Information On Mental Health Disorders Articles

Mental health workers walk off job

2008-03-18T22:56:00.000-07:00

Mental health workers walk off job
Mar 19, 2008 3:36 PM

Forty four Wellington mental health workers employed by Wellink Trust are walking off the job for four hours on Wednesday, in protest at what they say are low pay rates.

The support staff are all members of the Service and Food Workers Union.

Union spokeswoman Maria Bishop says workers are asking for a pay increase of 3% and management are offering 1%.

She says Wellink talks a lot about respect and dignity for its clients, but seems to have little respect when it comes to the pay of its own staff.

http://tvnz.co.nz/view/page/536641/1647701

Officials exploring how best to serve veterans' mental health care needs

2008-02-13T02:28:00.000-08:00

HARLINGEN — Texas veterans returning from conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are likely to seek mental health care in record numbers, officials testified before a Texas House committee Tuesday.

And community mental health facilities need to be prepared, they said.

A bill under consideration in Congress could increase funding for veterans’ mental health care. If that happens, experts say the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs should team up with community centers to provide that care.

“It would be a timely solution for (the VA) to contract with our local community centers,” said Bob Brown, board member of the Texas Council of Community of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Centers. “We’re already treating some veterans with mental health needs.”

Members of the state House Committee on Defense Affairs and State-Federal Relations invited local officials and veterans to testify on veterans’ mental health needs and the VA disability ranking system.

The committee is examining these issues and will prepare an in-depth report before the 2009 Texas legislative session, said committee Vice Chairman state Rep. Juan Escobar, D-Kingsville.

Although funding for veterans’ health care comes from the federal government, state lawmakers can help influence the Texas delegation’s decisions in Congress, committee members said.

According to a 2006 survey that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association, nearly 20 percent of soldiers returning from Iraq in 2003 and 2004, and 11 percent returning from Afghanistan, reported mental health problems.

During the first year back at home from war, 35 percent of Iraq veterans sought mental health care, according to the JAMA report.

So far, the Rio Grande Valley’s public mental health center, Tropical Texas Behavioral Health, has only treated a small number of veterans, because only people with a diagnosis of severe depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia qualify, said Terry Crocker, the center’s chief executive officer.

In 2003, lawmakers made the criteria for state-funded mental health care stricter, meaning that many veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety disorders don’t qualify, officials said.

“There’s a significant amount of need outside those three diagnoses,” Crocker said.

The Valley’s two veterans clinics already offer mental health services that are specifically geared toward Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, said VA system spokeswoman Kathryn Petravage. Both clinics have psychologists and social workers on staff, as well as a psychiatrist, trained to treat post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues.

http://www.themonitor.com/news/health_8986___article.html/mental_veterans.html

Doctors urge stomach bug sufferers to stay at home

2008-01-06T08:05:00.000-08:00

Cases of a highly infectious stomach bug sweeping Britain have doubled in a year, with doctors warning those affected not to return to work until two days after symptoms have gone.

An estimated 100,000 people a week are catching norovirus, which causes sudden vomiting and a range of other symptoms such as diarrhoea, a raised temperature, headache and aching limbs.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the number of cases this season was the highest since 2002, when a virulent strain of the virus, also known as winter vomiting disease, was identified.

Employees should also stay away from GP surgeries and hospitals and remain at home for 48 hours after the symptoms have gone, the Royal College of General Practitioners warned.

Professor Steve Field, the college chairman, said the number of new cases each week may top 200,000 across the UK.

"GPs are seeing a huge number of cases of patients with the norovirus," he said. "Our advice for those affected is to stay at home, take paracetamol and drink plenty of fluids. You should also wash your hands regularly so as not to infect anyone else and, if possible, stay at home two days after the symptoms have gone."

The virus can be spread by contact with an infected person, by consuming contaminated food or water, or by contact with contaminated surfaces or objects. It is also possible to catch it from the air around someone incubating the disease.

The number of laboratory cases reported to the HPA between early September and early December in England and Wales was double that of the same period in 2006.

In 2000, 288 cases were reported to the HPA, rising to 1,845 in 2002. In 2007 there were 1,325 cases, compared with 685 in 2006. But most go unreported, so the actual number is far higher. The HPA estimates that there are between 600,000 and 1m norovirus cases in the UK every year.

The HPA said the rise could be due to a number of factors, including the norovirus season starting "uncharacteristically early" last year, with a greater number of cases from the first week of November. It said that improved reporting and testing may explain the increase as well.

The latest outbreak contributed to a sharp increase in the number of people contacting NHS Direct, the health service's 24-hour helpline. Over the 11-day Christmas and New Year period about 270,000 people used the service to assess their symptoms. More than one-in-20 wanted to discuss abdominal pain or vomiting - well above the normal rate.

"This was in keeping with reports about the rise of norovirus and other related viruses," a spokeswoman said.

The other most common symptoms reported were dental pain, fever and respiratory tract disorders. Increased use of NHS Direct's website bumped up the number of people using the service over the 11 days to 1,122,874, which was 61% up on the same time last year.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/04/health

Health and fitness

2008-01-06T07:05:00.000-08:00

American Singles Golf Association: Monthly meeting second Thursday. Golf event, fourth Saturday. "Nine and Dine" 4:30 p.m. Friday, Hilton Head National, starting in April. For dinner, call 705-5885. For golf, call 705-5980.

Babies' Alumni: For parents, parents-to-be, infants and toddlers. 671-6771.

Gift of Life Trust Fund-Organ Sharing Program: 671-4600.

Hilton Head Island Ski Club: Meets one to two times monthly. 363-5635.

Hilton Head Power Squadron: 6:30 p.m., second Monday, Yacht Club of Hilton Head Island. 682-2233. www.hhsps.org.

Island House Clubhouse: Rehab for adults with mental health disorders. 682-2900.

Kickin' Asphalt Bicycle Club: Bicycle touring in and around Beaufort County. Ron, 682-4998.

La Leche League of Bluffton/Hilton Head: 10:30 a.m., third Monday, Bluffton library. Mandy Rosenberry, 689-2776.

Meditation group: 7 p.m. Tuesdays, Island Soma Therapy, 18 Executive Park Road No. 3. 422-2900.

Mental Health Association Beaufort-Jasper: Information, referral, direct service, and emergency assistance. 682-2900.

Mental Health Clinic: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily, Dillon Road.

681-4865.

Palmetto Rowing Club: Competitive and recreational rowing. 842-6984.

Pregnancy Center & Clinic of the Low Country: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday, 1 Cardinal Road, Suites 1 & 2. 689-2222.

Nonprofits/Activist Organizations

AARP: For information, call 671-4721.

Advocates Working for Animals and Respect for the Environment: Bimonthly. 842-8090.

Girl Scouts Eastern South Carolina Service Area 631: Adult leader/volunteer meeting, second Tuesday, 7 p.m., All Saints Church on Main Street. Phyllis Neville, 681-3646.

Greater Bluffton Pathways: 5 to 6:30 p.m., second Tuesday, Bluffton Library. Karen Heitman, 705-3378. www.greaterblufftonpathways.org.

Habitat for Humanity: Board of directors meeting, third Tuesday, 21 Brendan Lane, Bluffton. 757-5864.

Hilton Head Art League: Call 681-5060.

Hilton Head Citizens for Life:

7 p.m. first Wednesday at PSD No. 1, 21 Oak Park Plaza.

Hilton Head for Peace: 4 p.m. vigil Fridays, Folly Field and U.S. 278. Taylor, 681-4010.

Hilton Head Heroes: Volunteers needed to welcome the families of children with a life threatening illness to our Heroes home in Sea Pines. 686-6856 or 671-4939. www.hhheroes.com.

Hilton Head Humane Association: A no-kill shelter located at 10 Humane Way, Hilton Head. Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. Closed Tuesday. Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wed. 681-8686

Hilton Head Island/Bluffton NAACP: 7 p.m., first Thursday, Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. 342-2801.

Hilton Head Hospital Auxiliary: Assists patients at Hilton Head Regional Medical Center through a volunteer program. 2 p.m., second Monday, hospital board room. 689-8246.

Hilton Head No. 1 Public Service District: Open board meeting, 3 p.m., fourth Tuesday, 21 Oak Park Plaza. 681-5525.

La Dolce Vita: 7 p.m., third Thursday, Palmetto Electric, Hardeeville. Jim Cacciola, 705-2771.

Literacy Volunteers of the Lowcountry: Adult basic literacy tutoring and English language instruction for immigrants. 686-6655 or come to 9 Town Center Court from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays.

Safe Kids of Hilton Head and Bluffton: Monthly meetings to reduce preventable child death and disability resulting from injury in children. 342-5828.

SHARE Senior Citizens Center:

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, 6 Office Park Road. 785-6444.

Religious groups

Estudia la Biblia en Español: En la casa de Maureen Hueyo, Lunes 7 p.m., starting in Sept. en 64 Heritage Lakes Dr., Bluffton. Maureen Hueyo, 836-3455, o Juliana Martel, 342-3499.

Christian Men's Tuesday Lunch Group: Interdenominational. 12:15 to 1:15 p.m., Tuesday, First Presbyterian Church. Meet for lunch, video presentation, and discussion. Rick Turner, 757-7710.

Christian Women's Clubs: After 5 Connection (dinner), 6 p.m., third Tuesday, Palmetto Hall Plantation. 681-4113.

Community Bible Study: In-depth study classes: Bluffton day class, 9:15 to 11:15 a.m., Wednesday, Lowcountry Community Church, Buckwalter Parkway; Bluffton evening class, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, First Baptist Church of Bluffton; Hilton Head day, 9:15 to 11:15 a.m., Thursday, First Baptist Church of Hilton Head; Hilton Head evening, 6:55-8:30 p.m., Thursday, Christ Lutheran Church; teen Bible study for 9-12 grades, 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., (dinner provided) Monday, All Saints Episcopal Church; la Biblia en Español call Juliana Martel 842-8650. Nondenominational and open to visitors call 681-7664.

Wednesday Christian Men's Lunch Group: Interdenominational. Meet for video and discussion. 12:15 p.m., Wednesday, Christ Lutheran Church. Tom Gaffney, 842-3145.

Food, Friends, and Fellowship: Sharing the love of God through Jesus Christ; Simple Church of Hilton Head; no sermons; come as you are. 341-5066.

Girls' Night Out: Stonecroft Ministries, third Wednesday, Nov. & Dec. second Wednesday, Country Club of Hilton Head. Dinner, program, $20, free rides. 341-3300.

http://www.islandpacket.com/lowcountrylife/story/121264.html

A new plague facing women

2008-01-06T07:03:00.000-08:00

On a February day in 2003, I walked into my GP's surgery and announced that if she didn't help me I would probably be dead by the end of the week. I wasn't sure, even then, what exactly I needed help for; only that I had reached a place of such bleakness and despair that I couldn't go on. I had lost any sense that my life was worth living, or that I would ever feel differently; simply being conscious, getting through the day, had become unbearable. I couldn't cope with the smallest decisions; often I didn't eat because the effort of deciding what I wanted and then preparing it seemed as daunting as running a marathon. I felt I had long ago used up all my inner resources; for weeks I had thought of nothing but how I could put an end to this empty pretence of a life.

I felt very stupid and ashamed in going to my doctor; I wasn't sure, even then, that my experience legitimately counted as an 'illness'. I thought she might tell me to get a grip and stop wasting her time; plenty of people had it much worse. I felt that I should have been able to pull myself out of it and piled guilt and blame on myself because I could not. Five years on, I can now see clearly that I was suffering from severe postnatal depression combined with chronic stress; having consulted psychiatrists and psychologists, I also understand that it formed part of a continuous pattern of extreme mood swings, including several previous episodes of depression, that had been part of my life since my late teens.

But at the time 'depression' was a distant concept to me; I knew it existed, because I had read about Sylvia Plath and Virginia Woolf, but I thought it was a condition that belonged to dead artists. I didn't equate it with my episodes of despair, which I suspected were due to some character flaw or weakness on my part, a failure to ride over the potholes of life with the necessary British pluck and fortitude. I certainly didn't talk to anyone about it, because I thought it would sound like a terrible admission of failure; instead I worked hard to hide it from everyone who knew me. People thought of me as strong and competent and I didn't want to disappoint them.

We are not comfortable talking about depression in our culture, which places so much emphasis on success and on the belief that achievement equals happiness. Collectively we have not made it easy to admit to depression, and as a result there are people who die each year by their own hand when they might have been helped, had they only known how to ask. According to the most recent study by the Office of National Statistics, one in six people in the UK suffers from 'significant' mental distress at any one time, of which the most common condition by far is mixed depression and anxiety. The Depression Report, a study published in 2006 by the Mental Health Policy Group at the London School of Economics, estimated that only a quarter of those who experience depression go on to receive treatment.

But it seems that this culture is gradually beginning to change. Over the past couple of years, a new openness has begun to replace the stigma that previously surrounded mental illness. In 2007, five of the leading mental health charities incorporated the findings of the Depression Report into the nationwide We Need To Talk campaign, successfully lobbying for greater investment in evidence-based talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, for NHS patients with depression. In 2006, Stephen Fry did for manic depression what Kylie has done for breast cancer with his insightful and frank documentary series, The Secret Life of the Manic Depressive, giving many people greater confidence to talk about their illness.

When I was asked last year by Random House to write a book about my experience of depression, I had no idea that two other books on the same theme, also by women journalists, would be published at the same time, but it is not surprising. Depression is on the rise, and it seems women are especially vulnerable. Thirteen years after the publication of Elizabeth Wurtzel's Prozac Nation, the original bestselling account of depression by a young woman, 2008 sees a resurgence of the female depression memoir.

Novelist and former Elle editor Sally Brampton's Shoot the Damn Dog (Bloomsbury), which comes out later this month, recounts her experience of a severe, two-year clinical depression that included one suicide attempt, several admissions to psychiatric units and endless cocktails of antidepressant drugs before she finally began the slow climb back to normality. The Observer's Scotland editor Lorna Martin writes about her year in therapy in Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (John Murray, April). Though she didn't experience the extreme symptoms of clinical depression, Martin felt overwhelmed by the demands and stresses of modern life and writes feelingly of the benefits of 'talking cures' even when you're not about to jump in front of a train.

My own memoir, The Devil Within (Vermilion, May), is a retrospective account of recurring depression, intermittent highs and the eventual process of learning to manage my condition without medication (at 32, I was diagnosed with a form of bipolar disorder, or manic depression, a diagnosis which has helped enormously in understanding what happens to me and how best to treat it).

Most striking about our three books is that, contrary to the current trend of 'misery memoirs', we all appeared to be exemplary career women with enviable lives. We were successful journalists, Brampton and I were both working mothers, we all had good friends, were reasonably solvent and appeared to be doing well. The same experience is echoed by former Cosmopolitan and SHE editor Linda Kelsey, who published a fictionalised account of her clinical depression last year, Fifty is Not a Four Letter Word. Common to all our stories is the refrain that we felt fraudulent in being depressed, that we were aware how little we had to complain about, that we had, as Brampton has written, 'no reason to be sad'. Coupled with this was the feeling that we had to keep up appearances, that we mustn't let people down.

According to the most recent studies, women in the UK are twice as likely as men to suffer from depression, and figures from the National Institute of Mental Health in the US show the same ratio. One recent study showed the same ratio across nine other countries, regardless of ethnic background or economic status (though bipolar disorder, thought to have a stronger genetic link, shows fairly equal incidence between the sexes).

Various explanations have been suggested, most commonly that women are more used to talking about their emotions and more likely to seek help for depression, while men hide theirs in alcohol abuse or overwork, so the statistics are inherently inaccurate. But this theory seems counterintuitive when the accounts above suggest that modern pressures on women to prove that they can juggle careers, relationships, motherhood and still look 10 years younger make it less likely that we will admit to depression, something most of us still privately regard as shameful, a failure to cope with life.

New research suggests that the answer may lie in brain chemistry. Evidence suggests that serotonin, the neurotransmitter that regulates our moods and emotional processing, operates differently in men and women. (Low levels of serotonin are closely associated with mood disorders.) According to Catherine Harmer, research fellow at the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University, it seems that the serotonin system in women is especially vulnerable. 'There are definite biological contributors to low serotonin in women,' she says. 'The serotonin system appears to be more sensitive in females, perhaps because of differences in responses to stress hormones and other hormonal fluctuations.'

The brain makes serotonin from the amino acid tryptophan, which we derive in small doses from food; when women diet, they experience a much greater drop in serotonin levels than men. The low-carbohydrate diets so popular among young women are especially dangerous. It seems women can't win - we're miserable because advertising and fashion tell us we're not thin enough, so we diet, our serotonin levels plummet and we end up properly depressed.

The good news is that research also shows that women respond well to tryptophan supplements; a study from Oxford's Department of Psychiatry showed that they 'induced a positive bias in emotional processing' among healthy female volunteers.

In other words, the supplements reversed the negative thought processes associated with depression, a similar effect to that of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants such as Prozac or citalopram. Harmer stresses, though, that the Oxford study was carried out on non-depressed volunteers and that there is not yet sufficient evidence from clinical trials on patients to draw conclusions, but that this is an area for further research.

I have been taking 5-HTP, a tryptophan supplement available from health food shops, for almost two years as part of a programme of nutritional medicine and in that time I have not experienced a return of that severe depression (though I still have fluctuations of mood, they have been nothing like as extreme). Nor have I suffered the distressing side-effects I had with SSRI antidepressants, as 5-HTP is a natural substance.

Antidepressant medication is undoubtedly highly effective for many people, but for others it can cause as many problems as it solves and there is concern among some experts that it is vastly over-prescribed - the most recent figures show that in 2006, 31 million prescriptions were issued for antidepressants in the UK, a rise of 6 per cent on the previous year. Nutritional medicine, by contrast, is safe and effective when prescribed by a qualified nutritionist, but the absence of large-scale clinical trials means that most evidence remains anecdotal or restricted to small samples and it is likely to be some time before it finds its way into mainstream treatments.

