I’ve been reviewing some of the search phrases that lead you lovely readers here to Mental Health Notes. I can figure out why most of them led you to MHN; however, one of them…well, you’ll see!

Of course, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t add my own thoughts. Maybe they’ll help you find something just as interesting as what you were originally searching? We’ll see!

5 MHN Search Phrases I Can’t Really Help You With

1. “why do cats smell each other’s ass” – At first, I wondered why on earth this search phrase would bring someone to MHN. Then, I realized, I did indeed post about this topic once – kind of. Is This Why My Cats Smell Each Other’s Butts? discusses a study regarding how we “like” or “dislike” people based on their smells. However, I never really find out why cats smell each other’s butts; surprising, too, given that I’ve owned cats (or, cats have owned me) all my life.
2. “remember when, i remember, i remember when i lost my mind” – There were actually two recent searches for this from two different countries. The only guess I can make is that you wanted to know the lyrics to Gnarls Barkley’s 2006 hit, “Crazy.” Unfortunately, you won’t find them here. In my post I Remember When, I Remember, I Remember When I Lost My Mind… I simply discuss the musical act’s video that failed the Harding Test.
3. “u tube video bipolar disorder” – In And The A.S.S. Award Goes To…A Random You Tube Commenter, I featured a You Tube video of Daniel Johnston performing “Devil Town.” However, thus far I don’t have any videos archived that educate you about bipolar disorder, or…show someone “being” bipolar? If you find any, share with the class!
4. “what is michael johns email address” – I’ve never figured out how the average civilian gets hold of such information. If I knew, you can bet I’d be – hello! – blowing up Wentworth Miller’s email account. (It’s apparent the man hasn’t yet realized we’re destined to be together. Nothing wrong with a little persuasion, right?) Anyway, in Goodbye, American Idol Michael Johns: The 5 Stages Of Loss, I did offer up some explanation of what the fallen Idol’s fans may have experienced when he left American Idol.
5. “checking for lumps in my testicles video” – Unlike the above four search phrases, I can’t even guess why this search phrase led you to MHN. There were no matching results when I searched the phrase here at MHN, and when I googled the phrase, well, MHN wasn’t on the front page. The best I can do is point you in the direction of Scott Wharton’s Health and Men.

So, while we’re on the topic, what do you want to know? What questions to you have a burning desire to ask?

Image source and credit.

There’s still plenty of time to enter yourself in Mental Health Notes’ This Is Why I ROCK! and show the world why truly living with mental illness is possible!

Post from: Blisstree

Mental Health Notes Asks: What Do You Really Want?

How’s that for a slap of stigma? I guess I should have titled this, “In The World Of Show Biz, It Pays When The Stigma-Ridden Media Labels You Crazy, Assigns Photographers To Follow You Around For 12-Hour Shifts, And Just Completely Ignores Other Interesting And Photo-Worthy Hotties Such As A One Mr. Wentworth Miller.”

But, that’s not as catchy, now, is it? Nor is it entirely true. The media chases what they label as “crazy.” So, crazy it is, and it really does pay – to the tune of $120 million a year.

OK, that’s not what Britney Spears made for having several very public mental health-related meltdowns this year; it’s “the revenue generated from all things Britney” according to Is The Business Of Britney In A Recession?

And much of that revenue came from products, such as stories and photos, surrounding Spears’ often questionable behavior.

However, a recession in this area of the Business of Britney brings both good and bad news.

The good news is that it seems like Britney’s father’s conservatorship is helping keep Britney at home, which is in turn, keeping her out of the public eye and out of all those trashy rags that beckon me in waiting rooms.

The bad news is that, with Spears’ staying at home, things have gotten “really, really slow” for all those poor photographers. (Yep, you got me, that was some ol’ Sparks Sarcasm – I’m glad things are slow for them! Let Britney collect herself in peace for Pete’s sake. Go exploit someone else. Like Wentworth Miller. I hear he’s seriously photogenic.)

So, yay for Britney, yay for her papa, and yay for all those west coast McDonald’s locations that are probably going to see an increase in job applications.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Post from: Blisstree

In The World Of Show Biz, It Pays To Be Crazy

I spent a pretty decent amount of time trying to think of a clever way to begin this post, but it’s apparent the only way to begin it is to just come right out with it:

Yesterday, I felt the weight of mental health stigma like never before.

