I’ve spent a great deal of time over the last couple of years attending support groups, reading books, in therapy and praying that someway, somehow, God would help me through the challenges I was faced with.

I kept telling myself that I knew God wouldn’t give me more than I could handle, I just wish he didn’t trust me so much. 

When Alicia informed me she was leaving Mental Health Notes, I did what I normally do – I thought, I prayed and I thought some more – the end result is – here I am! I’m not a mental health professional by any stretch of the imagination. I hope you’ll join me in this journey as we explore various mental illnesses, treatments and hopefully develop a strong support community.

I look forward to learning more with all our MHN readers.

Post from: Blisstree

Embarking on a new journey

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

Grab Drug Advertisements by the Pills: Part Five

We’ve determined that most medications featured in drug advertisements are both the priciest and the newest drugs on the market, which unfortunately means you could end up emptying your pockets just to experience some pretty serious, unknown side effects.

However, there is good news. In addition to asking your doctor about cheaper prescription medications that have been around longer (and have better understood side effects), you could also ask your doctor about any lifestyle changes and alternative remedies that may provide similar management benefits and symptom relief.

For example, did you know that each of the following has at some point in time been suggested for depression and/or bipolar disorder treatment?

• Changes in diet/nutrition and exercise.
• An increase in Omega-3 fatty acids (such as fish oil and flaxseed oil).
• Joining and regularly attending support group meetings.
• Psychotherapy.
• Phototherapy.
• Acupuncture.

And those are just the simpler approaches. Other treatments alternative to prescription medications include vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), cingulotomy, and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). (Note that these procedures are quite a bit more…”involved,” for lack of a better word, and could actually be much pricier than even the newest prescription drugs; however, they are alternatives and the side effects are generally pretty well known.)

Now, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not suggesting that any of these alternatives are better than any particular medication, nor am I trying to represent myself as some kind of all-natural guru. I completely understand that there are cases in which people need prescription medication. Trust me. I’ve been there.

But I am suggesting that – if you aren’t keen on paying big bucks for a medication that may be harboring some unknown side effects – you ask your doctor about lifestyle changes and alternative remedies.

Have any of you tried making lifestyle changes and/or alternative remedies for treating mental illness? Share your story below!

Image source and owner.

Post from: Blisstree

Grab Drug Advertisements By The Pills: Lifestyle Changes And Alternative Remedies

Once you’ve been properly diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder, there are three main categories of treatment and management options for you: psychotherapy, medications, and self-care.

Psychotherapy

The Mayo Clinic gives a great, thorough definition of psychotherapy.

In short, psychotherapy is effective for both children and adults, and the form of psychotherapy called “cognitive behavior therapy” is generally used for treating and managing OCD. If your doctor suggests cognitive behavior therapy, you may engage in activities designed to help you retrain your current routines and thought patterns in order to squash compulsive behaviors, i.e. make them no longer necessary.

Medications

Of course, you knew medication was going to be an OCD treatment and management option. Drugs that have been approved by the FDA (and are heavily of the antidepressant persuasion) are commonly prescribed to folks with OCD; however, some doctors also recommend other types of medications – even those that aren’t yet FDA-approved.

In the end, and as it always is with medications, it’s up to both you and your doctor to determine which medication – if any – is right for you. On a personal note, I noticed that my OCD symptoms dramatically decreased (if not outright disappeared) when I took antidepressants. I just didn’t seem to care as much anymore about the things – the obsessions – that caused my compulsive behavior. However, I didn’t seem to care as much about anything else, either, so…

Self-Care

Self-care is an important part of any mental health treatment and management plan. Without taking care of yourself, the chances of therapy and medication working – regardless of the combination – are slim.

Your doctor will undoubtedly discuss with you ways you can better take care of yourself and help managed your OCD. Below are a few suggestions to give you an idea:

• Stick with the treatment plan you and your doctor have developed. This includes properly taking your medications and keeping your doctor informed about their effectiveness and any side effects.
• Learn as much as you can about OCD. Knowledge is power, my friends. Getting an upper hand on the disorder helps you better recognize and manage your symptoms – not to mention falling prey to stigma and stereotypes.
• Surround your self with support. Family members, friends, and support groups are important to help you manage any mental illness. And, when it comes to your family members and friends, it really helps if they understand the disorder, so don’t be afraid to educate them.
• Don’t use drugs or alcohol as coping methods. They don’t work, period. Sure, they may make you forget your problems, but it’s temporary amnesia. Your problems won’t go away, and you’ll always end up remembering them. Sooner or later you’ll need more and more alcohol or drugs to get the same numbing effect and, before you know it, you’ll have an addiction to add on to your list of troubles. Just say no people!
• Finally, try not to isolate yourself. You may prefer to run solo, but honestly, being in the company of others every now and then – even if it’s just on the phone – really does help.

Have any of these OCD treatment and management options worked for you? Have any of them not? Share your stories in the comments, and stay tuned for information about complications that arise when OCD is left untreated and unmanaged.

Image credit: Dani Simmonds.

Post from: Blisstree

Treatment And Management Options For OCD