If the purpose of increased public acknowledgement and discussion of depression is to encourage more people to seek help before they find themselves, as I did, in real danger of irreversible harm, it should not be simply so they all end up on medication. By contributing to that conversation I hope that my book, and those of my fellow sufferers, will encourage people to approach their doctor, to ask questions, to try different treatments and, above all, to understand that their depression is an illness to be cared for and treated, not a personal failing to be ashamed of and concealed.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/jan/06/mentalhealth.healthmindandbodyreviews

Outpatient Holistic Mental Health Treatment Services from Integrative Psychiatry

2007-12-29T03:58:00.000-08:00

27.12.2007 11:31:06 Psychiatry Inc., a mental health wellness company offering both holistic and traditional approaches to mental health treatment, has expanded their services by launching Integrative Psychiatry.

(live-PR.com) - Sarasota, FL ( Livepr ) - December 20, 2007 – Integrative Psychiatry Inc., a mental health wellness company offering both holistic and traditional approaches to mental health treatment, has expanded their services by launching Integrative Psychiatry.Net, (www.integrativepsychiatry.net). What makes Integrative Psychiatry. Inc unique is their approach to mental health treatment, namely, Integrative Psychiatry looks for the underlying causes of mental health disorders rather than prescribing medications that merely treat the symptoms, as is common with traditional psychiatric services.

"Traditional medicine in Psychiatry has historically focused on the treatment of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and panic attacks primarily with medication. Little is done to determine the underlying cause of the imbalance." states the Integrative Psychiatry website. This, amongst other innovative measures such as "neurotransmitter testing, e-health visits and telephone consultations", is what makes Integrative Psychiatry. Inc a much needed outlet for patients in need of mental health treatment services today.

Even though Integrative Psychiatry's office is located in Sarasota, Florida, out of state residents have the ability to receive mental health consultation and treatment from a licensed and board certified mental health practitioner though Integrative Psychiatry's e-health visits program. Considering itself an "outpatient treatment center", Integrative Psychiatry. Inc offers mental health evaluation services and consultation on location, though telephone, fax and email.

As stated on the Integrative Psychiatry (www.integrativepsychiatry.net) website: "We believe in improving patient access to care, [which] you may not be able to get in your area therefore we offer e-Health visits from the convenience of your home with our licensed practitioner." By taking this approach, Integrative Psychiatry opens up availability for proper mental health care even in rural areas or areas lacking proper mental health facilities.

http://www.live-pr.com/en/outpatient-holistic-mental-health-treatment-r1048177777.htm

Cascadia fined for overpayments

2007-12-29T03:55:00.000-08:00

Mental health agency Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare may be asked to pay back up to $2.7 million in overpayments it received from Medicaid in the wake of a steep drop in Oregon Health Plan coverage in 2002 and 2003.

The problems were discovered during a routine Medicaid audit by the Department of Human Services Office of Payment Recovery and Accuracy. The state agency is now in negotiations with Cascadia over the amount that must be repaid, a state spokesman said.

Portland-based Cascadia is Oregon's fifth-largest nonprofit, ranked by budget. It had a $57 million budget in fiscal year 2006-2007, and served 23,000 clients. The agency also operates housing for about 800 people with mental health disorders.

The Oregon Health Plan, Oregon's expanded Medicaid program, covered many of Cascadia's clients prior to a state budget crisis that precipitated a huge drop among the health plans' expanded membership, which included many people not traditionally eligible for Medicaid.

http://www.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2007/12/24/daily19.html

Mental Health Services

2007-11-17T01:13:00.003-08:00

It is an established fact that almost two-thirds of all people afflicted with some kind of mental dysfunction do not seek treatment. This is confirmed by the WHO’s Global Burden of Disease study.

The reasons for that people do not seek treatment vary, but some of the most common ones are a fear of the social stigma attached to mental disease; a fear of compromised security (loss of job, spouse, benefits entitlement, etc.); an inability to pay for treatment; or lack of awareness of the problem.

Thankfully, many forms of mental disease are no longer looked down upon; nor are those who suffer from them necessarily ostracized in society or at the workplace. Many progressive companies now offer more time to their employees for recovery from mental illness, and there is a decided increase in general social awareness prevalent today.

Considering its increased prevalence today, it is understandable that mental health has become a lucrative money-spinner. Psychiatrists and psychologists are amongst the highest-paid professionals in the modern world. This being so, there is a lot to be said for self-help groups like Schizophrenics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous. These offer an amazingly effective therapeutic support systems for sufferers, free of cost.

There are various organizations that monitor and streamline mental health efforts on a national scale today. Among them are the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Federal Action Agenda for Mental Health. These organizations exist to ensure fair and helpful practices among mental health professionals and to upgrade the standards of mental health services as and when necessary.

Basically, professional mental health services offer treatment for either the whole gamut of mental disorders, or they specialize in them individually. The onus of treatment in present times is on the most prevalent: anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic-stress disorders; bipolar and manic-depressive disorders; schizophrenia; behavioral disorders, such a eating disorders; and ADHD/ADD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders).

Mental Health provides detailed information on Mental Health, Mental Health Services, Mental Health Clinics, Mental Health Software and more. Mental Health is affiliated with Depressed Teens.

Mental Health Software

2007-11-17T01:13:00.001-08:00

In the age of the Internet, identifying and monitoring mental health problems has, to a certain extent, become something one can do at home. This does not mean that complete mental health treatment is available via cyberspace. However, the lacuna of general awareness that existed until only ten years ago has been filled by readily available information on the Internet.

Mental health software is a great self-help tool, but its scope in that field is necessarily limited. Accurate diagnoses and therapeutic measures will remain the exclusive domain of mental health professionals.

In that respect and to such practitioners, mental health software is a genuine boon. It is useful in assisting clinicians in maintaining updated case histories and records. This is very important because of the high rate of litigation associated with mental health cases in America today. Psychiatrists are often called upon to testify on the state of a defendant’s mental health status. In such cases, easy retrieval of records is of the essence.

Medical records in mental health can also be formatted and streamlined to the required Federal standards by using specialized software. Mental health software also helps mental health professionals in scanning and matching mental disorders to appropriate medications and maintaining billing flow charts.

Owing to the exceptional confidentiality parameters surrounding professional mental healthcare, software packages for practitioners now also include features to hide PHI (Protected Health Information) from anything but authorized eyes. This is especially useful for individual practitioners who do not have the benefits of a full-fledged clinic’s security measures at their disposal.

Mental health software also helps clinicians in maintaining comprehensive appointment schedules. Since a psychiatrist or psychologist might have as many as twelve fifty-minute appointments in a single day, this is a major advantage to them.

Mental Health provides detailed information on Mental Health, Mental Health Services, Mental Health Clinics, Mental Health Software and more. Mental Health is affiliated with Depressed Teens.

Mental Health Clinics

2007-11-17T01:12:00.002-08:00

Clients to mental health clinics are usually not admitted arbitrarily. The process usually consists of an initial interview with a community worker or a mental health professional. If a client is considered in need of residential or out-patient treatment at a mental health clinic, an extensive history of the mental illness will then be recorded. Such assessments will also include interviews with other doctors and family physicians who have noted the onset and progress of the ailment.

The staff at mental health clinics usually consists of psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, and support personnel who are specially trained. The scope and activities of mental health clinics in America generally falls under the purview of the CMHC (Community Mental Health Centers). This body issues licenses to clinics and centers for the practice of mental health-related treatment.

Considering that mental health crises do not always announce themselves in advance, a mental health clinic or center usually offers twenty-four-hour emergency services. These include inpatient hospital referral, since many cases are diagnosed in hospitals while the client is under treatment for other health problems.

Mental health problems affect people from all age groups, and American mental health clinics also offer services specifically for the aged as well as children and adolescents. The reasons that commonly lead to a referral for elderly persons range from senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to problems related to chronic alcohol abuse. Mental health problems typical to the aged fall under the category of geropsychiatric medicine.

Teenagers and young adults often find themselves in need of mental health services because of substance abuse, inherited mental problems, and Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD).

The services available at mental health clinics necessarily include group therapy, individual and family counseling, and a social awareness cell. The latter would be staffed by personnel who could explain the various issued surrounding metal health in layman’s terms to clients and their families. They are also an integral part of the evaluation process.

Mental Health provides detailed information on Mental Health, Mental Health Services, Mental Health Clinics, Mental Health Software and more. Mental Health is affiliated with Depressed Teens.

Being Paranoid is Nothing to Worry About, I Assure You

2007-11-17T01:12:00.001-08:00

Paranoia is something I've always worried about contracting. I'm afraid I might have picked it up somewhere in the past few years. I won't even eat chicken nuggets anymore because I'm too worried about getting infected with the Avian Flu.

How can you tell if you're paranoid? There are several ways. Do you think that people lie to you a lot? Do you question government policy? When companies advertise new products do you question if they're being honest with you? Do you wonder how much they are actually profitting from each sale?

If you answered "Yes" to any of those questions, then you are not paranoid. Documented proof has been established to support all of your fears, concerns, worries, pessimism, cynicism, and lack of faith in many facets of life. If you don't believe me, then you're only being paranoid. Search the Internet and you'll find many facts supporting my claims, including proof that the moon doesn't exist.

If you are scared of an alligator or snake attacking you while you're relaxing on your toilet, you may or may not be paranoid. I confess that I'm unable to state with absolute certainty that there is a 0% chance of a reptile biting your butt while you're taking care of business.

If you're concerned about nuclear war and the devastation and eradication of life on Earth, you're probably not being paranoid. Nuclear weapons exist, and probably will continue to exist until the leaders in some country decide to oust the rulers of those other nations who dare possess such weapons of mass destruction.

Have you ever been fearful that you've started too many sentences with the phrase, "If you are?" You should consider that your fear is based on reality and consider going back to school for writing. If you're concerned that you've forgotten periods or commas in your writing, don't let needless worry consume you: proofread and perform an edit. The solution is just that simple.

If you think you're paranoid because you fear people talking about you behind your back, you needn't give it much thought. People are most likely talking about you behind your back. How can you tell? Have you ever talked about someone when he or she wasn't present? Has anyone ever spoke to you about someone when he or she wasn't present? If you've answered "Yes" to either of these then that means you're talking to yourself. If you find that you talk to yourself more than you talk to other people, you might want to consider socializing more often. As for people talking about you behind your back, it's very likely. Now that you know the truth, you can stop worrying about it. They're only talking about you behind your back for your own good.

If you're afraid of the dark, chances are that at some point in your life, something bad has happened to you while it was dark. If you're worried that there are monsters inside your closet, chances are that you have been violently attacked by monsters coming from your closet at least once in your past. If you're afraid of people close to you dying, chances are that you have heard of death and understand its implications.

While you're absorbing all of my confusing facts, remember that worry is not reality. Reality is what exists in your present. Yes, people will die, you'll get screwed over in business deals and as a consumer, and you'll get the Avian Flu from chicken nuggets. The point is, worrying about such inevitable situations is a waste of time. In relative terms, you only have a short time before you or someone close to you dies, or before you get attacked again by monsters hiding in your closet. Use the time wisely. Avoid contact with people, avoid eating chicken nuggets, avoid residing in a potential target for Ground Zero, and make sure your lights are always on and all your closets locked. Once that's done, your spirit will be free to enjoy life once again, fear and worry only a forgotten nightmare that caused you to wake up screaming a long time ago.

--
Andy Alt
Mental Dimensions
http://mentaldimensions.blogspot.com/
A weblog for people who enjoy mental health and observational humor, political farce, comedy editorials, satire and spoof, along with occasional doses of non humor

Acceptance of Social Anxiety

2007-11-17T01:08:00.000-08:00

If you suffer from social anxiety, then you are among the millions who have been told by your doctor that you're abnormal and need medication. If you prefer alternative treatment, then this article is worth reading. If you prefer alternative treatment because you already do enough drugs, then it's merely recommended reading. If you get bored and fall asleep by the second paragraph, then it will just be light reading.

Avoidance of social situations can be a positive reaction to feelings of insecurity. It indicates some level of intelligence. You've probably learned from past experiences that you'll be scorned or shunned from society for being different. Idiots, however, will keep talking to people, never learning that they are not wanted.

Moving frequently during my childhood, I learned how to not make friends for very long, and how not to form healthy relationships. Having a lack of healthy relationships as a child means that as an adult, I'm much better at playing video games. An arcade is a great place to form bonds and make new friends. After you've accomplished socializing in the arcade, go home and look back fondly on all the good times and social experiences you had while at the arcade earlier that night. Realize that the next time you go to the arcade it will be rich with experiences and new people who share similar interests. You'll never see those people again, but always cherish those memories and look forward to meeting new people the next time you have a roll of quarters bulging in your pants.

Historically speaking, many great accomplishments have been achieved by people who had a mentall illness and/or suffered from social anxiety. If you are a mentally ill person with a high IQ, it's important that you help in the advance of civilization. Here are some advancement ideas: poetry, art, culture, technology. If you're mentally ill with an IQ that's above average, it's important that you change the world with some of the latter-mentioned accomplishments. Unfortunately, a possibility exists that you'll be prevented from a great destiny by your anxiety, concentration, and fatigue. If that's the case, you'll merely be a weirdo with a pocket full of prescriptions while in your social circles.

If you find yourself in a social situation, don't panic. Just be yourself. Don't be afraid to fidget your extremities (don't fidget so much that other people get scared). Stutter a bit while you're speaking. Walk away in the middle of a sentence and come back a few seconds later. People are generally good-natured; they will either appreciate your honesty or feel sorry for you and offer you a cookie, or the telephone number of a crisis clinic.

Social contact with one's family is sometimes complex and causes anxiety. If you haven't talked to your parents in a while, give them a call -- it's good practice for the times during which you socialize with people who don't love you. Sometimes it won't be a good experience, but put your failures behind you (where everybody else is talking about you, behind your back). Personally, I recently had a negative experience while practicing talking with my mother. She was expressing positive sentiment about my birthday, but suddenly she demanded I pay her nine months back rent for residing in her womb, and she also requested extra monetary compensation for the food I ingested during my stay. I was taken aback by her verbal invoice, and thought I had done something wrong again while attempting human social contact. A few seconds of thought later, I aggressively reminded her that I never signed a lease, and I'll never pay for food through a straw unless it's a root beer float.

Treating Mental Health and Forensic Populations

2007-11-16T02:24:00.001-08:00

No longer is it possible to assess and/or treat a mental health population without also interfacing with forensic issues such as legal infractions, Courts, violence, sexual behavior problems, delinquency, crime, Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, substance abuse, and others. The training and approaches to the mental health population is different than that for a forensic population. So what is to be done, if a person has both issues? We must be cross trained for dually affected clients.

How Are the Populations Different

A Mental Health population is comprised primarily Axis I disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Major Depression, PTSD, and Anxiety Disorders. Daily functioning is on a continuum. Recovery is quick for some and slow for others and is also on a continuum. Well controlled intermittent, mild to moderate episodes of a mood or anxiety disorder will not necessarily interfere with daily functioning. Someone with severe, chronic Schizophrenia or Mood Disorder requiring periodic hospitalizations and extensive community support, will have impairment in daily functioning. Goals for these folks are often pro-social and involve being an active member of society. A therapist can be fairly sure that the mental health client without forensic issues will be relatively honest in his or her interactions and the therapist can take most of what he/she says at face value. An emphasis on a strengths model works well when no personality disorder is involved.

A forensic population can be defined as having personality disorders, interpersonal difficulties, behavioral problems, multiple problems and life long courses of various levels of dysfunction or difficulty. Again, this population fills the full spectrum of effective daily functioning. However, social functioning is often the most severe impairment. There are issues of trust, appropriate relationships, ego centrism, moral development, honesty, manipulation, and danger to self and others. They often have a negative view of themselves and others, especially authority figures. Moral development is often delayed leaving them at the egocentric stage of development. This means that what serves the self is what matters and empathy for others and the ability to have an honest relationship with another person may not yet have developed. Their goals are often self-serving.

The capacity to understand the importance of the best interest of the group through laws and rules that we voluntarily follow, may not be well understood. Many, if not most, have histories of childhood abuse, neglect, or exposure to domestic violence. The assessment and interventions with this population is necessarily different that those for a people with no Axis II disorder or trait. The people with forensic issues do not always tell the truth because of their lack of trust in relationships. The therapist cannot take what he/she says at face value. The therapist must separate the sincere from the manipulative moves for self-gain. The internal boundaries are such that they need the therapist to put external boundaries into place for them. Information must be checked with other sources of information.

How Assessment Tools Differ

In a mental health population, assessment can quite effectively be done through instruments such as the MMPI-A, BASC, and MACI. These self-report tools are quite sufficient for this population and will elucidate psychological dynamics and mental illness, if present. Self-report is not as much of an issue as it is in the forensic population, where third party verification is more important. However when a youth has multiple problems, both mental health and forensic, a combination of tools is preferred.

Forensic evaluation tools rely less on self-report because of the trust issues and because it is not always in the client's best interest to be completely truthful. Self-report assessment instruments can be used, but third party and official reports should also be used in the evaluation phase of a forensic assessment. Courts are concerned with public safety, therefore, the need for tools that assess future risk of dangerousness to others. Risk of future aggression and sexual behavior problems that have been derived from statistical models (actuarial tools) should be part of the evaluation since clinical assessment of risk of future dangerousness is only a little better than chance. While risk assessments are not perfect, they are better than clinical judgment in this area.

How are Interventions Different?

Major Mental Illnesses, while often chronic, can often be very effectively treated with medication and therapy. At the higher functioning end of the continuum, therapy can be supportive, psychotherapeutic, family, or cognitive behavioral. Therapists are trained to accept what the client presents and start where the client is functioning and how the client sees the world. The clients are usually self-motivated and seek therapy voluntarily. They accept responsibility for their behaviors and for making changes in their lives. Use of a strengths model is often very effective. Many people recover fully and lead quite "normal," non-disrupted lives. When someone is on the lower end of the continuum, with major disruption in every day functioning (work and family),despite medication and therapy, major supports for housing, jobs, and activities of daily living and medication are needed for a very long time, perhaps a life time. However, their life goals are often still pro-social. Serlf-directed care works well with the mental health population without Axis II diagnoses.