Yesterday a local health and fitness center hosted its annual community health fair at which health-related organizations from all over the county set up booths with information about their services, freebies, and drawings for door prizes. My state’s NAMI Community Family Outreach Coordinator sets a booth up each year, and because this is the first year the county has had an active NAMI support group during the time of the health fair, I was there, too, promoting our local NAMI affiliation and handing out flyers with an overall introduction to our group, the dates, times, and locations of our meetings, and contact information.

Well, trying to hand out flyers. Most people either politely declined, “forgot them” on the table before leaving, handed them to someone else once they made their way across the room, or simply threw them away.

Now, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t walk across the room cramming my flyers into people’s hands. Actually, I didn’t offer the flyers to anyone who wasn’t already at our table eating our free candy and pretending to look at our booklets and pamphlets about various mental illnesses in order to continue eating our free candy (booklets and pamphlets, I should point out, that they treated in the same manner they treated my flyers).

Those folks who did talk to us about mental health (and not just pass by to pick up our free candy) had the following things to say when we offered them flyers and informational booklets and pamphlets:

• “Oh, no thanks, I don’t need them.” (This, after telling me their doctors had spoken with them about possible depression and anxiety disorders.)
• “My husband would kill me if he knew I’d told his [OCD-related] secrets to a stranger!”
• “I’m not crazy.” (One man even emphasized this by running his fingers up and down his lips while blowing air out of his mouth.)

My NAMI Community Family Outreach Coordinator assured me that this was completely typical of any health fair she’d ever attended. Lots of folks don’t want to be seen at the mental health table for fear that a) someone might think they know someone with a mental illness, or b) someone might think that they themselves have a mental illness.

I’ve got news, people. One out of every four adults in America has a diagnosable mental illness during any given year. Do the math. The statistics have already let your little secret out of the box: Chances are high that you at least know someone with a mental illness.

And the world continues to properly spin on its axis.

The fair wasn’t a complete flop. (Actually, it wasn’t really a flop at all – my skin just isn’t as thick yet, so it disappointed me more.) A small handful of people did take our information, and I networked with the folks who host our local Alzheimer’s support group.

I suppose I just expected more from a community health fair, especially one that was hosted in a health and fitness center; rather, I expected more from the people who went out of their ways to attend a health fair hosted in a health and fitness center. I mean, it’s not like we were set up in the middle of the mall shouting with bull horns about the importance of paying attention to your brain.

Maybe that’ll be my next endeavor.

I’m not bitter, just disappointed. I’m always disappointed (and sometimes enraged, though, not this time) when I see the effects stigma has on society.

Like me? Hate me? Rate me at Psych Central:

The above image is owned by psd and used under these Creative Commons attributions.

Post from: Blisstree

Statistics Have Already Let Your Little Secret Out Of The Box

Why?

Seems Mr. Barkley’s (rather, Misters Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo) latest music video for their newest song “Run” contains strobe effects that fail the Harding Test, therefore resulting in a big fat “nuh-uh, nope, not gonna play it” from MTV. (For those of you who don’t know, the Harding Test is a set of guidelines established by Harding FPA to prevent epileptic seizures triggered by TV images.)

Danger Mouse’s response according to Billboard.com?

“I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but we’re having issues. I think [the video] is cool. It works for me. But I’m not necessarily that easily seasick,” he says with a laugh. “We can’t predict how people are going to interpret it.”

Eh, last time I checked, Mr. Mouse, whether or not a person is easily seasick is not an accurate predictor of whether or not your strobe effects are going to trigger epileptic seizures. Too, it’s not exactly, um, very intelligent sounding to refer to an epileptic seizure as they way a person “interprets” your video.

Just as your “Crazy” lyrics claim, you are definitely out of touch.

No matter, though. MTV was there to point out the problems with the video for “Run.” Here’s to hoping Danger Mouse, Cee-Lo, and even Justin Timberlake (who makes a cameo in the video) can painlessly resolve the seizurely issues and get their creative endeavors safely on the air.

Post from: Blisstree

“I Remember When, I Remember, I Remember When I Lost My Mind…”