So…I’m going through the entries for This Is Why I ROCK!, and I’m a little disheartened. The series hasn’t quite turned out the response for which I was hoping.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m thrilled that anyone has responded, and will most certainly feature those who did enter! I had just hoped more people with mental health conditions would want to, frankly, step up and tell the world why they kicked ass at life.

There are still five “official” days to enter the series; the original cut off date was April 30. I had hoped to feature at least one person on each day of May; however, at this point it doesn’t look as if that’s going to happen. Therefore, I’ll undoubtedly continue to accept entries throughout the month of May.

So, consider this post a reminder: If you have any kind of mental health condition (depression, an anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, ADHD, autism, borderline personality disorder, etc.) and are still living life to the fullest and doing what you love (writing, acting, starting your own business, taking pictures, managing your home, participating in sports, etc.), This Is Why I Rock! still wants you!

Visit the official announcement post for details, and enter today!

Post from: Blisstree

Reminder: This Is Why I ROCK! Wants YOU!

Anyway…

First, let’s take a look back at some of the things that have gone on here at Mental Health Notes this week. We kicked off the stress-busting Goin’ to the Chapel series with Molly McDonald (which wraps up later today), learned how Harry Potter saved J.K. Rowling’s sanity, took a really brief peek into possible new French legislation regarding eating disorders, and pondered the University of Virginia’s new policy on students with mental illness. Oh, and of course, I’m still accepting applications for This Is Why I ROCK!

Next, let’s get up to speed with what’s going on with advocacy groups. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) April newsletter is online with information about postpartum depression legislation and about about peer services and training, as well as discounts on the DBSA 2008 National Conference. The UIC National Research and Training Center and the NAMI STAR Center are conducting the cultural competence survey regarding consumer-run mental health programs. And, in honor of Mental Health Month (it’s in May – just around the corner!), Mental Health America has developed the Get Connected theme.

Now, let’s acknowledge some scientific-, research-, and government-related mental health news. Last week, the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee approved legislation (H.R. 5613) to block proposed federal Medicaid regulations, including limits on rehabilitation services for people with mental health problems. Small businesses and the insurance industry haven’t succeeded in beating back mental health parity in Arizona this time around. New research suggests anxious or depressed children are more likely to grow up and work occupations that cause anxiety and depression.

And, finally, what’s going on in the rest of b5media’s Science & Health Channel? Angelique weighs in on the French bill to stop media promotion of “extreme thinness” over at Breaking the Mirror. Ruth at Eating Fabulous tells us about the cognitive and motor development benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for babies. Mary Emma Allen honors Charlton Heston’s Alzheimer’s battle and nods to her co-blogger Liz Lewis’s tribute, as well as Jean Murray’s thoughts on the matter.

That’s all for this week! If you have any Saturday Sanity-worthy news, send it my way and I’ll get it in next week’s edition!

Image credits and sources here, here, here, and here.

Post from: Blisstree

Saturday Sanity: Upgrade Your Brain

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

If you’re anything like me, you surely didn’t miss American Idol’s elimination episode last night. (That show is so awesome. I mean, really, what other show on television today does such great things for the contestants and the entire world? Certainly not that nefarious Moment of Truth.)

And, if you’re anything like me, Michael John’s shocking elimination set the five stages of loss into motion.

Let’s review them, shall we?

Stage One: Denial and Isolation

During this stage, we are so shocked and unprepared for the loss that we can’t really process the information as being reality. As a sort of defense mechanism – one that soothes our brains – we tell ourselves that it’s not real. It’s not true.

“No…not Michael Johns. He was one of the best. I’m not buying this at all – there’s been a mistake. Any minute now, Ryan’s going to tell us this has been some colossally bad joke…any minute now…”

Stage Two: Anger and Resentment

As the denial starts to wear off, the pain of our loss begins to hit us full force. As another kind of defense mechanism, we sometimes express this pain in the form of anger, and we usually direct that anger toward people we blame. We may blame the one we’ve lost, we may blame anyone involved, we may blame ourselves, and we may blame God.