In the area of intervention, different approaches are needed for the forensic population. Some level of social and family dysfunction is generally intergenerational and lifelong. These clients are often Court ordered to an assessment or therapy or they are having significant problems at work or within the family causing others to seek assessment or therapy for them. They do not always accept responsibility for their actions or for changing. There are skill deficits that need to be addressed, such as social skills, anger management, and problem solving. You cannot take what these clients say at face value. Third party information is always needed. This is because you need to trust someone in order to be honest with them and most of these folks have been abused, neglected, or exposed to domestic violence and a suspicious arm's length treatment of others is a coping strategy that is difficult to give up.

This population often has multiple problems so that Multi-systemic Therapy that approaches many areas that need to be addressed is often effective (treating the whole person). Group work and trauma therapies are also good tools. Self-directed therapy may not be effective because of the need to protect oneself from what may appear to be an unsafe world. Nurturing, setting good boundaries, and structure are essential in this work. Motivational interviewing and stages of change can be very helpful. When clients have issues in the mental health and forensic arenas, both approaches must be used to the extent possible.

Conclusions

Clients in a mental health setting range from the single diagnosis of a major mental Illness to the dual diagnosis of a major mental illness and a personality disorder and/or forensic/legal issue. The approaches to these dissimilar populations is unique when clients are dually diagnosed, both approaches are needed. Assessments and treatment for a mental health population can be self-directed and strengths based.

However, the approach for the forensic population cannot be self-directed because the client's goals are often antisocial and by definition counter to the best interests of society. The therapist or evaluator cannot accept everything the client says at face value because not being honest is part of the disorder that the therapist is treating. Motivational interviewing seems to blend the views of traditional mental health and forensics in a way that is beneficial for the client and society.

Dr. Kathryn Seifert has over 30 years experience in mental health, addictions, and criminal justice work. She has authored the CARE and numerous articles. Dr. Seifert has lectured internationally on youth and family violence and trauma. http://careforusall.com

Home Care for People with Mental Health Issues

2007-11-16T02:23:00.005-08:00

The Need For Different Home Care Services For People With Mental Health Issues

People of all ages and backgrounds experience mental health issues such as schizophrenia, anxiety and manic depressive disorders. Indeed, mental health problems are widespread in the UK with 25% of people having some kind of issue. Given the broad range of mental health problems, a variety of home care services is needed to look after people with mental health issues.

The Different Home Care Services For People With Mental Health Issues

There are many different types of home care services for people with mental health issues. These services include respite for care givers and on-going in home care for people with mental health problems.

Home care enables people with mental health issues to live in their own homes. Furthermore, respite care provides invaluable help for families and individuals who are responsible for looking after people with mental health issues. This is because respite care enables primary caregivers to take a break from looking after their mentally ill charge by organising for a care worker to take over from them for a period of time.

People With Mental Health Issues

People with mental health issues have varying needs. Some people with mental health issues are able to live fairly independently whilst others might require constant care. As a result, if you are looking for respite care or for supported living for a mentally ill friend or relative, it is essential to choose which services you want carefully. This way you will be able to ensure that your friend or relative’s specific requirements are met.

The Home Care Services for People With Mental Health Issues

There are a number of home care services for people with mental health issues in the UK.

Respite Care: This is when outside carers will come into the home of the person with mental health issues. They care for him or her so that the main caregivers can take a break from their everyday care duties.

Supported Living: This is when a carer comes into the home of the person with mental health issues and helps them to look after themselves.

Full time home care: This is when a person with mental health issues requires full time care. Sometimes this care is carried out by a friend or relative and other times it is carried out by professional care workers.

Quality Care offers Home Care and Supported Living For People With Mental Health Issues in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire.

Walking Is Good For Mental Health

2007-11-16T02:23:00.003-08:00

One of the most natural things that an individual does every day is to walk. For years, this single act has been linked to improving cardiovascular health. The reason is because, generally, walking is a safe movement that isn’t likely to cause injury. New studies have shown that walking is also a terrific way to improve your mood. The next time you are feeling a little blue, there may be a way to walk it off - literally.

A recent study paired individuals into groups, one of which spent 30 minutes on a treadmill and the other that participated in 30 minutes of rest. Each group’s progress was monitored throughout the treatment with a conclusion that both groups reported having less negative feelings at the end of the study, along with less stress and tension. The difference, however, was found when the group that spent 30 minutes walking also noted an overall improvement in well-being.

While the study further proves the theory that walking is good for mental health, as well as physical, it also lends credence to the theory that people who walk feel better overall. It also proves that an individual does not have to be outside in order to enjoy the benefits of walking. This simple exercise can be achieved with a treadmill or by simply walking in place while tuning into a favorite movie or television show.

Anyone who has been diagnosed as having clinical depression or other illnesses should not ignore, or disregard, his/her medical treatment program. Walking is simply a way to sometimes add further improvement to certain conditions. A simple 30 minute walk can benefit an individual’s mood, improve cardiovascular health and combat obesity all at the same time. In order to be effective, many people find that a daily walking schedule will help to keep them motivated and improve their spirits. In addition, a regular schedule will ensure that there is a time set aside for a walk. It’s very easy to think, “I’ll get around to it later,” but something more often than not will distract individuals away from exercise unless they have a certain schedule that is followed every day.

The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for an exercise regimen. Every individual should consult his/her physician prior to beginning any program consisting of diet and/or exercise.

Read everything about women bodybuilding, aerobic exercises or read about diet during pregnancy on http://www.weekbyweek-pregnancy.com.

Teachers: Do You Know the Basics of Children's Mental Health?

2007-11-16T02:23:00.001-08:00

In earlier articles, I explained one basic mental health

category called conduct disorders (C.D.s), the child at

highest risk of extreme violence, and

emphasized how you must work differently with C.D.s

compared to any other kids. Hopefully, I successfully

conveyed how critical it is to thoroughly understand what

makes this kid "tick," and to work with them differently

than everyone else, or you may find yourself or others

in dangerous situations. In that piece, I devoted

extensive time to teaching you "all" the in's and out's

of working with this complex, potentially dangerous youth.

I want to move past the youngster at highest risk of

violence so I can now address the next two groups of

high risk students in this article.(Our web site

has some additional information on conduct disorders

if you need more info on that group now. Visit

http://www.youthchg.com/hottopic.html.)But, remember that

these pointers will be no substitute for

thoroughly updating your skills on such a challenging kid.

Now that you know a bit about C.D.s, the youth at

top risk of violence, let me tell you about the

students who follow next in risk. That is the focus of

this article.

** Youth at 2nd and 3rd Risk of Extreme Violence:

These youth are not nearly at as great a risk as the conduct disorder.

We will cover each of these 2 types of youth separately, but must stress

that the risk for both of these 2 groups drops off dramatically

from that posed by conduct disorders. Remember that when any child

appears to be potentially violent, you take that concern seriously,

regardless of whether the child was on our list. This list is meant only to

guide you when you lack any specific events or circumstances that

show you how to apportion your time, supervision and other resources.

** Thought Disorders: The risk posed by thought disordered

children is probably far less than that of the conduct disordered

youth. Although #2 on this list, it is a rather distant second choice.

Part of the explanation is that there are probably a lot more

conduct disordered kids than thought disordered ones. The other

reason that explains the somewhat distant #2 status is that the

thought disordered child may be well-intentioned, kind, and loving

at times. The conduct disorder child really never is able to care

about anyone else. Another reason to explain the distant #2 status is

that often the thought disordered child will act in rather than act out.

They often will pose a harm to self rather than others.

Unless you work in a treatment setting, just a very small fraction of

the children you work with, may have what mental health professionals

call a thought disorder. While the thinking of the conduct disorder is

clear and lucid, that assumption is not always true for the

thought-disordered child. The child who has been diagnosed with this

type of problem by a mental health worker, has very serious problems

with their thinking. The child may hear voices or see visions that no one

else can, for example. The child may believe demons or devils are

governing them. If the voices, for instance, tell the child to hurt

someone, then the child may feel compelled to do it. This is where

potential danger could lie.

The thrust of working with a diagnosed thought disorder is often

on proper medication, although focusing on skill building and structure

are also very important. Perhaps the single most important concern

will be that the child takes any prescribed medication regularly and

properly, because when properly medicated, this child may

function almost normally in many ways. When not correctly medicated,

this child is at the mercy of any demons, visions, voices or upsetting

thoughts that pop into their head.

** Severely Agitated, Depressed Kids: The occurrence of extreme

violence by severely depressed, agitated children probably also

greatly lags behind the risk posed by conduct disorders. This term

refers to a child who has experienced extremely severe problems

with depression, and also struggles mightily at least once with

agitation. Many kids, especially teens, struggle with depression,

but this group endures some of the most prolonged, profound,

deep depression; this should not be confused with typical

adolescent ups and downs. When the severely depressed and

agitated child also abuses substances, the problem can be

magnified greatly depending on the interplay of the substance

and the existing emotional concerns. Crisis, sudden changes and

the usual adolescent successes and failures can quickly

de-stabilize this child who is already seriously struggling;

these events can have the effect of the straw that broke the

camel's back.

Any emotion that a child has trouble managing may get acted out

or acted in. Depression is generally acted in. Many view it as

anger turned inward: the child withdraws, reduces their activities,

may eat less, etc. But, depression can also be acted out. Feeling

cornered, unable to endure any more pain, some children will act

out, sometimes lashing out in very severe ways. All things in nature

strive to come to a conclusion. Storms eventually dissipate, the

rain ultimately gives way to sun, and even the snow will eventually

end. Humans, as part of nature, also tend to move towards resolution.

For some children, extreme violence can be the flash point that

offers that resolution. When there appears to be no hope, perhaps

the child believes that there is nothing left to lose. Depression can be

tough on adults, but couple the depression with a child's lack of time

concept, lack of perspective, their impulsiveness, immaturity, and

resistance to understanding the link of actions to final outcomes,

extreme violence can be grabbed as perhaps a solution. If this

vulnerable child becomes involved with a conduct disordered

peer, you can see how under certain circumstances, that could

become a deadly combination as the depressed, agitated child may

join in the acting-out.

To help this child, alleviating some of the torment will be critical.

Help to manage anger in socially acceptable ways, tempering the

depression, and alleviating some of the agitation can keep this

child from remaining at the level of extreme discomfort they

currently experience. If this child receives useful aid to vent

the agitation and give some light to the depression, any risk of

extreme violence can be significantly impacted. Of the three

risk categories, this group's concerns are potentially the most

amenable to intervention by you, and is of the three, the

most hopeful diagnosis. You can have much lasting impact

on this child.

**Appraising the Risk: Now you can look at your class or group

and not just wonder where the where the potential, serious

danger would come from. Now that you have more refined

guesses about which youth potentially pose potential danger,

here is a way to better rank that risk in your mind. A juvenile

court judge in Springfield, Oregon, said after the shooting

there, that so many kids are like "little match sticks waiting

to be lit." To adapt that image a bit, here is how you can

apply that thinking to the three at-risk groups listed here.

You can imagine that the conduct disorder is already lit;

a flame is burning. Whether that flame becomes smaller,

flares larger, or creates an inferno, is anyone's guess, but

the flame is burning always, the potential for disaster is

always there.

The thought-disordered child may be like a pilot light,

a tiny flame that is always lit, but is fairly unlikely to

inexplicably get massively bigger or out of control. Properly

shepherded and assisted, this light may stay forever just a

benign flicker. Unshepherded or inadequately assisted,

however, this flame can get bigger, even flare out of

control.

The extremely agitated depressed child may be the

unlit match stick that the judge visualized. Outside

factors will likely come into play to incite any flare-up.

Outside forces could include peer pressure, crises, substance

abuse, family woes, or just mounting problems that fuel the

agitation and create a profound, all-encompassing sense of

desperation that leads the child to "spontaneously" combust.

Like the thought-disordered child, the severely agitated

depressed youth can often be so readily aided if the

community can identify them, then consistently care and

effectively intervene.

** In Summary: If you work with kids, but you are not

a mental health professional, maybe it's time to at least

learn some of the basics about children's mental health.

And, no matter what your role with children, please

consider it your obligation to train your kids to be peaceful.

That may be the most important contribution you could

make in a world that so thoroughly ensures that every

child knows so much about extreme violence, and so little

about anything peaceful.

Hopefully, you now have more mental health basics for working

with juveniles who pose extreme classroom management problems.

Remember, if you wish to get more thorough information, click

over to our site for free magazines, strategies, articles and

much more-- all designed to assist educators to better manage

and instruct problem and difficult students.

Get much more information on this topic at http://www.youthchg.com. Author Ruth Herman Wells MS is the director of Youth Change, (http://www.youthchg.com.) Sign up for her free Problem-Kid Problem-Solver magazine at the site and see hundreds more of her innovative methods. Ruth is the author of dozens of books and provides workshops and training.

Preseli Venture Helps Companies Take Positive Action on Mental Health

2007-11-16T02:15:00.000-08:00

Mental health is a huge issue for companies and it has a direct impact on the bottom line, so Preseli Venture is keen to encourage clients to give their team a ‘mental health boost’ and give them time, away from the office, to think about coping with this important topic.

Nearly three in 10 employees will have a mental health problem in any year, and more than £4bn is lost annually to stress-related absences from work, according to the Mental Health Foundation.

Improving physical health may sound surprising but the Mental Health Foundation is running a year-long campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of exercise in treating mild to moderate depression. Also, exercising for half an hour at least twice a week during midlife significantly reduces a person’s risk of dementia in later life.*

Furthermore, researchers from the University of Hull have suggested that drawing ideas from sports psychology, where participants in outdoor activities showed improved mental toughness and also less stress when exposed to demanding tasks, can help people cope with the ever-demanding pressures of working life.

Preseli Venture aims to give companies an unbeatable cocktail for great mental health – and even better business performance. Combining the recognised benefits of exercise and fresh air with the theory that being in and connecting to nature can itself provide mental health benefits is a sure winner. People find there are real mental health benefits after spending a few days in the spectacular Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, enjoying the glow of achievement and sense of well-being that can only come from sharing fun, refreshing adventure activities.

Sophie set up Preseli Venture in 1988, with her husband, Nick. She is passionate about spending time in a wilderness environment and pushing herself into her 'adventure zone'. Sophie is committed to helping companies develop better internal and external relationships through sharing fantastic experiences in the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sophie_Hurst

Safe Touch - A Key to Good Mental Health and Relationships

2007-11-14T00:07:00.004-08:00

I believe any educated and sensitive massage therapist will tell you that they tend to meet people who are more authentic in expressing themselves than perhaps one would just meet in an office setting. Even the same person is more authentic and gentle in a safe touch massage setting. Minimal clothing, lulling fountain sounds, the scent of lavendar, orange, sandalwood or other essential oils and music that doesn't destroy your soul just seems to do that. Everyone needs safe touch to be comforted and to feel free to be themselves without judgement.

From my own experience, we live in a touch deprived culture. Touch someone in the workplace, even as an encouraging "good for you" pat on the back, and you might find yourself judged some kind of office pervert. Rub a back in gesture of comforting or hold a hand to say "I care about how you're feeling," and well, off to prison you go!! Touch in our culture is suspect and often threatening. I'm not encouraging anyone to just accept the touch of anyone they meet as well intentioned or harmless. But for the most part, out went the baby with the bathwater as usual.

I used to lay hands on people as a pastor in compliance with and hope that James 5:14-16 would bring about the desired and promised results. "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

I did this thousands of times and respectfully observe that it is not the cure for anything significant, from my perspective. I am sure however, that at times and because of the reaction of some, the touch itself was deeply appreciated and meaningful. A church or pastor that relies ONLY on this because "it's in the Bible, God said it, I believe it, that does it for me," is a fool and delaying help a genuinely sick person might need to receive from professionals. I've seen that in my past career and it's difficult to speak of, though I was not of the anoint only perspective.

Kind, intentioned and educated touch seems to release a person from the masks we all wear. Everyone wears masks. It's how we survive dealing with topics that we can not speak of or will receive no understanding for even thinking about. In massage, people become more openly genuine and some want to talk, at times, about what they really are thinking. Some few might wish to vent about the office envirnoment, the company or the boss, but when sharing, most simply talk about touch and why humans are so fearful of their own thoughts and needs.

"Needs", now there is a word for you. Our Christian culture has all but beat the idea that what one needs having any validity out of the needy. Sermon after sermon over decades has made that equal with being selfish and carnal or unconverted and "of the world." Just say "I need" to a pastor and often his own repressions will bubble up and you will receive a lecture on how the Bible tells us this or that mainly along the lines of "doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;" Phil. 2:3 (ASV) I always wondered if we are to count all others better than ourselves and all that implies about our own selfworth, what are others supposed to do?

Everyone needs to be safely touched. One client, long ago, was very quiet as I worked on them and then suddenly said, "don't you think it's funny my dad never hugged me?" We chatted a bit about that but I knew that me, a stranger, touching him set off that thought in contrast to his dad, who knew him well, never hugging him. After a few minutes he said, "I don't think I am gay." That was also a no brainer. Here is how it worked in his mind. "I like this touch." "Dad never hugged me." "Yikes, I like this and this is a guy!" "I better tell him I don't think I'm gay so he doesn't think I am." Interesting huh? To him, touch was needed yet had conotations that weren't really there, but needed to be referenced. I'm not gay by the way either.

One of the things people need to practice more is the phrase "I need." It is not selfish or crass. It is human and is the stuff that makes relationships function at a more real and authentic level. How many relationships would be better or even saved if we learned to say, "I need you not to speak to me that way." "I need you to be around more often." "I need you to touch me in a way that feels caring of ME." "I need you to listen to what I think for a change." "I need you to give me some space." "I need variety in my life." "I need you to take better care of yourself." "I need you to leave the people you don't like, the crazy relatives, the stupid boss and the damn church out of our conversations." "I need..." Try it sometime and you might see that others also need the same. They just didn't know you knew anything about needs.

Others talk about what they don't need in the way of touch in their lives. They don't need to be grabbed, or pushed. They don't need to be slapped or pinched crudely. They don't need to feel used and not loved. I guess this is another whole topic.

