Post from: Blisstree

Brain Break: More Fun With Lolcats

I don’t think lolcat pictures necessarily need to go in the Brain Break file if they’re related to mental health, do you?

Post from: Blisstree

Therapy Cat Is Concerned

Post from: Blisstree

Brain Break: I Have The Dumb

Either way, they’re really cute and the perfect way to give your brain a break this Sunday!

The momma cat showed up on my sister’s doorstep barefoot hungry and pregnant a couple of months ago. These little boogers popped into the world three weeks ago.

Enjoy your Sundays and remember, it’s back to the business of mental health tomorrow!

Image Credit: My sister.

Post from: Blisstree

Brain Break: Super Cute Kitten Alert!

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

Ah!

Today might be the best Brain Break ever!

Well, aside from the Lolcats, of course.

As I was stumbling around last night, I came upon The Automachine. I almost passed it by, at first, because all the little letters and such made me think it was some guitar-related Web site. (Don’t ask why I have “guitar” set as one of my Stumble interests. I just do.)

Anyway, the little cassette tape with arms and legs bopping around at the top of the page caught my eye, so I decided to tinker around with the site.

Imagine how delighted I was when a very catchy techno-ish tune started wafting out of my speakers!

I know this isn’t a new concept; there are loads of Web sites out there that allow you to make your own music. However, it was a nice break for my brain so I thought I’d pass it along.

If you’re interested in other Web sites that help you make your own music, try:

• Splice, which holds contests.
• The Music Lab, which is mostly educational and seems to focus more on symphony-esque music (not surprising, as the San Francisco Symphony owns it).
• CreateBands.com, which does just that – creates a band. You choose the members and everything.
• Punk-o-Matic, which focuses on – you guessed it! – punk music. You can create an account and share your music with others.

Still, my favorite of those is The Automachine, and my favorite combination is F (over Synthe), H (over Electro), K (over Nappe), and C (down in the Rhythms section).

What’s yours?

For more musical enjoyment, check out b5media’s Music Channel.

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

Brain Break: Make Your Own Music!

• Extreme joy. (My baby sister is now a college graduate and beginning a profession she loves.)
• Extreme stress. (My computer keeps freezing up for no reason and with total disregard to my work deadlines.)
• Extreme fatigue. (Travel, late nights, uncomfortable hotel beds – need I say more?)
• Extreme pain. (Having some wisdom tooth issues.)

Needless to say, I just don’t have the energy to dedicate to a meaningful post.

What I really need, in addition to an extreme nap, is some extreme cuteness. Unsurprisingly, I found it in the Lolcats:

more cat pictures

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

Sometimes Your Brain Just Needs A Little Cuteness

First up, let me refresh your memory regarding some of the more interesting things that went on at Mental Health Notes this week: The Lolcats paid us a visit, Boston Legal made me proud, the folks opposing the postpartum depression legislation confused me, I offered fellow American Idol Michael Johns fans some help, and, oh yeah, Mental Health Notes wants to know why you ROCK!

Next in line, I have a couple of Saturday Sanity-worthy Web sites to share with you sent in by MHN readers: Chato B. Stewart would like to announce the launch of his Web site, Mental Health Humor – and remind folks that the site is in no way meant to promote stigma. I checked it out myself, and while it seems to be in the beginning stages, I was certainly not offended and give it a Sparks Stamp of Approval. (I would also like to take this time to remind folks that, in my opinion, there is a very clear difference between mental health humor and tasteless, stigma-promoting. For example, this is mental health humor. This, however, is disgusting and promotes stigma.)

Moving right along, Hana Hasani would like to let you all know about Mamaherb, a new Web site geared toward spreading the word about natural health remedies. While browsing the site, I’ve so far found information about natural treatments for depression, Alzheimer’s, ADHD, anxiety, and narcolepsy. I’m all about using what nature gives us, so I’m happy to pass along this beautifully-designed site; however, I’d like to remind all readers that you should always consult with a medical professional before trying anything new – natural and non-natural, alike.

Now, for some scientific, research, and government-related mental health news: With more than 53,000 soldiers having been deployed to Iraq three or more times, the Army is seriously worried about the mental health effects return tours are having on our men and women in uniform – even though senior Iraq commander is telling Congress he’s “not ready to endorse any drawdowns beyond those already scheduled through July.” According to an Indiana survey, 83% of psychiatrists currently support a universal national health insurance plan. Parents with children who have ADHD and take Ritalin may be able to rest a bit easier: Researchers don’t feel Ritalin boosts the likelihood of future substance abuse.

And, finally, what’s going on around the rest of b5media’s Science & Health Channel? Well, Jul over at Veggie Chic is giving you the chance to win a copy of Gorgeously Green, Kristina over at Autism Vox shares a simply heartwarming story of sharing, and Liz over at Alzheimer’s Notes wants to remind everyone about the “All About Alzheimer’s” Carnival.

That’s all for this week’s Saturday Sanity! If you think you have some Saturday Sanity-worthy news, shoot me an email!

Image sources and credits here, here, and here.

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: Your Brain’s Weekly Smorgasbord Of Sanitylicious

And, aside from refraining from linking to that post (and, um…just deleting it altogether), what better way to take your minds off it than by sharing some hilarious Lolcats?

Answer: There is no better way. Lolcats RULE.

Every few days (or, every couple of weeks – it all depends on my busy schedule), I visit www.icanhascheezburger.com and Lolcats immediately proceed to take over my Internet life. (I never visit two days in a row. You see, I like to let a good, high number of Lolcats pictures accumulate on the Web site first. In addition to building anticipation, waiting ensures having numerous Lolcat pictures to peruse, and that just makes for some good brain breaking.)

The following are some of the Lolcats pictures that have recently made me LOL:

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

Read on for more of some hilarious Lolcats pictures that, um, don’t feature cats.

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

see more crazy cat pics

What are some of the Lolcats pictures that give your brain a break?

Post from: Blisstree

Brain Break: Oh Hai, Lolcats!