS, you may want to volunteer in some field that raises awareness about safe sex, or IV drug use, or blood transfusions gone wrong.

As Coulter notes in a 2003 article for the Jewish World Review, many presidential candidates have somehow tied their family members’ deaths in with their campaigns. Do they say, “My son died – help ease the pain by voting for me,” as Coulter claims? No. The majority of the candidates she’s attacking are using what they’ve learned from these deaths to further highlight their presidential intentions.

Case in point: From “The Party of Ideas,” Coulter asserts:

The relevance of his son’s illness to Gephardt’s run for the presidency is this: It inspired Gephardt’s call for national health insurance.

(Richard Andrew “Dick” Gephardt was a hopeful democratic presidential nominee in 2004, until John Kerry was nominated.)

I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was the relevance of his run, but it may have been a highlight. Is there anything wrong with that? No. Gephardt seems to have been inspired by his son’s illness to at least try to do something for national health insurance.

Despicable.

Now Coulter’s back at it again, attacking the Edwards’ once more. (She did so during the 2004 campaign, too.)

Coulter has been referred to as a “tell it like it is” kind of woman. Being a “tell it like it is” kind of woman myself, I understand her need to voice her opinion. However, I also understand what it means to be human and have a heart. I don’t care if you’re a Republican or Democrat, you just don’t attack people who have suffered such loss simply because it is your opinion that they’re using the loss to further their campaign.

Mrs. Edwards sounded absolutely helpless during this “debate.” As much as I would like to say she called up Hardball and socked it to Coulter, I can’t. I actually can’t say either woman made a recognizable point other than Edwards asking Coulter to stop making personal attacks, and Coulter saying no.

My heart went out to Edwards, and I sincerely hope she remains strong despite these continuous, completely unnecessary reminders of her son’s death.

Further proof that Coulter is an arrogant, heartless, hair-flipping, attention-seeking, cocktail dress-wearing “political commentator” who cares more about hearing her own voice and reading her own words than about the importance of human compassion? In a 2006 interview with Matt Lauer:

Lauer: “Alright on the 9/11 widows and in particular a group that had been outspoken and critical of the administration. ‘These self-obsessed women seem genuinely unaware that 9/11 was an attack on our nation and acted as if the terrorist attack only happened to them. They believe the entire country was required to marinate in their exquisite personal agony. Apparently denouncing Bush was an important part of their closure process.’ And this part is, is the part I really need to talk to you about. ‘These broads are millionaires lionized on TV and in articles about them reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by grief-arazzis. I’ve never seen people enjoying their husbands’ death so much.’

I think enough has been said here.

Image: Newscom

Post from: Blisstree

Is There a Line That Separates Politics and Human Compassion?