The mask that covers topics of sexuality is a biggie for ALL people. All massage is sensual even when therapeutic as touch just is that by nature. In a safe and compassionate envirnoment, many think about the place that sex has or does not have in their lives. Human sexuality and the need to express it and experience it never goes away. I always got a chuckle about how the Bible tells us that when Moses died at 110 (maybe yes, maybe no), and that " that Moses was one hundred and ten years of age when he died—that his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated; ..." This is a coded way of saying he noticed everything and could still get excited. How they knew this, I am not sure. I guess he bragged about it. But it is an old way to affirm that the man was not dead and that he was really really alive right up until he was dead. Many people I meet feel dead because they have no touch or sexual expression in their lives.

While many fundamentally religious types will deny this aspect of human need as being merely selfish and carnal, it is very normal and very necessary for a healthy life. The most extreme sexual religious ignorance I have heard to date is of one who always prayed to God they would not experience, shall we say, the unabated force, and have to have sex with a partner just for the sake of sex. Argh... no further comment. I'd say the partner is looking elsewhere in some way.

On the other hand, those that, while very religious and faithful to their church politely listen to those in authority represent "God's view" on these topics to them every week, are very able to say that they don't care what the minister says and their sexuality is really none of the church's business, which it isn't. I find so many devote believers who sturggle against what they are taught or in many cases not taught by a church. Much of that which has to do with human sexuality in the Bible is wrong and harmful to humans. It's archaic, middle Eastern in perspective and It does control them nicely though which is perhaps it's intent. It also promotes much anxiety and depression which are functions of an shame, guilt, fear and anger unexpressed. I have yet to meet an anxious or depressed client that is not fearful or angry about something they feel they have no right to or is too risky to express. Think about it.

I love my gay clients. There are probably no more honest, open and compassionate types of human being. They have a nature that lends itself to that and often the experience to reinforce the benefit of that way of being and thinking. They have also dealt with a lot of rejection and had to face issues of authenticity that, again, most never face, openly. Not one I know is gay by choice but rather by nature. Not one is trying to be ungay, nor should they. Everyone is a genuine human being who knows more about themselves than most will ever dare explore. I think of the one who was "outed" by a friend at Church and was given a video tape to watch on how to not be gay. If they could not change and the video did not convince them, then they were not welcome at church. Needless to say the video just didn't work. I asked a lesbian client once why she came to me as I was, well...a man! I knew the history of abuse and was just wondering. She said the nicest thing I have ever had said to me. "Because I love what you do, I feel safe, and you are the only man that is ever going to touch me again." Wow..but she wouldn't let me use that in my advertising.

Everyone needs safe touch. Touch tends to send it's message subtley but loud and clear. A client knows if I am not present in the massage by the way touch feels. One client said he'd tell me later in the session if he wanted to go for 90 minutes instead of just an hour. From my perspective, I'd like to know now as it determines what and how I do the massage, but I just said ok. I put my hands on him and made half a pass down the back when he said, "let's do 90." He said when I touched him, he knew he wanted to go longer. Nice compliment. It was the touch.

On occasions there might be a person who is so stressed and so angry, that they just feel that way without saying so. It is more sensing than feeling. I can feel a bad intention and it makes for a very long hour. Sometimes you just can't put your "finger" on it but you know that all is not well. That's how touch works too. Just the energy people give out can inform you long before they ever get near enough to touch you. It's why we can feel great or bad when some people walk in the room. Even without touching us, they are getting to us.

So think about how you touch and why. The mantra for many is sadly "don't touch me," and that also needs to be respected. I believe much obesity is a subconscious message to "stay away form me." Research tells us that 80% of all obese females have experienced sexual abuse. Sounds high to me, but might be close. Even untouch or ungentled, as the term is used, RATS, die sooner and don't survive surgeries as well as those who are oft gentled or touched. How much more so our partners, family members, children and even ourselves. Watch even how others soothe and touch themselves to see that even unconsciously our brain tells our hands to comfort us in time of need.

So...have you gentled someone today? Or if you need it, do you allow. from those whose intentions are right, without drama or indictment. I always tell my clients, "more touch and less rocket propelled grenades is what I always say." They laugh, and they always say, "ain't that the truth." Yes it is.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Diehl

Long Term Space Exploration; Physical and Mental Health Limitations

2007-11-14T00:07:00.003-08:00

Long-term space flight will take its toll on astronauts including entropy, bone loss, radiation and a feeling of loneliness. For us to send people into long-term space flights, which could take years if not decades we will need to consider modification concepts to our space craft.

There are a number of things we can do. I propose that the water we will need for these space missions be stored along the outer shells of the astronauts quarters thus protect them from radiation. I also propose that the astronaut’s quarters spin at a rate to provide centripetal force simulating gravity. I also propose that the resonance of all equipment leave a near Earth frequency of 7.89 Hz to help keep the immune system synchronized with what the human body is use to.

One thing we can do it allow astronauts to receive emails, although they will be hours or days in delay, they can read them and reply to Earthlings and students with questions. Also we will need artificial intelligent robotic companions, with down loadable information for studying, entertainment and someone to shoot the breeze with. The companion robot will need to be much better than the current artificial intelligent robots available. Consider these few modifications and I am ready to go.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is a guest writer for Our Spokane Magazine in Spokane, Washington

Conquering the Stigma of a Mental Health Disorder

2007-11-14T00:07:00.001-08:00

Having a family member that is suffering a mental health disorder can be taxing at times. Depending on the severity of the disorder, many families have been broken up because of this. Some of them can be blamed on the lack of love or patience a family member can bestow. Some just cannot handle the pressure and others just cannot take the shame.

But if the people around a person with a mental health disorder feels awkward, then what about what the actual person with the disorder feels? Many or most of these people are too afraid or ashamed to share their disorder with other people because they fear being ridiculed or judged.

Even as seeing a psychiatrist or taking mental health disorder medicines are commonplace nowadays, many people still distrust a person with a mental health problem; they feel that they are too unstable and unpredictable. Fearing what they do not know, this ignorance causes more depression and damage to a person with a mental health disorder.

Getting Over the Fear

What mental health disorder patients want is for them to be considered as normal people. Only that they need more compassion, understanding and kindness. Treat a mental health disorder afflicted person the same way as you would anyone, this would make him or her feel more normal.

As they feel more accepted and happy, they increase the chance of becoming normal. Also, be prepared; learn about the disorder that has afflicted your family or friend. Know the symptoms so you can be prepared as well.

For the patient, learn and try to accept your condition, do not be afraid of what people will say, open up your condition to them. If they can’t take it then they’re not worth it. Remember that there are many people with mental health disorder; some are not just as obvious. Hold your head up high and live with dignity.

Article written by Hector Milla, editor of http://www.mydepressionsymptoms.com/ , they have recently published a free online guide :: Mental Health Disorders :: , you may learn about mental health at http://www.mydepressionsymptoms.com/mental-health-disorders/ , thanks for publish this article in your website or ezine keeping a live link.

How To Beat Unfair Mental Health Funding

2007-11-14T00:06:00.001-08:00

I happened to be talking to my local politician before Christmas because a fine website on depression, www.DepressioNet.com.au was about to lose funding for its crucial 24 hour support forums as a result of failure by the Australian government to fund its programs.

So I pinged the pollies and Bill, my local politician, wanted to chat. The one illuminating aspect of our 45 minute conversation was that it was very hard (for politicians) to decide what other health programs should be cut in order to increase funding for mental health because of myriad vested interests.

Watching news reports around the world and back home I see similar difficulties arising. It is somewhat reminiscent of the ‘Yes Minister’ dilemmas that Sir Humphrey Appleby would put to his boss, thereby stymieing him every time.

Just last week in South Australia an identical furore erupted. There, the government was brave (or hassled) enough to announce increased mental health funding. The opposition was equally mean enough to demand to know what (more highly valued) general health programs were to be sacrificed for the increase. Read the report here: http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200601/s1545360.htm

Now to get back to Yes Minister, Jim Hacker in his early days would have said ‘But we should just fund health needs according to the cost to the community, the individual and the carer. And that should be the minimum amount needed to restore the ill person’s health so as to function in relationships, at work and in the community.’ You wish!

The unfairness is obvious when authoritative reports state: ‘Stigma is systemic in decision-making at the highest political levels. Ultimate responsibility for mental health services lies with government leaders at Federal and State levels.

‘It is they who have ensured these services have had such a low priority in policy-making and funding…

‘The proportion of Australia’s health budget spent on mental health services is under 8%. In comparable OECD countries, the proportion is 12% or more.’ Dare to Care, SANE Mental Health Report 2004 at http://www.sane.org/images/assets/Research_reports_and_images/MHR2004text.pdf

A report by Access Economics for SANE Australia in 2003 calculated the costs of bipolar in Australia as being ‘$16,000 on average’ per year for each sufferer. Yet spending is ‘only $3,007 per person.’

It gets worse. The report states that this paltry $3,007 is even less than spending on the average Australian’s health care, even though ‘the burden of disease – the pain, suffering, disability and death – is greater for bipolar disorder than for ovarian cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or HIV/AIDs, and similar to schizophrenia and melanoma.’

And who makes up the shortfall? According to the report, ‘around half (i.e. $8,000) of this cost is borne by people with the illness and their carers.’

‘Mentally healthy’ public outnumber the mentally ill by a factor of 4 to 1. They want their subsidized spas and perfect teeth at the expense of us getting into hospital when we need it! But because they still view the behaviors of mental illness as not symptoms but as plain bad behavior, our health needs are viewed as less deserving than theirs, and funded accordingly.

Because of the ‘Yes Minister’ factor, I think we face an uphill battle persuading the politicians. They won’t shift until public opinion does, to say nothing of favors and kickbacks.

The 4 people in 5 who don’t have a mental illness have something much worse—prejudice. They are the ones who need persuading that mental health deserves equitable funding.

Australians who want to get involved in dismantling stigma can get involved in SANE Australia’s StigmaWatch program at http://sane.org/index.php?option=displaypage&Itemid=266&op=page

Visit www.twotreesmedia.com/links for other organizations around the world.

You can read a summary of the Access Economics report Bipolar Disorder: costs—an analysis of the burden of bipolar disorder and related suicide in Australia, an Access Economics Report for SANE Australia 2003 at http://www.sane.org/images/assets/Research_reports_and_images/bipolar_costs_es.pdf

Madeleine Kelly is the author of the award-winning book Bipolar and the Art of Roller-coaster Riding (Two Trees Media ISBN 0-646-44939-7). More information about managing bipolar disorder can be found at http://beatbipolar.com.

The Effects Of Addiction On Your Mental Health

2007-11-14T00:02:00.000-08:00

Alcohol abuse is overstated, while drug abuse is underrated. The DSM manual suggests that in substance abuse there are differences in the definition of drug and alcohol use. To confuse matters worse the law has its own version of who is an alcoholic or drug addict.

Some of the symptoms that help professionals determine if alcohol and drugs are a problem include, excessive drinking/drugs, withdrawal symptoms, shaking of the hands, etc. If a person drinks everyday of the week and relies on alcohol, then you are probably dealing with an alcoholic.

The fact is, most of the people nagging or evaluating alcohol and drugs have a problem themselves or have gotten help someone in their lifetime to treat their own problems. Therefore, as you can see addictions, dependant alcoholics, and other types of alcoholics and drug addicts may alter.

Any chemical that causes harm is a potential danger to you.If you start out drinking when you are young and continue through your lifetime without alcohol causing you trouble, or else landing you a spot in jail, then you are probably not an alcoholic according to some.

The fact is the ones that are drinking and driving and getting caught are alcoholics according to the system. Alcoholism and drug addictions are complex, in the sense there are too many misconstrued inputs and often the label is placed on individuals according to culture and history.

The problem becomes a problem when the person has difficulty putting down the bottle and/or increases their intake as well as combining drugs with the alcohol to get an affect they was had. If someone will steal or lie to get alcohol or drugs then you know they have a real problem.

However, most alcoholics and drug addicts have bigger problems than addictions and this is often ignored. For example, people with mental illnesses often resort to alcohol and/or drugs to find relief of their symptoms. Now if a professional is treating this person for his or her diagnosis and progress is moving along the person often feels healthy and the alcohol and drugs are out the door.

In my studies and opinions, I disagree with alcoholism and drug addictions if the person is able to stop once the mental illness is treated. This means that the person was suffering and the substances was a mechanism to help them cope. On the other hand, if the person is treated for mental illnesses and his or her drug and alcohol habits continue, then I think you had better get out the chair and start talking ‘one day at a time.’

There are many therapeutic strategies in mental health, and each depends on the patient and the diagnoses. The focus of this therapeutic strategy is to get the patient to stay focused, voice their values and beliefs freely without feeling threatened, learn to pay attention, teaching the patient to accept responsibility and so forth. In most events, the groups consist of Interpersonal, Psycho educational, support, and psychotherapy groups.

Many of the patients that attend each of the groups have difficulty socializing, staying focused, trusting others, and are often emotional immature or underdeveloped. Most of the patients were subjects of harsh society and impractical parent/educational up bring. The point then is to bring the patient to a point of survival that does not include fear.Left untreated it can become a chronic illness that becomes resistant to treatment.

For more related information visit: http://www.DepressionSymptomsTreatment.com - a site that offers advice for avoiding, coping with depression. Get professional knowledge on dealing with symptoms, drug side effects and improving your life!

Mental Health and Nutrients

2007-11-06T23:56:00.001-08:00

Every one of us humans innate biomedical factors that influence health functions, since every person has a different combination of characteristics from either one of there parents or ancestors they adapt to different types of psychological behaviors and nutrient needs. Therefore some of us are genetically suited for vegetarian-based diets and others are not. Some get satisfied with nutritional needs by diet alone and others require nutrition supplements to overcome genetic aberration.

When genetics differ from body to body in the process of food then we can ponder that some of us have an overload of nutrients than the others. Some of us have very low levels of such nutrients causing at most times the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) to achieve not on a physical but also a mental health unbalance. Its also very important to understand that excessive amount of such nutrients can also result to serious health problems- namely such nutrients include copper, iron, folic acid,, calcium and many forms of fatty acids, this naturally differs from person to person but the presence of multiple vitamins and minerals can be harmful for some and act normal for some.

The medical communities agree on tremendous influence of neurotransmitters on behavior of disorder. People can have a predisposition for there problems due to genetically aberrant level of neurotransmitters. Our mental health is dependant upon having the proper amounts nutrient intake or presence to be comprehensive of no critical brain malfunction.

The brain works like a factory producing serotonin, dopamine and various such chemicals everyday, the only relief for our brain is the proper intake of nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Improper amounts of nutrients can cause serious problems with our neurotransmitters. People with depression require basic amounts of vitamin B-6. This vitamin is the deplete nutrient we persist or have to synthesis our actual mental health trauma. There are other serotonin enhancing medications and other altering drugs but the true cause of mental difficulties so often remains uncorrected, therefore if a patient needs the support in basic mental conditions medical administrators improvise on vitamin B-6 with supporting nutrients to achieve simple health benefits of the body and mind. Hence nutrient therapy can be very potent chemistry that doesn’t involve side effects, since no molecules foreign are needed for body support. This therapy may eventually eliminate the need for most psychiatric medication and observation.

Nutrients play a critical role in mental health, they are the building blocks of the nervous system, correct testing and understand of deficiencies, and overloads can pinpoint the causes of many sever mental symptoms, thus opening the door to hope and recovery.

About the author:
Mehjabeen Poonawala- Ph.D. Research Scholar (Foods and Nutrition) The author is Content Editor of http://www.eguruguide.com which is a health information portal. eguruguide.com offers quality information on topics like Nutrition, Diet, Obesity, Diabetes, Food habits, Blood pressure and weightloss.

Questions to Ask Mental Health Professionals About Depressive Illness

2007-11-06T23:54:00.000-08:00

If you or someone you love visits a therapist, there are questions you need to ask to avoid problems. Some therapists are more advanced than others are. I can tell you that some are not qualified to diagnose anything that is more complex. If you suspect you have a disorder, the best thing you can do is get accuracy on those symptoms, research your behaviors, and write them down.

If you go to the therapist you will be ahead of the game, and by learning more about your own behaviors, symptoms, and so on can save you from a diagnose you may or may not have. Therapists as a rule base their treatment on the thought patterns, which includes hearing and talking. If the patient shows a disturbance in their thinking patterns, the therapist will consider psychosis, since this is a symptom related to the diagnosis.

They will search for signs that the patient may demonstrate, including vague thoughts, fleeting ideas, peripheral thought patterns, blocking thoughts, disassociation and so forth. Counselors often search for evidence of schizophrenia or psychosis when there is a break in reality, paranoia etc.

Paranoid and Paranoia are separate from the other, and must not be misconstrued. Professionals could make a mistake in diagnosis if they are not aware of the difference of paranoia and paranoid. Schizophrenias are often paranoid, while patients that suffer posttraumatic stress in the early stages may illustrate paranoia.

When a patient answers out of content, or else the ideas delivered are unrelated to the conversation then there is a potential mental illness. For example, we are discussing society, and the patient says, “I never go there. After I get back from Australia next week we can do that.”

An area of concern is when the patient is talking fragments. The patient will start with one idea and jump to several other ideas. This pattern is known as fleeting thought processing. When the patient is illustrating thoughts that are sidetracked, the therapist may show a degree of concern.

Language is important when evaluating a patient, since some patients may not have sufficient skills in communication it could very well mean a lack of education rather than a diagnosis. If you have been talking individually to a therapist, and this is the only symptom, make sure that the patient is not on medications he or she may not need.

It is important to pay attention to symptoms and signs that link mental health problems and other issues. Ask the therapist questions any time there is a diagnosis, what the symptoms include, and what medicines can do to treat the disorder. When a person is suddenly, loosing a train of thought during a session this may be a possible diagnosis.

If a person is telling you about a dream related to his or her parent, and all of a sudden claims they cannot remember what they were talking about, this is an evident sign of some disorder. Most likely, this patient has suffered trauma. The symptoms are in front of you and it is important to continue treatment to find which diagnosis the patient may have.

Unfortunately, most therapists are not trained to treat patients with Multiple Personality Disorders, and often these people pay a steep price. The sign or symptom is known as disassociation or blocking memories and this is a definite sign or Multiple Personality Disorder. Multiple Personality Disorder is often exclusive in blocking memories to avoid pain.