“Oh, damn it, Michael! Why couldn’t you have chosen a song the judges liked?! Ryan! You horrible little man! Why did you have to make it sound like there was hope?! Why why why didn’t I vote more than 37 times?! Oh, God, WHY?!”

Stage Three: Bargaining and Desperation

At some point, our heads begin to cool off and, in desperation, we begin to try to bargain. It’s not uncommon for us to come back around to try to bargain with the very same people with whom we were angry.

“OK, OK, we can still salvage this. If enough of us write in asking for a wild card episode, we can get him back. OK, so, Michael, you just be nice to the show and we’ll all pray really hard and before you know it you’ll be back on the stage!”

Stage Four: Grief and Depression

Once grief and depression start to set it, we know we’re starting to realize that the denial, the anger, and the bargaining aren’t going to work – we begin to realize we really did lose someone we love. We may express this sadness by crying or simply wandering off somewhere to privately reflect on the situation and life in general.

“Um, no…no, I’m not really in the mood to hang around and watch Don’t Forget the Lyrics…I think I’m just going to…I don’t know…go up to my room and be alone for a while…*sniff*”

Stage Five: Acceptance and Resolution

After all the denial, anger, bargaining, and crying, some (though not all) of us eventually come to terms with and accept our loss.

“Alright…so he’s gone. That’s OK. He was very talented, I’m sure he’ll be successful even without winning the contest. Of course…there could still be that wild card episode…maybe…right?”

So, farewell, Michael Johns. You certainly rocked hard, my friend, and I hope to see you again soon.

Speaking of rocking hard, Mental Health Notes readers: Don’t forget to participate in the upcoming This Is Why I ROCK! series here at MHN!

Disclaimer: While the symptoms of each of the five stages of loss listed above are accurate, this post was lighthearted. If you want more information about what to expect when you’re coping with the loss of a loved one, I recommend checking out PsychCentral’s The Five Stages of Loss and Grief.

The above image is owned by jslander and is being used according to these Creative Commons attributions.

Post from: Blisstree

Goodbye, American Idol Michael Johns: The 5 Stages Of Loss

As you may or may not should know, May is Mental Health Month. Last year, May was the first month Mental Health Notes was live (how appropriate, huh?), and in honor of Mental Health Month I posted information about mental health-related tips and resources on each of the 31 days.

This year, I’m still focusing on you – the mental health consumer – but taking a slightly different approach.

Throughout Mental Health Month (May 1, 2008 – May 31, 2008), I am running a series called “This Is Why I ROCK!” highlighting mental health consumers and the wonderfully awesome and kick ass things they are doing. (EDIT: The This Is Why I ROCK! series will now run for an indefinite amount of time, i.e. longer than May 31, 2008.)

Hmm… That may be a bit vague, so let me explain.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), “An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year” (The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America). That’s a pretty high percentage.

However, what isn’t a high percentage (or, at least, what I feel shouldn’t be a high percentage – I don’t have any actual statistics) is the percentage of people who just sit around and let mental illness kick their asses.

These are the people I want to feature in this series – the go-getters who continue living their lives despite the issues they sometimes face thanks to mental illness such as managing their symptoms, countless doctors appointments, expensive prescription medications to work into their budgets, dealing with family and friends who just don’t “get it,” and, of course, stigma.

In this series, I want to showcase the artists, the photographers, the writers, the business owners, the homemakers, the entrepreneurs, the athletes – EVERYONE who is making it happen and managing mental illness.

If this is you and you want me to showcase you and your awesome life or talent or occupation or whatever it is that makes you rock here at Mental Health Notes, simply:

• Download and complete this form.
• Email it to me at alicia AT writingspark DOT com with “This Is Why I ROCK!” in the subject line. Using this subject line is important; otherwise, I may mistake your email for spam.

My goal is to showcase one person on each of the 31 days in May; however, I will definitely try to showcase every single person who contacts me with the required information between today and midnight on April 30, 2008.

So, what are you waiting for? Gather up all the information and shoot me an email! Let’s tell the world why you ROCK this Mental Health Month!

Post from: Blisstree

Mental Health Notes Wants To Know Why You ROCK!