I’ve made an appearance at Gabrielle’s blog, Daily Tomorrow, with 5 Reasons Being Green Is Good For My Mental Health, and would love for you to all check it out!

Writing the post was fun, and made me stop and think about the additional benefits of “being green,” aside from helping the planet.

Hope to see you there!

Post from: Blisstree

Ever Think About Going Green For Your Mental Health?

My bookmarks and email inbox have been bursting at the seams this week, just waiting to get into Saturday Sanity for all you fine people! Now that the day has arrived, it’s clear to me there is so much Saturday Sanity-worthy news, I’d best break it up so as not to take up 3/4 of the front page, ha!

So, read on for what’s been going on at Mental Health Notes, in the world of mental health news and advocacy, and throughout the b5media Health & Wellness Channel!

Here at Mental Health Notes, I shared military grief and support resources in honor of Memorial Day and highlighted online OCD support resources; invited you to take The Happiness Quiz, play The Recovery Cup board game, get your groove on at YouLicense.com, and laugh it up with Chato B. Stewart and his new mental health cartoon; pointed you in the direction of some life tips from Mark Twain; published the May edition of What Do You Really Want?; shared some thoughts on the recently declared haunted Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum; and passed along a Greenpeace report regarding video game consoles and learning, memory, and behavioral problems.

Oh, and the most exciting news of all: The spotlight is on a new rocker – Air!

In mental health advocacy news, Mental Health America is urging us to ask our representatives to vote for a delay on harmful and ill-advised Medicaid regulations. Mental Health America was also noted for its “Inaugural Promotion and Prevention Summit to Advance New Strategies.” The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) highlights Amber Main, a NAMI Virginia member who was featured on MTV’s “True Life: I Have Schizophrenia.” Dave at Dare To Dream wants to share thoughts and a video about neuroanatomist Jill Bolt Taylor’s self-discovery after suffering a stroke.

In regular ol’ mental health news and research, Kathleen Kingsbury tackles the debate of employees’ physical and mental health being considered equally important in TIME’s Tallying Mental Illness’ Costs. Norma Perez, a psychologist with a Texas medical facility for veterans post-traumatic stress disorder program, had the nerve to ask her staff members to stop diagnosing veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder due to “compensation seeking veterans.” Earthquake survivors in China are struggling with trauma, and according to Pauline Tam of The Ottawa Citizen Canada is lagging behind in mental health spending. Depression is in the spotlight for post-stroke patients and kidney transplant patients, and Canadian researchers now say people with dementia who take antipsychotic drugs have three times the risk of developing health problems or dying than people with dementia who don’t take antipsychotics.

And, in b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel news, Marijke Durning of Help My Hurt and Womb Within explains bone marrow transplants and becoming a donor, and Angelique at Breaking the Mirror – who is apparently a fellow Lolcats fan – shares a bit of comic relief and Cancer Commentary’s Gloria Gamat tells us about Stand Up To Cancer. Liz Lewis at Healthbolt shares some vintage drug ads, and, sadly, Jul leaves Veggie Chic and the b5media family.

Oh, I could end this week’s Saturday Sanity without letting you know about all the giveaways going on within the Health & Wellness Channel! Gabrielle Sedor is being an awfully generous soul and giving away copies of the “Learn to Create a Healthy Home!” CD at Daily Tomorrow and Fertility Blend for Women vitamins at Fertility Notes. Not to be outdone, Grace Ibay at Kids Health Notes is giving away oodles of health food treats and snacks.

Whoo! I didn’t think I’d ever get that all out. Remember, if you have any Saturday Sanity news, shoot me an email with “Saturday Sanity” in the subject line.

Image: Newscom

Air is currently rockin’ out in the This Is Why I ROCK! series here at Mental Health Notes. If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over the the official announcement post and enter!

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: Putting A Bee In Your Bonnet

Yipee! It’s the Health & Wellness Channel’s monthly theme day, and I’m super excited because not only am I finally hosting, but the theme is mental health in honor of May being Mental Health Month!

My fellow b5media bloggers have really pulled together and presented some great information this month, so grab a cup of coffee and settle in for some good readin’!

Over at Help My Hurt, Marijke Durning addresses Depression and Chronic Pain, and touches on the question of, “Which comes first, depression or chronic pain?”

Healthbolt gives us a first-hand look into depression via a Question and Answer session with a long-time sufferer. Diagnosis, triggers and treatments are all discussed in this exclusive interview.

At Alzheimer’s Notes, Mary Emma Allen discusses Depression – a Mental Health Concern for Caregivers and Alzheimer’s Patients. (Something I’ve experienced firsthand and can’t wait to read!)

With Stigma and Pride, Kristina Chew at Autism Vox reminds us that some of the past and present stigma cast upon autistic individuals is in part because of misconceptions not only of autism, but of mental illness.

Karen Lynch at Pink Ribbon Review points out that Breast Cancer Can Cause Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In her post she lists symptoms to watch for and links you to an assessment tool to see how far you’ve come in terms of personal growth and healing.

Weighting Line’s Hope Wilbanks gives us some insight on How To Deal With Depression And Weight Gain.

Over at Lively Women, Kristen King asks a very thought-provoking question – after she offers up some just as thought-provoking quotes – with In Honor Of Mental Health Awareness: Are You REALLY Happy?
Gabrielle Sedor at Fertility Notes nods in the direction of this year’s Mental Health Month theme, “Get Connected,” with Get Connected for Mental Health Month. Not only does she encourage us to get connected, but she offers resources to do so!

Gab is also now the blogger for Daily Tomorrow, and for that she offers up Is Going Green Good for Your Mental Health, or Just Making You Crazy? (You can bet I’ll be leaving a comment or two on that one!)

Grace Ibay reminds us of the importance of Building A Positive Self Image In Our Children at Kids Health Notes.

Health and Men’s Scott Wharton got a jump on all of us last week by rounding up FIVE of his mental health-related posts with Health And Men’s Best Of Mental Health.

Mark W. discusses Anger Turned Inwards at A Dozen Steps (something I’m really looking forward to reading, especially given that he explores mental health and alcoholism – over the past couple of years, I’ve become very interested and somewhat involved with mental health and addiction of any sort).

Angelique at Breaking the Mirror fills us in on mental health, medication, and eating disorders with Anorexia, Bulimia, Depression, Prozac – What You Should Know.

Breastfeeding 1-2-3’s Angela White takes a look at traditional anti-depressants and alternative treatments for depression in breastfeeding mothers with Breastfeeding, Mental Health, Anti-Depressants and Alternative Treatments.

Gloria Gamat over at Cancer Commentary talks about how mental health is a critical factor in the life of a cancer patient, thus it shouldn’t be ignored by healthcare professional and the patients and their families alike, with PTSD, Cancer Patients, Mental Health Month and Channel Theme Day.

And finally, at Diabetes Notes our very own Channel Editor Kendra James presents Depression Is An Independent Trigger For Type 2 Diabetes to inform us that depression is an independent factor for type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that depression alone, and not lifestyle factors like being overweight, can trigger Type 2 diabetes in adults 65 and older, a population with a high prevalence of diabetes and depression.

Kendra also writes A Hearty Life, and over there she tells us about Heart Disease And Depression/Anxiety: It Is Directly Related.

That’s all for now! Be sure to let each one of these awesome bloggers know how much you appreciate the time, effort, and research they dedicated to these posts!

Ken Jensen is currently rockin’ out in the This Is Why I ROCK! series here at Mental Health Notes. If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over the the official announcement post and enter!

Post from: Blisstree

Join The Health & Wellness Channel In Recognizing Mental Health Month!