It is always wise to ask questions when you are visiting any therapists since anyone can make mistakes without the complete medical picture and your mental health is important and should not be taken lightly.

GIRL POWER! Is Good Mental Health

2007-11-04T23:34:00.001-08:00

GIRL POWER! is paving the way for girls to build confidence, competence, and pride in themselves, in other words, enhancing girls' mental wellness. Girl Power! is also providing messages and materials to girls about the risks and consequences associated with substance abuse and with potential mental health concerns. For instance, did you know:

Girls are seven times more likely than boys to be depressed and twice as likely to attempt suicide.*

Girls are three times more likely than boys to have a negative body image (often reflected in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia).*

One in five girls in the U.S. between the ages of 12 and 17 drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes.*

Girls who develop positive interpersonal and social skills decrease their risk of substance abuse.*

Girls who have an interest and ability in areas such as academics, the arts, sports, and community activities are more likely to develop confidence and may be less likely to use drugs.*

On the other hand, this also is a time when girls may make decisions to try risky behaviors, including drinking, smoking, and using drugs.*

The Girl Power! Campaign, under the leadership of the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is collaborating with the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) to provide this valuable mental health information.

* Girl Power! Hometown Media Kit, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, 1997.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health

Results from a study of nearly 6,000 people aged 15 to 24 show that among young people with a history of both a mental disorder and an addictive disorder, the mental disorder is usually reported to have occurred first. The onset of mental health problems may occur about 5 to 10 years before the substance abuse disorders.**

This provides a "window of opportunity" for targeted substance abuse prevention interventions and needed mental health services.

** "National Comorbidity Survey," Ronald C. Kessler, Ph.D., et al., American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, June 1996.

What Is Mental Health?

Mental health is how we think, feel, and act in order to face life's situations. It is how we look at ourselves, our lives, and the people we know and care about. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, evaluate our options, and make choices. Everyone has mental health.

A young girl's mental health affects her daily life and future. Schoolwork, relationships, and physical health can be affected by mental health. Like physical health, mental health is important at every stage of life. Caring for and protecting a child's mental health is a major part of helping that child grow to become the best she can be.

Girls' independence is usually encouraged in childhood, and their strengths nurtured. Most girls become emotionally, mentally, and physically healthy young adults. But sometimes, during the transition from childhood to adolescence, extra care is necessary, so that a girl's self-esteem and coping skills are not diminished. For more information on teen mental health, call 1-800-789-2647 and ask for the brochure: "You and Mental Health: What's the Deal?" (Order # CA-0002)

Nurturing Your Child's Mental Health

Parents and other caregivers are responsible for children’s physical safety and emotional well-being. Parenting styles vary; there is no one right way to raise a child. Clear and consistent expectations for each child, by all caregivers, are important. Many good books are available in libraries or at bookstores on child development, constructive problem-solving, discipline styles, and other parenting skills. The following suggestions are not meant to be complete.

Do your best to provide a safe home and community for your child, as well as nutritious meals, regular health check-ups, immunizations, and exercise.

Be aware of stages in child development so you don’t expect too much or too little from your child.

Encourage your child to express her feelings; respect those feelings. Let your child know that everyone experiences pain, fear, anger, and anxiety.

Try to learn the source of these feelings. Help your child express anger positively, without resorting to violence.

Promote mutual respect and trust. Keep your voice level down—even when you don’t agree. Keep communication channels open.

Listen to your child. Use words and examples your child can understand. Encourage questions.

Provide comfort and assurance. Be honest. Focus on the positives. Express your willingness to talk about any subject.

Look at your own problem-solving and coping skills. Do you turn to alcohol or drugs? Are you setting a good example? Seek help if you are overwhelmed by your child’s feelings or behaviors or if you are unable to control your own frustration or anger.

Encourage your child’s talents and accept limitations.

Set goals based on the child’s abilities and interests—not someone else’s expectations. Celebrate accomplishments. Don’t compare your child’s abilities to those of other children; appreciate the uniqueness of your child. Spend time regularly with your child.

Foster your child’s independence and self-worth.

Help your child deal with life’s ups and downs. Show confidence in your child’s ability to handle problems and tackle new experiences.

Discipline constructively, fairly, and consistently. (Discipline is a form of teaching, not physical punishment.) All children and families are different; learn what is effective for your child. Show approval for positive behaviors. Help your child learn from her mistakes.

Love unconditionally. Teach the value of apologies, cooperation, patience, forgiveness, and consideration for others. Do not expect to be perfect; parenting is a difficult job. Many good books are available in libraries or at bookstores on child development, constructive problem-solving, discipline styles, and other parenting skills. Mental Health Problems Many children experience mental health problems that are real and painful and can be severe.

Mental health problems affect at least one in every five young people, at any given time. At least 1 in 10 children may have a serious emotional disturbance that severely disrupts his or her ability to function.

Tragically an estimated two-thirds of all young people with mental health problems are not getting the help they need. Mental health problems can lead to school failure, alcohol or other drug abuse, family discord, violence, or even suicide.

A variety of signs may point to a possible mental health problem in a child or teenager. If you are concerned about a child or have any questions, seek help immediately. Talk to your doctor, a school counselor, or other mental health professionals who are trained to assess whether your child has a mental health problem. For a list of warning signs, call 1-800-789-2647 and ask for the brochure “Your Child’s Mental Health: What Every Family Should Know. (Order # CA-0001)

Available HELP

The National Mental Health Information Center, funded by the Center for Mental Health Services, can provide confidential information; free publications; and referrals to local, State, and national resources.

Call 1-800-789-2647

FAX 240-747-5470

(TDD) 866-889-2647

With Much Love,

Arthur Buchanan
President/CEO
Out of Darkness & Into the Light
43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
Huron Ohio, 44839
567-219-0994 (cell)
http://www.out-of-darkness.com

They are calling Arthur Buchanan's methods of recovering from mental illness REVOLUTIONARY! (MEDICAL COLLEGE OF MICHIGAN) 'Arthur Buchanan has given us a revolutionary blue print for recovery in these uncertain times, when Mental Illness at a all time high in the United States of America, yet if you follow this young mans methods, we assure you of positive results and I QUOTE 'If these methods are followed precisely, their is no way you can't see positive results with whatever illness you have' -Dr. Herbert Palos Detroit, Michigan

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!
http://www.freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3
THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!

Alternatives In Mental Health

2007-11-04T23:32:00.000-08:00

"Health" and "illness" are contrasting terms. They can be used in physical or in mental context. We know that physical exercise done on a regular basis keeps us healthy. Mental exercise also keeps us mentally healthy. Just like after doing physical exercise we need rest, after mental exercise the mind also needs rest. But we hear the term "physical rest" frequently. The term "mental rest" is rarely used. No doubt then that as mental activities have increased with industrialisation, stress has increased. This stress results from our inability to allow our mind to become inactive or relaxed for even a short time.

Some people believe that our brain becomes inactive when we sleep. If that were so then we should not have any dreams. Dreams are evidence that our mind remains active, even when we are asleep. This simply means that our mind is active 24 hours a day without any rest at all. Just imagine how our bodies would behave if we were to go through 24 hours of physical activity.

Although research may show that 30% of mental illness may occur without a trigger of stress, it also shows that a majority - 70% - of mental illnesses occur with stress. The research may have failed to look at the other 30%, mentally ill who may not be 'acknowledging' stress at a given moment. This gives us a pessimistic view of mental illnesses. We are made to believe that we can do nothing about them. We are also told that mental illnesses occur because of our genes, our upbringing, our personality, our temperament, our lifestyle and we can do nothing about them. Stress or no stress, we are told, if we have all these factors loaded in our personal history, we are prone to have a mental illness. Some psychiatrists adhere to this belief strongly. This belief is then put across authoritatively as the "gospel truth" of science. Naturally, this brings up a sense of low self-esteem and helplessness in the person who is suffering with the illness. We are then made to believe that medications are man-made answers to mental illness, which is a curse of nature.

Prayer, which was until recently considered unscientific, has now been shown to have beneficial effects on patients.1 Similarly, the current belief in psychiatry is that mental illnesses can be treated by medical professionals only and the person who is mentally ill has no control over their lives. The medical system works in a way in which the doctors themselves have limited choices other than prescribing drugs. The patient has no choices worth mentioning. From the legal perspective, a person who is mentally ill is considered not capable of taking any responsibility for their actions. This is one of the most unfortunate aspects of mental illnesses. People who are mentally ill also have a sense of responsibility in many areas of their lives.

The role of emotions in mental illnesses has been totally ignored by scientists. Yet researches do show that separation from mother,2 losses3 - including deaths,4 traumatic events, especially when they occur over the previous three months5 can trigger mental illnesses. What has been looked at is the history of such events in a person's life. What is ignored is the emotional upheaval it causes in a person's body and mind. Emotional expression ameliorates the effects of trauma.6 Repetitive upheavals in the body are simply not forgotten. Release of emotions by emotional expression explains the role of counselling and confession. We tend to believe, erroneously, that everything will settle with time. Things do settle with time - but not everything. It is these issues and their emotional effects, that cause mental illnesses and psychosomatic illnesses. It is obvious that whenever we undergo any emotional experience, our nervous and hormonal systems are shaken-up. The nervous system and the hormones together control the activities of various parts of the body. If the neurohormonal expression is allowed to go through completion, a physiological calmness occurs in the body. This has a scientific basis.7

For people who attend church regularly, a common experience is the sense of calmness on entering a church. Coupled with music, incense and sermons spoken in a low, soft tone, a sense of calmness dwells on the person. There is scientific evidence to suggest that going to church helps a person remain healthy.8 More interesting is the fact that there is little research to state that music or aromatherapy help to bring about mental health. Yet experience shows that they have a calming effect. Only recently have papers started to be published in scientific journals bridging the gap between spirituality and science.9 It has now been researched that people who are religious in orientation have a lower rate of strokes than those who are not religious.10

The whole area of mental illness is about losing a sense of freedom. When we find ourselves bound to emotional issues of our life, that we cannot rid ourselves of, we lose our freedom of thinking. This creates stress in our mind and our body bears the brunt of it. This loss of freedom brings up a sense of fear or a sense of helplessness. Both such feelings bring up a sense of insecurity. A person loses confidence in their own worth. Self-esteem becomes low. With lack of confidence and low self-esteem, comes poor decision-making. A person suffers with all these conditions when suffering with a mental illness. This changes the behaviour of the person. The behaviour is affected by the way the person feels and thinks. If the person feels fear for a long time, the chances of becoming phobic and paranoid increase. Withdrawal from social situations occurs. The family members observe the person to be unwell. Such a person is then asked to see a doctor. With the person's self-esteem low, vulnerability increases. This does not mean however, that the person becomes totally irresponsible towards their own well-being. Many times the person wants to do 'something' to get better, but the health system has limited resources to offer much in terms of growth of the person, except medication. When a mentally ill person goes to seek help - confidence, self-esteem and sense of freedom are already lost. Instead of helping the person become independent, there is a tendency to make the person dependent on medication.

Medication plays its role in controlling the condition or state of illness. It does nothing to improve the quality of life permanently. To improve their quality of life, the person needs to take responsibility for their own well-being. This is encouraged in some of the organisations, which are being run by the sufferers themselves. GROW is an example of such an organisation. Are there any alternatives to medication in mental conditions? A doctor can only prescribe drugs to "control" the mental condition. The current trend in some other parts of the world is to encourage people suffering with mental illnesses to take responsibility for their own well-being, along with medication. Psychotherapy11 and self-help is encouraged. The usage of medication in such situations is minimised or eliminated.

In psychiatry, we know that the suicide rate among physicians is higher than in the general population and psychiatrists are at a greater risk among physicians, than other specialists.12 Research shows that psychotherapy is more economical than medication alone in treating mental illness.13 Conditions like schizophrenia are also being treated without medication in some parts of the world.14 It is also a known fact that the more positive the attitude we have, the more balanced are the chemicals in our body.15 This would be more acceptable for those who see the positive role of religion on mental health. Some authors have suggested that the medicine of the future is going to be "prayer and Prozac."16 Mental health is a preventative activity. Do we need to suffer first before we take steps to deal with it? If we could only assume responsibility for our own mental health, we may not have to suffer. The best medicine in this case is certainly prevention.

We live in a free society. The freedom to suffer is also one kind of freedom. We also have the freedom to look for answers to minimise our suffering.

REFERENCES

1. ASTIN, J.A., (2000) Prayer, Other Forms of 'Distant Healing' seem to have Positive Effects. Medscape. Annals of Internal Medicine 132: P.903-910.
2. HARRIS T., BROWN G. W., BIFULCO A., (1986) Loss of Parent in Childhood and Adult Psychiatric Disorder: The Role of Lack of Adequate Parental Care. Psychological Medicine 16: P.641-659.
3. BROWN G. W., HARRIS T., (1978) Social Origins of Depression. Tavistock, London.
4. BIRTCHNELL J., (1970) Depression in Relation to Early and Recent Parent Death. British Journal of Psychiatry 116: P.299-306.
5. BROWN G. W., BIRLEY J. L. T., (1968) Crises and Life Changes and the onset of Schizophrenia. Journal of Health and Social Behaviour 9: P.203-214.
6. KELLER, S.E., SHIFLETT, S.C., SCHLIEFER, S.J. & BARTLETT, J.A. (1994) Stress, Immunity and Health. Handbook of Human Stress & Immunity. San Diego: Academic. P.217-244.
7. CHADHA, P. K., (2000) Drugless Psychiatry - Physiological Basis of Clinical Experiences. Paper presented in 6th Conference - Innovations in Psychiatry, London, April 2000.
8. COMSTOCK, G.W., PARTIDGE, K.B., (1972) Church Attendance and Health. Journal of Chronic Diseases 225: P.665-72.
9. SLOAN, R.P., BAGIELLA E., POWELL T., (1999) Religion, Spirituality and Medicine. Lancet 353: P.664-67.
10. KOENIG, H.G., (1997) Is Religion Good for your Health? Haworth Pastoral Press, N.Y.
11. POMERANTZ, J.M. (1999). Focused Psychotherapy as an Alternative to Long Term Medication. Drug Benefit Trends 11 (7) : P.2, 5.
12. KAPLAN, H.I., SADOCK., B.J., (1998) Synopsis of Psychiatry - 8th Edition - B.I. Waverly Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. P.865.
13. TALLEY P. F., STRUPP, H. H., BUTLER S. S., (1994) Psychotherapy Research and Practice, Harper Collins: London.
14. McKENZIE, C.D., & WRIGHT, L.S., (1996) Delayed Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders from Infancy - The Two Trauma Mechanism. Harwood Academic.
15. MOON, A. M., (2000) Positive Psychology Halved Depression in Kids. Clinical Psychiatry News. 28 (5): P.29.
16. MATTHEWS, D.A., LARSON, D.B., (1997) Faith and Medicine: Reconciling the Twin Traditions of Healing. Mind/Body Medicine : 2: P.3-6.

Dr. Pradeep K. Chadha is a psychiatrist,who practises as a psychotherapist specialising in drugless treatment of psychological conditions. He is the author of 'The Stress Barrier - Nature's Way To Overcoming Stress' published by Blackhall Publishing, Dublin. His second book- The Road To A Happy Life- is being published this year by Raider Publishing in the UK, USA and Canada. He is based in Dublin, Ireland. His website address is:http://www.drpkchadha.com

Real Men, Real Depression! (Mental Health Matters)

2007-11-03T03:33:00.001-07:00

Depression is a serious but treatable medical condition - a brain disease - that can strike anyone, including men. In America alone, over 6 million men have depression each year.

Whether you're a company executive, a construction worker, a writer, a police officer, or a student, whether you are rich or poor, surrounded by loved ones or alone, you are not immune to depression. Some factors, however, such as family history, undue stress, the loss of a loved one or other serious illnesses can make you more vulnerable.

If left untreated, depression can lead to personal, family and financial difficulties, and, in some cases, end in suicide. With appropriate diagnosis and treatment, however, most people recover. The darkness disappears, hope for the future returns, energy and desire come back, and interest in life becomes stronger than ever

Depression can strike anyone regardless of age, ethnic background, socioeconomic status, or gender; however, large scale research studies have found that depression is about twice as common in women as in men. In the United States, researchers estimate that in any given one year period, depressive illnesses affect 12 percent of women (more than 12 million women) and nearly 7 percent of men (more than six million men).3 But important questions remain to be answered about the causes underlying this gender difference. We still do not know if depression is truly less common among men, or if men are just less likely than women to recognize, acknowledge, and seek help for depression.

Types of Depression

Just like other illnesses, such as heart disease, depression comes in different forms. This booklet briefly describes three of the most common types of depressive disorders. However, within these types, there are variations in the number of symptoms, their severity, and persistence.

Major depression (or major depressive disorder) is manifested by a combination of symptoms (see symptoms list below) that interferes with the ability to work, study, sleep, eat, and enjoy once pleasurable activities. A major depressive episode may occur only once; but more commonly, several episodes may occur in a lifetime. Chronic major depression may require a person to continue treatment indefinitely.

A less severe type of depression, dysthymia (or dysthymic disorder), involves long lasting, chronic symptoms that do not seriously disable, but keep one from functioning well or feeling good. Many people with dysthymia also experience major depressive episodes at some time in their lives.

Depression

Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood.

Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism.

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.

Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyable, including sex.

Decreased energy, fatigue; feeling “slowed down.”

Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Trouble sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping.

Changes in appetite and/or weight.

Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts. Restlessness or irritability.

Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain that do not respond to routine treatment.

Men and Depression

Researchers estimate that at least six million men in the United States suffer from a depressive disorder every year. Research and clinical evidence reveal that while both women and men can develop the standard symptoms of depression, they often experience depression differently and may have different ways of coping with the symptoms. Men may be more willing to acknowledge fatigue, irritability, loss of interest in work or hobbies, and sleep disturbances rather than feelings of sadness, worthlessness, and excessive guilt. Some researchers question whether the standard definition of depression and the diagnostic tests based upon it adequately capture the condition as it occurs in men.

