Stop wondering about that, and enjoy this week’s Saturday Sanity!

This week at Mental Health Notes, I provided a very brief overview of self-medication and dual diagnosis resources, updated you on Sen. Edward M. Kennedy’s brain surgery and future plans, shared a funny video on herd behavior and one on refocusing your mental energy, directed you to a PETA resource for grieving and feeling guilty over your pets, participated in the first ever Healthbolt Carnival, griped about one man’s predictions on how we’ll be learning in the future, and offered some encouraging words from Joel Osteen.

In the world of mental health advocacy and fellow mental health bloggers, Chato B. Stewart’s Mental Health Humor blog won Today.com’s Editor’s Choice Award for Enthusiasm and Effort, Jerry at ADHDFamilies gave the site a serious overhaul (and it looks great!), and Dr. Robin Altman’s new book, An Irreverent Take On Child Psychiatry, is available for sale. everyminute.org is increasing the number of signatures on its Online Declaration and offers a list of ways to help spread the word, the DBSA has made available an online transcript of the genetics and bipolar disorder chat with Dr. Melvin G. McInnis, and finally, Mental Health America has announced the winners of the Mental Health America 2008 Media Award and has honored Congressman Jim Ramstad with the Career Achievement Award.

Recent mental health news tells us that military records indicate post-traumatic stress disorder cases among Afghanistan- and Iraq-stationed soldiers has increased 46.4 percent from 2006 to 2007, while one new report suggests exposure-based therapy may help prevent cases of acute stress disorder from progressing to post-traumatic stress disorder. Researchers are connecting asthma with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts, Harvard Medical School researchers report children who experience better foster care may be less likely to physical and mental illnesses as adults, and surveys show students who admitted to having eating problems were more likely to also admit to having psychological problems.

In the rest of b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel contests abound! Pink Ribbon Review’s Karen Lynch is holding a contest for a Fujifilm One-Time-Use Camera, Ruth at Eating Fabulous is holding a contest for a wet of Wish-Bone Bountifuls, Grace at Kids Health Notes is giving away three Scholastic books for children, Lively Women’s Kristen is offering a chance to win three copies of High Heels to Hormones: A Woman’s Guide to Spine Care, and Womb Within’s Marijke is holding a contest for a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit.

Do you have something going on you’d like announced in Saturday Sanity? An accomplishment, a contest, or a news report, for example? Send it my way!

First 3 Images: Newscom

b5media Image: b5media

Do you want to tell the world why you ROCK? If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over the the official announcement post and enter This Is Why I ROCK! today!

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: When Your RSS Feed Just Isn’t Enough

The lady you flipped off for cutting you off on the highway may be experiencing some severe depression. The man you shot the evil eye for taking too long to pay for his items in a checkout line may be grieving over the death of his daughter. The little kid who keeps using your driveway as a skateboard ramp may not have parents who particularly care to have him at home.

A friend of mine passed this YouTube video to me. It’s called “Get Service,” and it’s worth the four minutes and 24 seconds it takes to watch it. It highlights situations similar to the ones I described above, and it may just help you pause and think about your actions and how you can better use your mental energy the next time you’re feeling frustrated with others.

Post from: Blisstree

YouTube Video Helps Refocus Our Mental Energy