I know they’re pretty, but it’s time to get caught up on the goings on in the world of mental health!

This week at Mental Health Notes, it was back to business as usual after my three-day vacation. In addition to helping you update your calendars with mental health awareness weeks for July, I also passed along an article regarding using our brains to promote health. I also started a discussion about handgun laws and how they may be related to suicide statistics, proved to you that hard mental health advocacy work pays off, and introduced you to two interesting Web sites: Get Over It and i am neurotic. Oh, and of course I wished you a Happy Fourth of July and listed five ways to celebrate Independence Day this year.

Read on for updates in the world of mental health news, mental health advocacy, and the rest of the b5media Health & Wellness Channel.

In the world of mental health news, the President and CEO of Mental Health America, David Shern, Ph.D., has given a statement regarding the death of a mental health patient in a psychiatric emergency room and the House of Representatives has passed legislation regarding national standards for juvenile “boot camps.” Studies from UC Irvine suggest women over the age of 90 are more likely than men over the age of 90 to have dementia, and Jeff Huffman, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and lead author of a new study, states that heart attack patients with severe depression are more likely to die from cardiac problems later on than those without depression.

Regarding mental health advocacy, everyminute.org is offering several ways to help spread the word about their campaign, including MySpace and Facebook, and David Eraker would like to spread the word about a new startup, Mindsite (I’ll be talking more about this site later on). Facing Us is holding a music contest sponsored by the DBSA and Dave’s Spark: Start Something (another topic I’ll address more later), and NAMI is urging us to support the Healthy Transition Act of 2008.

Here at b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel, Kristina has highlighted some hot summer autism topics at Autism Vox, Angelique is urging folks to celebrate their independence from Ana at Breaking the Mirror, and Ruth explains how nutritional supplementation can save the lives of patients who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries. Kristen highlights stories about brain activities and workouts at Lively Women and Marijke talks about how child psychologists feel about NBC’s “The Baby Borrowers” reality show at Womb Within, while both Grace at Kids Health Notes and Hope at Weighting Line are hosting giveaways!

That’s all for this week’s Saturday Sanity, and remember: if you have any Saturday Sanity-worthy news for next week, send it my way!

Image: morgueFile

If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over to This Is Why I ROCK! and enter!

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: Put The Fireworks Away

Though it’s not going to be as busy as March was, July has its own fill of important awareness weeks to remember.

The month of July includes:

Alzheimer’s Awareness Week (July 6 – July 12) For more information, visit the Alzheimer’s Society.

OK, so Alzheimer’s Awareness Week is the only awareness week in July directly related to mental health (of which I’m aware, that is); however, I thought the following awareness weeks were definitely at least indirectly related and worth a mention.

Sobriety Checkpoint Week (June 30 – July 4): Important for everyone and, in the world of mental health, important for those who deal with, or have loved ones who deal with, dual diagnosis.

Therapeutic Recreation Week (July 13 – July 19): I’m a workaholic, but any phrase that includes the words “therapeutic” and “recreation” certainly grabs my attention.

International Massage Week (July 20 – July 26): Honestly, who isn’t relaxed and feeling less stressed after a good massage?

I used Pam Pohly’s Net Guide’s Health Observances and Health Care Recognition Dates; the National Health Information Center’s YEAR 2008 AT A GLANCE; and What Health’s Health Current Events to find out about these events. If you know of any additions or corrections, send them my way.

If you’ve planned anything special for any of these awareness weeks, feel free to share in the comments!

If you have a mental illness and are still living the life you love, head on over to This Is Why I ROCK! and enter!

Post from: Blisstree

July 2008 Mental Health Awareness Weeks