Men are more likely than women to report alcohol and drug abuse or dependence in their lifetime;14 however, there is debate among researchers as to whether substance use is a “symptom” of underlying depression in men or a co occurring condition that more commonly develops in men. Nevertheless, substance use can mask depression, making it harder to recognize depression as a separate illness that needs treatment.

Instead of acknowledging their feelings, asking for help, or seeking appropriate treatment, men may turn to alcohol or drugs when they are depressed, or become frustrated, discouraged, angry, irritable, and, sometimes, violently abusive. Some men deal with depression by throwing themselves compulsively into their work, attempting to hide their depression from themselves, family, and friends. Other men may respond to depression by engaging in reckless behavior, taking risks, and putting themselves in harm’s way.

More than four times as many men as women die by suicide in the United States, even though women make more suicide attempts during their lives. In addition to the fact that men attempt suicide using methods that are generally more lethal than those used by women, there may be other factors that protect women against suicide death. In light of research indicating that suicide is often associated with depression, the alarming suicide rate among men may reflect the fact that men are less likely to seek treatment for depression. Many men with depression do not obtain adequate diagnosis and treatment that may be life saving.

Depression in Older Men

Men must cope with several kinds of stress as they age. If they have been the primary wage earners for their families and have identified heavily with their jobs, they may feel stress upon retirementloss of an important role, loss of self esteemthat can lead to depression. Similarly, the loss of friends and family and the onset of other health problems can trigger depression.

Depression is not a normal part of aging. Depression is an illness that can be effectively treated, thereby decreasing unnecessary suffering, improving the chances for recovery from other illnesses, and prolonging productive life. However, health care professionals may miss depressive symptoms in older patients. Older adults may be reluctant to discuss feelings of sadness or grief, or loss of interest in pleasurable activities.

They may complain primarily of physical symptoms. It may be difficult to discern a co occurring depressive disorder in patients who present with other illnesses, such as heart disease, stroke, or cancer, which may cause depressive symptoms or may be treated with medications that have side effects that cause depression. If a depressive illness is diagnosed, treatment with appropriate medication and/or brief psychotherapy can help older adults manage both diseases, thus enhancing survival and quality of life.

Identifying and treating depression in older adults is critical. There is a common misperception that suicide rates are highest among the young, but it is older white males who suffer the highest rate. Over 70 percent of older suicide victims visit their primary care physician within the month of their death; many have a depressive illness that goes undetected during these visits. This fact has led to research efforts to determine how to best improve physicians’ abilities to detect and treat depression in older adults.

Approximately 80 percent of older adults with depression improve when they receive treatment with antidepressant medication, psychotherapy, or a combination of both. In addition, research has shown that a combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication is highly effective for reducing recurrences of depression among older adults. Psychotherapy alone has been shown to prolong periods of good health free from depression, and is particularly useful for older patients who cannot or will not take medication.18 Improved recognition and treatment of depression in later life will make those years more enjoyable and fulfilling for the depressed elderly person, and his family and caregivers.

A depressive disorder is not the same as a passing blue mood.

Depression can strike anyone regardless of age, ethnic background, socioeconomic status, or gender; however, large scale research studies have found that depression is about twice as common in women as in men.In the United States, researchers estimate that in any given one year period, depressive illnesses affect 12 percent of women (more than 12 million women) and nearly 7 percent of men (more than six million men) But important questions remain to be answered about the causes underlying this gender difference. We still do not know if depression is truly less common among men, or if men are just less likely than women to recognize, acknowledge, and seek help for depression.

Symptoms of Depression

Not everyone who is depressed or manic experiences every symptom. Some people experience only a few; some people suffer many. The severity of symptoms varies among individuals and also over time.

Depression

Persistent sad, anxious, or “empty” mood.

Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism.

Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness.

Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyable, including sex.

Decreased energy, fatigue; feeling “slowed down.”

Difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

Trouble sleeping, early morning awakening, or oversleeping.

Changes in appetite and/or weight.

Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts.

Restlessness or irritability.

Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain that do not respond to routine treatment.

Depression can coexist with other illnesses. In such cases, it is important that the depression and each co occurring illness be appropriately diagnosed and treated.

Research has shown that anxiety disorderswhich include post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, and generalized anxiety disordercommonly accompany depression. Depression is especially prevalent among people with PTSD, a debilitating condition that can develop after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened.

Traumatic events that can trigger PTSD include violent personal assaults such as rape or mugging, natural disasters, accidents, terrorism, and military combat. PTSD symptoms include: re experiencing the traumatic event in the form of flashback episodes, memories, or nightmares; emotional numbness; sleep disturbances; irritability; outbursts of anger; intense guilt; and avoidance of any reminders or thoughts of the ordeal. In one NIMH supported study, more than 40 percent of people with PTSD also had depression when evaluated at one month and four months following the traumatic event.

Substance use disorders (abuse or dependence) also frequently co occur with depressive disorders. Research has revealed that people with alcoholism are almost twice as likely as those without alcoholism to also suffer from major depression. In addition, more than half of people with bipolar disorder type I (with severe mania) have a co occurring substance use disorder.

Men and Depression

Men are more likely than women to report alcohol and drug abuse or dependence in their lifetime; however, there is debate among researchers as to whether substance use is a “symptom” of underlying depression in men or a co occurring condition that more commonly develops in men. Nevertheless, substance use can mask depression, making it harder to recognize depression as a separate illness that needs treatment.

More than four times as many men as women die by suicide in the United States, even though women make more suicide attempts during their lives. In addition to the fact that men attempt suicide using methods that are generally more lethal than those used by women, there may be other factors that protect women against suicide death. In light of research indicating that suicide is often associated with depression,17 the alarming suicide rate among men may reflect the fact that men are less likely to seek treatment for depression. Many men with depression do not obtain adequate diagnosis and treatment that may be life saving.

More research is needed to understand all aspects of depression in men, including how men respond to stress and feelings associated with depression, how to make men more comfortable acknowledging these feelings and getting the help they need, and how to train physicians to better recognize and treat depression in men. Family members, friends, and employee assistance professionals in the workplace also can play important roles in recognizing depressive symptoms in men and helping them get treatment.

The first step to getting appropriate treatment for depression is a physical examination by a physician. Certain medications as well as some medical conditions such as a viral infection, thyroid disorder, or low testosterone level can cause the same symptoms as depression, and the physician should rule out these possibilities through examination, interview, and lab tests. If no such cause of the depressive symptoms is found, the physician should do a psychological evaluation or refer the patient to a mental health professional.

A good diagnostic evaluation will include a complete history of symptoms: i.e., when they started, how long they have lasted, their severity, and whether the patient had them before and, if so, if the symptoms were treated and what treatment was given. The doctor should ask about alcohol and drug use, and if the patient has thoughts about death or suicide. Further, a history should include questions about whether other family members have had a depressive illness and, if treated, what treatments they may have received and if they were effective. Last, a diagnostic evaluation should include a mental status examination to determine if speech, thought patterns, or memory has been affected, as sometimes happens with depressive disorders.

Treatment choice will depend on the patient’s diagnosis, severity of symptoms, and preference. There are a variety of treatments, including medications and short term psychotherapies (i.e., “talk” therapies), that have proven effective for depressive disorders. In general, severe depressive illnesses, particularly those that are recurrent, will require a combination of treatments for the best outcome.

Alcohol including wine, beer, and hard liquoror street drugs may reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants and should be avoided. However, doctors may permit people who have not had a problem with alcohol abuse or dependence to use a modest amount of alcohol while taking one of the newer antidepressants.

Questions about any medication prescribed, or problems that may be related to it, should be discussed with your doctor.

How to Help Yourself if You Are Depressed

Depressive disorders can make one feel exhausted, worthless, helpless, and hopeless. It is important to realize that these negative views are part of the depression and do not accurately reflect the actual circumstances. Negative thinking fades as treatment begins to take effect. In the meantime: Engage in mild exercise. Go to a movie, a ballgame, or participate in religious, social, or other activities. Set realistic goals and assume a reasonable amount of responsibility.

Break large tasks into small ones, set some priorities, and do what you can as you can.

Try to be with other people and to confide in someone; it is usually better than being alone and secretive. Participate in activities that may make you feel better. Expect your mood to improve gradually, not immediately. Feeling better takes time. Often during treatment of depression, sleep and appetite will begin to improve before depressed mood lifts.

Postpone important decisions. Before deciding to make a significant transition–change jobs, get married or divorced–discuss it with others who know you well and have a more objective view of your situation.

Do not expect to ‘snap out of’ a depression. But do expect to feel a little better day by day.

Remember, positive thinking will replace the negative thinking as your depression responds to treatment. Let your family and friends help you.

How Family and Friends Can Help

The most important thing anyone can do for a man who may have depression is to help him get to a doctor for a diagnostic evaluation and treatment. First, try to talk to him about depressionhelp him understand that depression is a common illness among men and is nothing to be ashamed about. Perhaps share this booklet with him. Then encourage him to see a doctor to determine the cause of his symptoms and obtain appropriate treatment.

Occasionally, you may need to make an appointment for the depressed person and accompany him to the doctor. Once he is in treatment, you may continue to help by encouraging him to stay with treatment until symptoms begin to lift (several weeks) or to seek different treatment if no improvement occurs. This may also mean monitoring whether he is taking prescribed medication and/or attending therapy sessions. Encourage him to be honest with the doctor about his use of alcohol and prescription or recreational drugs, and to follow the doctor’s orders about the use of these substances while on antidepressant medication.

The second most important thing is to offer emotional support to the depressed person. This involves understanding, patience, affection, and encouragement. Engage him in conversation and listen carefully. Do not disparage the feelings he may express, but point out realities and offer hope. Do not ignore remarks about suicide. Report them to the depressed person’s doctor. In an emergency, call 911. Invite him for walks, outings, to the movies, and other activities. Be gently insistent if your invitation is refused. Encourage participation in some activities that once gave pleasure, such as hobbies, sports, religious or cultural activities, but do not push him to undertake too much too soon. The depressed person needs diversion and company, but too many demands can increase feelings of failure.

Listed below are the types of people and places that will make a referral to, or provide, diagnostic and treatment services.

Family doctors

Mental health specialists, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, or mental health counselors Religious leaders/counselors

Health maintenance organizations

Community mental health centers

Hospital psychiatry departments and outpatient clinics

University or medical school affiliated programs

State hospital outpatient clinics

Social service agencies

Private clinics and facilities

Employee assistance programs

Local medical and/or psychiatric societies

Conclusion

A man can experience depression in many different ways. He may be grumpy or irritable, or have lost his sense of humor. He might drink too much or abuse drugs. It may be that he physically or verbally abuses his wife and his kids. He might work all the time, or compulsively seek thrills in high risk behavior. Or, he may seem isolated, withdrawn, and no longer interested in the people or activities he used to enjoy.

Perhaps this man sounds like you. If so, it is important to understand that there is a brain disorder called depression that may be underlying these feelings and behaviors. It’s real: scientists have developed sensitive imaging devices that enable us to see depression in the brain. And it’s treatable: more than 80 percent of those suffering from depression respond to existing treatments, and new ones are continually becoming available and helping more people. Talk to a healthcare provider about how you are feeling, and ask for help.

Or perhaps this man sound like someone you care about. Try to talk to him, or to someone who has a chance of getting through to him. Help him to understand that depression is a common illness among men and is nothing to be ashamed about. Encourage him to see a doctor and get an evaluation for depression.

For most men with depression, life doesn’t have to be so dark and hopeless. Life is hard enough as it is; and treating depression can free up vital resources to cope with life’s challenges effectively. When a man is depressed, he’s not the only one who suffers. His depression also darkens the lives of his family, his friends, virtually everyone close to him. Getting him into treatment can send ripples of healing and hope into all of those lives.

Depression is a real illness; it is treatable; and men can have it. It takes courage to ask for help, but help can make all the difference.

Please know that you may share this article with anyone you want, family, friends, associates and anyone you feel this may help, please just leave the footer inact, thanks:)

Leading Psychiatrists are calling Arthur a 'walking miracle'-After 15 years in mental institutions, absorbing inhumane shock treatments, abusing alcohol, he's now being called worldwide’ The Zig Ziglar of Mental Illness 'Read about his amazing comeback and what #1 best-selling author Mike Litman has called The Most Inspirational Book of 2002' Out of Darkness - One Man's Journey From The Depths Of Mental Illness to Pure Joy

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!

http://www.freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3

THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!

With Much Love,

Arthur Buchanan

President/CEO

Out of Darkness & Into the Light

43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012

Huron Ohio, 44839

http://www.out-of-darkness.com

567-219-0994 (cell)

Choosing a Mental Health Counsellor

2007-11-03T03:31:00.000-07:00

Everyone faces situations in life that are difficult and overwhelming. One way to cope is to consult with a professional counsellor. Counsellors can help you make a career change, deal with the death of a loved one, overcome panic attacks, manage stress, get over anger, cope with divorce, chronic pain, bullying, school anxiety - in short, counsellors are trained to help you face a wide range of difficulties.

Counsellors work with people across the life span – from childhood, through adolescence, and adulthood. Counsellors offer their services in a variety of modes: individual counselling, couple, family, and groups.
, Finding the right counsellor is often a confusing process. You can use the following guidelines to identify a qualified, helpful counsellor.

1. A good counsellor is a qualified profession with a university education (often a master’s degree or higher) from a recognized university. You can ask to see their university degree, where they did their internship and how long they’ve been in practice.

2. A good counsellor is part of an association to which they are accountable, has a code of ethics, and which grants certification based on high standards of training and education. The Canadian Counselling Association (CCA) certifies qualified counselors. To find a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Canada, contact The Canadian Counselling Association at 1-877-765-5565 or by visiting their website at www.ccacc.ca A good counsellor has expertise and the necessary training or area of specialization to help with you specific problems.

3. A good counsellor listens more than they speak and keeps the focus on you. A good counsellor is respectful and willing to challenge you when necessary. A good counsellor is someone you are comfortable with, who is nonjudgmental, someone you can trust with the personal details of your life. A good counsellor encourages and answers your questions.

3. A good counsellor discusses the issue of confidentiality with you, explains when confidentiality might be broken and with whom and under what circumstances the counsellor can discuss your case.A good counsellor helps you set clearly defined goals and a plan of action. A good counsellor gives you an estimate of how long counselling might last and how counselling will end.

4. A good counsellor describes appontment policy with you including the session fees, method of payment, the policy regarding missed appointments, the length of each session and how to reach them in case of an emergency.

5. A good counsellor welcomes your feedback and asks how you feel the counselling process is going and if you have any concerns or questions.

Lucy MacDonald, M.Ed. is a Canadian Certified Counsellor. She is the author of Learn to be an Optimist and Learn to Manage Your Time. Lucy provides phone counselling services and tele-classes on anger management and stress management. Her website is http://www.lucymacdonald.com.

Image is Everything! (MHM-Mental Health Matters)

2007-11-02T04:09:00.001-07:00

The image you have of yourself is everything. If your image is that of a worthless bum, then you are going to more likely be an ineffective person in life and you need to turn the picture round and get a picture of success and well being, as you can be what you want and if you see yourself as a negative person it will be very hard to get anything done.

What you need to do is have a positive image of yourself, then we can move forward with the building of the perfect you. So the image you have of yourself needs to be a positive one and you need to be able to see things that are yet to be. To see the future and to mold and shape it in any form that you so need to get to where it is that you want to go. See yourself buying the new house, see yourself getting the new job and continues to build you up in a very positive way.

Slowly the picture will start to change and since you saw that new job and new car and the pack of cigarettes thrown out the window, you now have that much more of a chance to get these things as you have planted the seeds that you need to bring the thought to the next level and that is reality, continue to think about what car you want and what kind of house you want and what color you want in each room, because when you see these things over and over and over again the closer you are to seeing them happen and happen they will, with a little help from your imagination the minds most powerful tool.

It can bring a dream into a reality and that is what I mean buy positive image and seeing things that are yet to be, and holding on to them until you are changed and your future seems to start to become different and the results start to come in as it was the first thought of your imagination that made it all so clear. Holding on to whom and what you want to be is important also.

Be the husband that you want, see yourself helping your wife out around the house, sees yourself playing with your kids as the great dad that you want to be. See the image of yourself getting more and more positive as the days roll on. You really can shape up your image with thought it is so true. Think of the stuff you want and see yourself doing whatever it is that you need to get there and continue on until you start to see results and that will in turn have a greater effect on your image it will be like a giant snowball rolling down a big hill, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger as it goes farther and father down until it is so big that you can’t believe how huge it’s gotten.

That can be just like your image as you slowly continue to build it up and up as the things start to change and before you know it you have a huge snowball or in this case your image is grand as there is now nothing that you can’t do! This won’t happen overnight but if you keep the right image of yourself you shall soon see the difference and all shall become clear as your future UN folds unto another successful year.

Take it day by day and if something does not work out continue to see the picture until you start to see results you want and results are all that you need to start the snow ball rolling down that giant hills we call life and once you see it begin to hold on to the positive picture of yourself and keep all your dreams near as they all shall start to come into focus, things will start to become clear as the snowball gets bigger year after year.

When you have a giant snowball and your dreams are now free to develop unto all that maybe, the problem with your image is now just a dream, a dream of the past far away it may be as your image is rock solid not just dreams. Dreams have become reality as now you can see that all along all you needed was your image to be set free.

Please know you can share this article with anyone, friends, family, associates and just anyone that you might think it may help them in any way. Please just leave the footer below intact and make sure the author gets the proper credit, Thanks:)

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!

http://www.freesuccessaudios.com/Artlive.mp3

THIS LINK WORKS, LISTEN TODAY!

With Much Love,

Arthur Buchanan

President/CEO

Out of Darkness & Into the Light

43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012

Huron Ohio, 44839

http://www.out-of-darkness.com

567-219-0994 (cell)

'Tis the Season to Binge and Stress; This Year Avoid the Holiday Worry and Pounds

2007-11-02T04:07:00.000-07:00

The holiday season is a time full of joy, cheer, parties, and family gatherings. However, for many people, it is also a time filled with anxiety, stress, and weight gain. Unfortunately, many people often use the busy holiday season as an excuse to reduce exercise or put off starting a new program. Often these people have the intention of coming back with a vengeance after the New Year. “The New Year is just around the corner and I’m going to lose weight and get in shape”; this trusty New Year’s resolution declaration is also conveniently used to justify holiday overindulgence. Researchers at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) have shown that for most people weight gained during the holidays is not lost and accumulates on a yearly basis. Says NICHD Director Duane Alexander, M.D; "These findings suggest that developing ways to avoid holiday weight gain may be extremely important for preventing obesity and the diseases associated with it.” Maintaining a regular exercise program throughout the holiday season provides benefits on many different levels.

The demands of shopping, parties, family reunions, and house guests can contribute to feelings of tension. According to The National Mental Health Association, (NMHA) this tension can illicit stress responses such as: headaches, excessive drinking, difficulty sleeping, and the ever-popular over-eating. Exercise has been shown to be a tremendous tool to manage stress. Exercise will give you energy and the mental strength to deal with the mad rush of holiday shopping, holiday travel and holiday visitors. Managing stress with exercise can also help control cravings for those comfort foods that adorn the holiday tables. Regular exercise also increases metabolism, thus reducing the detrimental effect of an occasional extra cookie or glass of eggnog. Experts at NMHA claim, even more people experience post-holiday let down after the New Year than suffer holiday anxiety. With this comes lack of motivation and comfort eating. Its no wonder those New Year’s resolutions are rarely successful.

Parties, large meals and extra calories are almost unavoidable during the holiday season. Weight maintenance rather than weight loss through the holidays is a much healthier goal. Exercising regularly and enjoying the few extra calories will break the vicious cycle of guilt, feelings of failure, and more eating. Getting a head start on exercise prior to January 1st will give you a healthier and happier holiday season as well as make those New Year’s resolution goals far more attainable.

Healthy Holiday Tips:

1. Focus on weight maintenance not weight loss - Parties, large meals and extra calories are almost unavoidable during the holiday season. If you are currently overweight and want to lose weight, this is not the time to do it; setting difficult or unrealistic goals can lead to a vicious cycle of guilt, feelings of failure, and more eating.

2. Get moving – Regular exercise will increase metabolism and allow you to enjoy a few extra calories without putting on the pounds. Exercise will give you energy and the mental strength to deal with the mad rush of holiday shopping, the holiday travel or holiday visitors and the party hopping.

3. Get Plenty of Sleep – Lack of sleep impairs our ability to handle stress (which there is usually no shortage of during the holidays). Chronic sleep loss can also affect various components of metabolism that influence hunger and weight gain.

4. Substitute healthy recipes - Use applesauce in place of oil; use egg whites in place of whole eggs; try plain nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream. Magazines and healthy cooking cook books are full of reduced calorie and reduced fat holiday recipes that taste great.

5. Don’t go to parties hungry – Going to a party on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. Starting your day with a healthy breakfast and eating sensibly throughout the day should help you control your appetite and avoid over-indulging on the typically high fat and high calorie holiday fare.

6. Eat slowly- Make one plate of the foods you really want. It takes about twenty minutes for your brain to register that your stomach is full. Take your time to enjoy the taste of every bite, and you will realize you don’t need to go back for seconds.

7. Limit alcoholic beverages - Liquors,wines and mixed drinks can contain 150-450 calories per glass whereas, water and diet sodas are calorie-free. If you choose to drink, try light wines and light beers, and use non-alcoholic mixers such as water and diet soda. Limit yourself to one to two drinks.

8. Get rid of leftovers – Some foods are more fattening than others, however, no food will make you gain weight unless you eat too much of it. Often we eat beyond our body’s physical hunger simply because food is there.

9. Keep it in perspective – It takes days of overeating to gain weight; one day won't make or break your eating plan. Nothing is more destructive to a healthy eating plan than the negative feelings of failure and guilt. If you over-indulge at a holiday meal or party, don’t beat yourself up; simply return to your sensible healthy diet the next day.

Bill Scibetta, RN, NSCA-CPT

Bill is the founder and President of Precision Fitness – Personal Training Centers in the Charlotte, NC area and co-author of the book Play Better Longer! – Peak Performance and Injury Prevention for Golf. Bill is a licensed Registered Nurse as well as a National Strength and Conditioning Association – Certified Personal Trainer. After spending years practicing in the specialty of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Bill has dedicated his career to helping individuals identify and overcome obstacles that stand in the way of optimal wellness and peak physical performance.

Personal URL: http://www.LakeNormanFitness.com

Addiction Treatment and Mental Health: Dual Diagnosis Opens Path to Recovery

2007-11-01T03:29:00.001-07:00

The disease of addiction is often misunderstood. Society has a tendency to view substance abusers and alcoholics as a deviant population who are lazy, unmotivated, selfish, and indifferent. Yet, so often when one looks beyond the façade of an addict, it is frequently found that the addict is struggling with more than just drug abuse and alcoholism.

Many medical models and studies provide evidence that addiction is hereditary, yet many statistics also indicate that substance abuse and alcoholism can be a form of self-medication for an individual who is suffering with a psychiatric illness or an emotional trauma. The term dual diagnosis is applied to individuals who are affected by both chemical dependency and psychiatric/emotional disorders. In many instances, the symptoms of chemical dependency and mental illness disguise one another and as a result can make dual diagnosis a complex disease to identify. Some comparable symptoms of drug abuse and mental illness include depression, anxiety, paranoia, delusions, and hallucinations.

For one who is dually diagnosed to fully recover, both disorders need to be treated. An individual who is dually diagnosed may attempt to recover from one illness without addressing the other resulting in the contribution of relapse of the other disorder. Both illnesses have the ability to affect an individual physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. An individual who neglects a mental illness may feel the need or desire to self medicate with drugs or alcohol in an attempt to mitigate the symptoms of mental illness. This scenario can often lead to hospitalization.

Denial is usually an inherent problem for one who suffers with dual diagnosis. The individual involved often does not have the proper insight of the severity of their problem. Their way of living has become normal to them. One who has been dually diagnosed should be made aware of the difficulty in recovering from an addiction problem and could greatly benefit from receiving praise for overcoming addiction.

It is essential to recognize the seriousness of being dually diagnosed. While chemical dependency and mental illness interfere with a person’s ability to function effectively, it is essential to treat these diseases simultaneously. The more one becomes educated on dual diagnosis, the more one will become enlightened to the fact that substance abuse has a tendency to go hand in hand with another psychiatric condition. Just as with most other illnesses, an individual affected with dual diagnosis can progress and improve on one’s condition once appropriate care is received.

Jodi Goldstein is the Director of Admissions at Lakeview Health Systems, providing addiction treatment and drug rehab resources to the general public online at http://www.recoveryconnection.org, a comprehensive web site about addiction, with valuable information about mental health, dual diagnosis, symptoms of alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse issues as well as addiction treatment options and drug rehab referrals.

Terror Barrier! (MHM-Mental Health Matters)

2007-11-01T03:27:00.000-07:00

The Blasted terror barrier, what exactly is it? Have you ever seen a dear stuck in his spot in your head lights? Just frozen they are unable to move? He is struck with terror and can not move from his spot even if it means he gets squished and dies. This is what sort of happens to us, we get caught in the bright lights of life, which is our past and how we’ve always acted! We can now break through the terror barrier and move from out of those lights and then we won’t get squished by the past and we then move on past the terror barrier, unto a new reality which is free from terror!

You may be asking your self how do I break all these bad habits and be frozen in the past or the way we have been taught to act in certain situations. First we have to find a way that works for us, to get past the terror barrier. It was put to me in these certain terms, now don’t laugh, it sounds so simple that I even said what the hell, this can’t be it! IF YOU DO THE THING, YOU WILL HAVE THE POWER, IF YOU DON’T DO THE THING, YOU WON’T HAVE THE POWER!

Can you it really be that simple? Yes and no is my answer. For thirty six years of my life I fought the terror barrier and have just recently found out how to break this nasty little wall of terror. The good thing for you is, you will now have a blue print to overcome this terror barrier, which I struggled with for my whole life!

What is our first step in overcoming the terror barrier? Self relation that a terror barrier does truly exist and that you are affected by it every day it literally takes control over you. Now what do you think chances of beating are? If you can’t do this step you sure as hell aren’t going to go to the next step, so if you disagree that there is no terror barrier, then please stop reading this book right now, and send it back for a full refund.

Now what is our next step in overcoming the terror barrier? Recognition that you are helpless over the terror barrier right now, but there is hope and recognize that hope is always there and will always be there and you can tap into the universal power that is one with God. Now once you get a handle on this step you will find out that you can use this and apply it to any situation in your life.

Relentlessness’ pursuit of your goal or dreams, if you get knocked down, get back up and try it again the only way you are considered a failure is if you stop trying. If you but will continue to try then each failure or not getting the right results you want, moves you one step closer to your dreams.

Just because you don’t make on your first try don’t sweat it, you can make it on the second or third time and this is a given. Robert Kiosks says you will fail nine times out of ten, but it’s the tenth one that makes you a millionaire. So being rent less in your pursuit of any dream or goal, will get you that much closer, each time you fail or you do not get the desired Results you are that much closer to your desired results. So being a failure is not so bad because the more you fail the closer you are getting to what you want. So be rent less in your pursuit of your dreams and goals and know that next failure gets you one step closer to your desired results.

Now we have covered the three a r’s, Recognition, Realization, Relentlessness. What is next? Well it sort of goes like this. Zig Ziglar says that failure is an event not a person.

So who cares if you fail that is not you, which is just some event that got you one step closer to your desired results. So please know when you are failing that is not who you are, it is just something that happened to you, it is an event. Your time will come and before you know it you will overcome that terror barrier!

Now do you see that with these three action steps you get closer and closer to overcoming your terror barrier? Well you should because every step gets you closer to your goals. Now you will sometimes erect wall that keep you in the place where you are at. I bet you are saying no way why would I do that? Let me explain.

Every time you think you are getting to where it is you want to go. POW everything falls apart and you have to stay where you are at. Why is this so, the brain knows that it is much easier to stay where you are then to do all the work required to get to the next level.

We erect barriers that weren’t normally going to be there. We self sabotage your plans and we don’t even know this. Now once we understand that this is what we are doing, we can find a way to stop it. How? By the three R’s so follow the steps we have just outlined and you will be well on your way to beat the thing we call the nasty terror barrier and this will stretch your reality and then you will see a whole new world open up to you!

Please know that you can freely distribute this article to antone you want, who this may help and even to some you don't, it's that good. Just leave the footer left intact and give the author the proper credit:)

President/CEO
Out of Darkness & Into the Light
43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
Huron Ohio, 44839
http://www.out-of-darkness.com
567-219-0994 (cell)

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!
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Dirty White Boy! (MHM-Mental Health Matters!)

2007-10-31T00:29:00.001-07:00

What exactly do I mean by the name of this chapter? What I mean is this, when you don’t have any money because you are on social security you are frowned upon and looked down upon, hey let’s face it when you are this low, you never take a shower so you look terrible and smell just as bad.

I wonder why that is the first thing to go is personal hygiene, why this is I am not sure but it is a proven fact, henceforth the name dirty white boy. Because if you look bad, smell bad and live in the not so great part of town and to top it all off you have to drive clunkers, that literally look like shit on wheels, now do you see how some people not knowing you have an illness, could mistake you for a low life, trailer trash, or even a DIRTY WHITE BOY!

Now don’t get me wrong these biologically unhappy people can’t help themselves. Let me try to explain an illness or illnesses to you all, as I have BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), OCPD (Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder), GAD (General Anxiety Disorder), and I am (Bi Polar) now how’s that for an illness?

Let me explain some of the symptoms of all these illnesses and then I believe you will have a better chance at understanding what a fellow human being my be going through, be it a loved one, friend, patient.

BPD – Some of the symptoms for this illness are very severe. The reason they call it borderline is because the patient is said to live at the border of reality and make believe. I must admit this is the toughest illness that I have ever went up against and just when I think I have it whooped, it let’s out a furious attack and I get knocked down a few pegs. So what are some of the symptoms of this dreaded disease?

You are very compulsive in all or any of the following – Sexual behavior when you are in a down mood you something tells your mind that having sex with anyone you can find will make you feel better, guess what it does for five min then all hell brakes lose. You feel dirty you shower ten times yet you still feel dirty and cheap.

The thing that is strange about this is it’s likely to happen again, even though this behavior is destructive, when a person hits a thing that is called Diaspora they will do absolutely anything to get out of it and I mean they will literally do anything to get themselves out of this feeling. They call this the caged animal part of the disorder.

Some have a compulsivity to spend money and do they ever, they buy everything in sight and they won’t stop until the dysphoria goes away, yet now they are $6,000 in dept, not to mention all the bounced checks that they wrote.

You want to know the funny thing they would rather go to jail for writing bad checks than stay in dysphoria which literally is the worst feeling in the world it’s every bad emotion their ever was put together and all wrapped up in one and you feel them as though they are happening at once, you feel them all at once, this is dysphoria and please know that if you haven’t experienced it you are lucky because it can literally ruin your life and is the absolute worse feeling that any individual can possibly feel and you live in constant worry that it will come back again,!

Yes it comes back time after time and leaves you defenseless for you to make the right decisions. Please know there is also medicine for dsyphoria, so there is now hope were a few years ago it was just tuff it out, so please know they are coming up with more and more miracle drugs to combat these negative symptoms, so your chances of recovery are getting better by the day!

Black and White Thinking – I know this sounds weird, but once you see the reasoning behind black and white thinking it will all become clear. Say that someone you love dearly does something to piss you off. A normal reaction would be to go to that person and ask them why they did such a thing and try to work the problems out in a civil matter.

Not you though you see them as evil and you can only see them in the black (THE BAD), which is another symptom of BPD. You will even go as far as hating this loved one and doing some pretty dumb things to get even, now let’s talk about the white (THE GOOD)

A friend or loved one buys you a gift, you are really touched and now you feel this person can do no wrong they are now great to you and you’ll do anything for them, anyway you can. Now the thing that may seem weird to you, there is no gray it’s either LOVE (WHITE) or HATE (BLACK), can you see how this type of behavior could run off some mates AND RUIN A RELATIONSHIP?

Back and fourth, love ya then, hate ya, Love ya, and hate ya. Tag you are it. Please know with the right medication this can greatly be controlled, which is a great break through and is helping many couples stay together every day, so don’t let the black and white thinking ruin your life!

Love can break all boundaries, overcome any obstacles, so stop and think what it was like before your loved one had a biological unhappiness and then never let go off that picture until the dream becomes a reality. Visualize you and your mate doing the things that you want, you each being the person that the other loves and please remember that a winner never quits and a quitter never wins.

Self-Mutilating Behavior - This may sound a bit gross and at times it can be very gross indeed. Now let try and explain why a person would act in such a manner and inflict pain on themselves. Ok the reason why they would take a razor and slit their wrist or their leg is because they are in that nasty little word disphoria and when the razor breaks the skin and the bloods start to flow everywhere, it gives such relief!

Now I feel normal again! When I was going through my toughest times with my BPD, I would drive nails through my hands and my feet, sometime I would actually have three to four nails in one hand and the same in one of my feet and I can honestly say I felt normal again. I am so thankful that they have medicine to control this behavior and I haven’t self-mutilated for five years now

Trapped Animal Effect – Let’s say you are in Africa and you are out on the plains and as you are walking around you see a cave so you think you will set up camp there for the night. Low and behold there is a mother lioness and her cubs in the cave with you and your crew are in front of the exit. Now can you see how the mother lioness would go absolutely nuts and stop at nothing to get her cubs to safety? Well this is how a person with BPD feels at certain times in their life, and I must admit that you will make some bone head decision when you are spa zing out and feeling like that trapped animal, please know that this is greatly reduced with medications.

What are some of the most common behaviors of ADD and ADHD? One thing for sure, is the fact that we have an abundance of energy and we just keep going and going, sometimes it’s even hard to get a breath in! Running here, running there and starting this and starting that and never really finishing anything.

Unfinished piles of work everywhere and this absolutely drives you crazy. You interrupted your dad when are talking to him and this pisses him off and in turn makes you mad at him, as a matter of fact you are always interrupting everyone! When will this madness end? I need to slow down and take a break, I can’t sleep

WAIT A MINTUE! There is hope and I can est. to the fact that adderall has changed my life. WAIT A MINTUE! There is hope and I can est. to the fact that adderall has changed my life. Yes I can concentrate again. I can actually read something and understand it, I can read holy shit, I can’t believe it I only had to read it once and I remember how it goes and all that and I didn’t even analyze it a hundred times.

So yes even with ADD and ADHD there is now hope in a pill called an stimulate, which for someone with the above mentioned illness actually act to slow you down a bit and helps you to concentrate. Now the down side is this, people without ADHD use this drug like cocaine and they get a high a great feeling, that they want the feeling to last for ever and they become addicted to the stimulant.

It is usually abused by the younger generation and college kids to stay up all night to help them study for exams and of coarse party all the time, so this is where the negative press comes from. Some dumb kids ruining the entire positive that is happening, for many children and adults. So let’s stop the negative stigma and get the good press and the entire positive that these medicines are doing for millions.

Now let’s move on to OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. Now this can be very debilitating and can ruin ones life. Some of the symptoms are excessively checking to make sure that the door knob is locked, even though they checked it all ready one hundred times, dam when will the madness end?

Their are some that pull their hair out and in doing so there are even bald spots all over there head, and not only can’t they stop, they look terrible in the process. Basically this illness is an anxiety disorder one that can’t be controlled very easy.

It is almost always excessiveness in anything you can think of and then some. Now I know some people who are millionaires that have this disorder, that with medication are very happy and seem to have the illness under control and function very well and then there are those that don’t responded to the treatments as well.

As each day passes and more and more medicine comes out, we have hope that, we may have never had before, so hold on and keep the faith and with some hard work on your and your Drs. Part, it is my belief that we can greatly control this animal!

Let’s move on to the next illness that affects our biological clock in our little head of ours. Have you ever heard of OCPD- Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder? What exactly is this animal? Let me try to explain this disorder, as I have it and it is in a pain in the neck, it can literally ruin your life.

Let’s see you see your self as perfect, or the need to be perfect, yet in your mind you can’t seem to get it right, just that one idea that is lurking in the dark and you know this is the “Perfect” answer to your problem. What about this idea or that idea?

Everyone says you did a great job and they are all signing your praises, yet you know that it is far from your best and you tear it up and start over and if someone offers you help you, you go nuts. There is no way that they could even come close to the perfection that you must have, so you politely tell them that the way they are helping is really off coarse and is deviating from your plan and could they please stop so you can get back on track to perfection.

I must admit I to this day have quite a bit of trouble with this disorder. I can never seem to please my self or anything I do and it causes me a great deal of pain, the medicine seems to help a bit, but I must admit that I feel the need to be perfect in everything that I do, but I can never satisfy myself, my hardest critique.

For this at least for myself I try to use consoling and I’ve made small steps in the write direction, with allot of blood, sweat, and tears, I have been able to give myself small praises and believe me if I can start to praising myself, some then there is light at the end of the tunnel for all of us who have this disorder, so keep your head high and know that if you shoot for the moon, if you miss at least you made it to the stars and this could very well be the step that just lets you settle for second best, which may indeed be perfection to everyone else!

Anxiety, or GAD- General Anxiety Disorder, is absolutely terrible and you honestly feel as though you are having a heart attack, or even worse you are losing your mind and your heart flutters and is beating stronger and stronger, as you are sweating profusely and you feel as though you are losing all the sanity that you have left!

When it is finally over you are so beat all you want to do is sleep and sleep as long as you can, I mean if you are sleeping you can’t have another panic attack. The worst of it is now you live in fear of it happing again and again. For some it is going out in public, the world starts to shrink and you can feel it closing in on you and you can’t breath and the hearts starts to beat a little faster and faster until it’s a full blown attack.

Some are terrified with public speaking and it all starts over and over again and again. This is a viscous cycle that just keeps getting worse. Here’s the thing the drugs to combat this are very addictive and are hard to get a Dr. give them to you, but if worse comes to worse they will and this will help you tremendously. Along with the medication you need to practice some relaxation as much as you possible can and try to stay calm in all situations. You may also need therapy as they will help you see what is triggering it all. I believe that with all three that you will find a great deal of satisfaction with the outcome!

Please know that you can share this article with anyone that you feel it may help, and some people who you don't even like. It's that good! Please just leave the footer intact and please make sure that the author is given the proper credit.

With Much Love,

Arthur Buchanan
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President/CEO
Out of Darkness & Into the Light
43 Oakwood Ave. Suite 1012
Huron Ohio, 44839
http://www.out-of-darkness.com
567-219-0994 (cell)

Listen to Arthur Buchanan on the Mike Litman Show!
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Living Together Without Marriage Improves Men's Mental Health

2007-10-31T00:26:00.000-07:00

A study in England of thousands of women and men found that people who went through the good and bad times with the original mate and stayed together were much happier mentally.

It was also found that men who played the field got over the relationships when they ended much quicker then women did.

Women who stay single who once had a great love that did not work out tended to be mentally stable.

The fact that women who live with a man without benefit of marriage are not as happy as the men is because there is no financial protection for them when the relationship ends. Security is everything to women and marriage represents stability and although the relationship can end they will have some rights. This explains why women who are married are more mentally stable then if they simply lived together.

Women have children and need a stable lifestyle and a strong desire to protect themselves and their kids. So marriage is very important financially and also there is the question of respect that everyone needs. If a women has her own career and here own money these thing may be less important.

From a man’s point of view and if he’s over 25 security is not very important. But most men don’t want to be squeezed into a relationship by the women he loves. He want’s it to be his idea. The trick for a woman is to make him believe it is His Idea.

Being married has always been associated with greater mental and physical health. Bachelors don’t live, as long, at least that’s what the myth indicates. In the past studies have shown married men live a longer life with greater psychological happiness.

There was an English study for 10 years ending in the millennium of 10,000 adults. Both men and women were interviewed and asked a series of questions about being depressed or anxious.

Long-lasting relationships that have weathered the storm provided excellent mental health.

People that had failed relationships and were now alone had combinations of grief and anger and were often depressed. Both men and women had poor mental health after this experience. But for those who could move on to new relationships, much of the damage was somewhat reversed. Although women seemed to have a harder time of letting go than men did.

Women's mental health progressively deteriorated with the more break-ups they experienced.

For men that had several different experiences it seemed the opposite was true. Men who had more then one relationship and moved on seemed to be in excellent mental health. Those men that had only one relationship and not moved on were not as mentally stable.

Women who never married but lived with their mate were in great mental health unlike men in the same situation.

Jeffrey Broobin is a free-lance writer on family and finance issues; his main goal is to help people during their complicated period of life. Website: http://www.legalhelpmate.com Email: jeffreyb@legalhelpmate.com

Foods To Combat Anxiety

2007-10-30T05:19:00.001-07:00

Anxiety is a common problem in modern day society and is a common symptom of stress. In stressful situations, anxiety is normal, it’s when anxious feelings start to take over your life that it becomes a problem. Typical symptoms of anxiety are feelings of dread, worry, panic, apprehension, doom, insomnia, loose bowels, sweating, muscle tension, dizziness, hyperventilation, flushing, irritability, fatigue, palpitations, stomach problems, tremor, sweating and restlessness. These symptoms are usually associated with what may happen. In some people who feel anxious, anxiety is linked with depression so it is always wise to consult your doctor if you have anxious symptoms.

To combat anxiety, it is best to find out what is causing the stress, try to reduce the stress by taking up counselling, meditation, group therapy, yoga and relaxing more. Some people who suffer from anxiety have found acupuncture beneficial. Avoid stimulants such as caffeine and substances that contain caffeine such as coffee, carbonated drinks, tea, chocolate and caffeine containing medication. Many anxieties suffers find that the herbs Valerian and Kava Kava help them to feel calm and reduce the symptoms of anxiety. There are many different makes of relaxing supplements that can be bought in health food shops that contain these herbs mixed with others that help you to feel calm. Some people also find Bach Rescue Remedy helpful when suffering from anxiety.

The following supplements may help if you are suffering from Anxiety.

B group vitamins

Calcium

Chamomile

Hops

Kava Kava

Magnesium

Multivitamins and multiminerals

St John’s wort

Valerian

Stewart Hare C.H.Ed Dip NutTh

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Website: NewBeingNutrition.com

Sound Therapy: Support For Elders and Caregivers

2007-10-30T05:17:00.000-07:00

When elderly members are ill, family members and friends can be key ingredients to their successful recuperation. Caregivers often seek opportunities to demonstrate love and caring, to eliminate stress, and provide a peaceful environment for their loved one. Focus becomes seeking ways to express love, listening for expressed needs, and intervening for patient comfort.

Controlling sound in a hospital or nursing home environment can be an important ingredient for peace, comfort, and harmony for both the recuperating elder and the caregiving family member. Sound therapy is a way of balancing sound waves and frequencies in the external environment with the internal waves and frequencies of the human body.

Intervention, Comfort, and Support--

Sounds can affect patients both emotionally and physically. Distractions because of extraneous noise can be a source of stress and diminish comfort, creating restlessness and discontent. Use of appropriate sound therapy tools and strategies can promote and rejuvenate brainwaves, thereby promoting relaxation and comfort.

Proper use of sound therapy such as soothing sound machines or soft music can help create positive mental balance and promote harmony to functions of internal body organs while assisting in encouraging better sleep. This creates a win-win situation for both the elderly and their caregivers.

Improving the home or hospital room environment through sound therapy—

Because our bodies are composed of a series of waves and frequencies, we respond to sound at different levels of comfort depending on the type of sounds. Sound therapy, therefore, can provide an enormous benefit to hospice patients and their families. In an environment in which a variety of physical and emotional situations can affect balance and harmony, introduction of sound therapy becomes a beneficial tool no matter the age of the patient or family member. In an atmosphere where lack of control of environmental interruptions is ever present, sound therapy allows both patient and family members to temporarily influence their responses and reduce stress.

Sound therapy can help eliminate mental causes of worry while easing physical tension, shock, and anger over situations that cannot be controlled. Specifically, sound therapy will:

• Reduces stress
• Relieves anxiety
• Encourages calm thinking
• Provides physical relaxation
• Encourages restful sleep

How Can You Provide Sound Therapy Balance?

It is important to monitor and adjust the room atmosphere. This can be accomplished using such instruments as soothing sound machines, relaxing music tapes, or reading favorite scripture verses or stories.

Avoid overuse of television. TV sounds can negatively affect the atmosphere in the room. Messages may also include loud noises and sounds from commercials or programs that can abruptly shock and traumatize body functions, creating mental discord.

Family members and friends, who are directly involved in elder care, can be a positive source of harmony and comfort by dealing with causes of physical and mental distress. These suggestions are also helpful to the caregiver who is an active participant in a "transitioning of life" process.

Theresa V. Wilson, M.Ed., CPBA (Certified Professional Behavioral Analyst) is a “Work-For-Hire” Freelance Writer, with over ninety bylines in several business, family and women online and print publications. Samples: http://www.writersinthemarketplace.org or Contact her at: ACWritersgroup@aol.com

Mindfulness And Mental Health

2007-10-29T00:36:00.000-07:00

What's going on in your head? Until you know, there can be all sorts of problems. Uncorrectable problems. You can't fix a problem that you don't see, right? That is where mindfulness comes in. Mindfulness and mental health are intimately connected.

Your mind is busy in there right now, talking about all sorts of things. It may be telling you that you are tired of your job, or that you are a victim of circumstance. It may be running through a list of all the things you need to be doing. It may be saying all the wrong things, and yet you may hear none of it. You may just feel a slight anxiety building as your day goes on.

When I first learned how to do basic mindfulness exercises, I was amazed. I found that whole conversations were going on just below consciousness. Not only was it interesting to see, but the most amazing part was that I could now often end feelings of worry or anxiety. All I had to do was stop and watch my mind until I found the cause.

Yes, it actually is often that simple. If you forgot to write down an appointment, for example, it may be bothering you for hours. As soon as you see that, you write it down and you feel relaxed again. If an argument is playing and replaying subconsciously in your mind and stressing you out, often just bringing it to consciousness will make you laugh and dismiss it.

Mindfulness And Long Term Mental Health

Don't underestimate the power of short term happiness and good thoughts to influence the course of your mental health over the longer term. Resolve anxieties and stresses now, and regularly, and you'll be healthier, and you'll be developing good habits. Good feelings now lead to good feelings in the future, and habits are what we need for any long term results.

As for the big problems, mindfulness is a way to see them more clearly for what they are. As you get better at tuning into your own subconscious mind, you will start to see patterns. I found, for example, that my mind was mulling over and worrying about all the possible choices in decisions that weren't made. It caused me endless stress.

Seeing this clearly, finally recognizing how destructive this habit of indecisiveness was, lead me to change. I started making decisions more quickly, just to try a new way. I immediately experienced how stress diminishes once a decision is made. My habits began to change, and I was getting more done with less anxiety.

The most basic mindfulness exercise is to just sit quietly and start paying attention to everything going on in your body and mind. Of course this can be difficult if you've never done it, and this article isn't a how-to. This is just to make the case that it's worth learning. There is definitely a connection between mindfulness and mental health.

Steve Gillman has meditated and studied meditation for over twenty years. You can find a good mindfulness exercise and subscribe to The Meditation Newsletter at: http://www.TheMeditationSite.com

Improving Your Memory and Mental Health

2007-10-29T00:34:00.000-07:00

Memory is a large component of good mental health. Without it, we’d forget phone numbers, people’s names, or freeze up on a test. Of course, many of us do this anyway – I know I do quite frequently. So how can someone improve their mental health through memory? Here are some great ideas and exercises to get you started:

Mental Health: Repetition
The easiest and probably most well known way of memorizing someone’s name is to repeat it several times during a conversation. For instance, when meeting or leaving someone, use their name casually. By saying someone’s name out loud several times, while having that person right in front of you, your brain will connect the name with the person, and cement the information.

Mental Health: Visualization
Creating images in your head that use the item that you are trying to remember is another mental health technique. Take someone’s name that you don’t want to forget, and imagine it being written in neon lights across that person’s forehead. The more outrageous the idea, the better!

Mental Health: Associations
Make a mental association to remember someone’s name. For instance, if your friend Lou has long hair, you could say her name over and over again in your head as “Lou with the long hair”. I find that picturing people doing something that they’ve discussed they enjoy helps, too. So, Bob the violinist, Sarah the gardener, or chef Alex are all good ways to try and remember someone.

Mental Health: Pictures
When attending large functions with a great number of people, take pictures, and make a note of everyone’s name. Then, once the pictures are developed, you can refer back to the evidence as required for your own personal mental health.

Mental Health: Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are a mental health game that allows the user to remember names, speeches, test information, or other items that need to be remembered. The most common of the mnemonic devices are acronyms. Acronyms are words that are created by using the first letter of a series of words. For instance, MADD equals Mothers Against Drunk Driving, and USA equals the United States of America. Both are acronyms. Make up your own to use to help with mental health memory.

Mental Health: Acrostics
Acrostics are quite similar to acronyms in the mental health memory game, but instead they use the first letters in a sentence, such as “Every good boy does fine”, which is used to remember the letters in the treble clef in music. People with a bad memory can create their own acrostics to remember items they would normally forget.

All of these methods can be used regardless of the situation – at work, home, business or school. The mental health skill of being able to recall places, things, people or events is a strong precursor to personal strength and intelligence.

For more more information about improving your memory and mental health please visit http://www.1health-center.com/articles/Do-You-Have-A-Healthy-Brain--The-Secret-to-Mental-Agility.php

Water Sports for Physical and Mental Health

2007-10-27T01:36:00.001-07:00

Sailing or boating may seem a little overwhelming, what with the high level of technical elements involved in the sport. For example, there are things like "charts", "mainsails" and "tillers" to learn about. Whether you choose a small boat or a catamaran, whether you choose lake or ocean sailing, there are a number of things you need to master before you can start enjoying the pure pleasure of being on the water.

Getting the sailing skills you need to start sailing your own boat is easy if you just sign up with a sailing school. You can learn to sail at any age. There are no restrictions. The best schools and instructors will teach you all you need to know about sailing in a friendly and non-threatening manner.

As with all sports, sailing will get you into contact with new friends. There's a closeness that develops out at sea, however, that not many other sports have. You really get the feel of being one against the awesome power of the natural world and being with friends and family out there on the water serves to strengthen bonds.

Being on the water in any capacity demands a healthy outlook and way of life. Sailing and boating are two sports that demand all our senses to be at their peak. Sailing calls upon physical strength, intelligence and intuition. It is one sport that allows you to leave all your daily concerns and habits back on the land and to be off with only your bare self.

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.water-sports-world.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Seven Steps to Good Mental Health

2007-10-27T01:33:00.000-07:00

Psychological well-being is something that we all have a right to. However, for a variety of reasons to do with upbringing, life experiences, physiology, environment and so on… we often find ourselves with a mind-state other than what we desire. Depression, anxiety, and stress seem to be the major obstacles to just feeling good – judging by the number of visits to doctors for help with these problems.

It doesn't really matter what the label is for your particular problem, if you follow the seven steps diligently, there will be an improvement in your general feeling of well being.

The Seven Steps are:

1. Acceptance
2. Releasing guilt
3. Expressing Appreciation
4. Physical exercise
5. Creative activity
6. Right livelihood
7. Meditation

They need to be taken in sequence. Total mastery is not required, but the time to move on is when you feel, or get a sense, that some movement has taken place within your mind. Psychological shifts are felt with a lightness, better sleep, smiling, singing, noticing beauty around you, wanting to do something different, spring cleaning…

Acceptance:

Acceptance is the single most important step to take. Acceptance is giving up being a victim. Acceptance is giving up giving up. Acceptance is a declaration of intent to move forward with life rather than continue to stagnate and blame circumstances or individuals for how things are.

Acceptance is the shift towards accepting that whatever is going on in your life is your responsibility. It is recognising that you are where you are because of the choices you have made in life. And if this means that you have to accept the crazy idea that you made a choice to suffer from a physical illness, then you do just that – accept it. Acceptance is no longer fighting. Once you no longer fight, you no longer resist. Once you no longer resist you can move with the flow.

Every single thing, big or small, good or bad, you simply say to yourself "I accept that this is going on for me right now". You don't have to like it. You don't have to keep it forever. You just have to accept it in the present moment if it's there.

The truth is that it's there whether or not you accept it. So by accepting you are not making things worse, because you've already got it. You are just changing your position in relation to it.

Accept also that the thinking that got you where you are is unlikely to get you out - otherwise it would have already done so. You need to think differently. Acceptance is thinking differently. Acceptance is approaching the problem with wisdom. If you are so frightened you can't go outside without a companion, and even then you are terrified, then just accept that that's the way you are right now. You don't have to understand why you are like that, you just need to acknowledge it. "I am too frightened to go out right now, so I'll stay in"; "I'm really worried about my new boss right now, but that's okay, worry is a natural event in the face of difficult circumstances"; "I feel really depressed, but that's okay, it's just my mind's way of preparing me for change". You can always find something to say to yourself that is accepting.

Releasing Guilt:

Guilt is something we are taught to experience. It is unnatural. Guilt can be experienced in the form: I did something I shouldn't have done and now I feel bad; or I didn't do something I should have done and now I feel bad; either way this is a self-created guilt. Or it can be induced "you should feel bad because…" when you behaved in a way that someone disapproved of; or in the form "well I was planning on going out tonight and I almost never go out with my mates and you go out all the time, but if you really want to go out, then I'll stay in… don't think there's much on telly…".

Whatever you did or didn't do is done or not done. Feeling bad about it can't undo it. This style of guilt is a belief in a Time Machine. It is engaging in fantasy. What is in the past is in the past. Either own up and take the consequences, or don't. Choose which it is to be and then consign the experience to the past where it belongs and shift your attention to the present moment.

Emotional blackmail is the other way guilt is commonly experienced. Just stop playing that game. If you accept responsibility for your own feelings, then you must allow others to do the same. Do what you want to do and as long as you are not physically or psychologically harming others then that's ok. Someone sulking because you are having more fun than them won't do them any harm. When you give in to emotional blackmail you are effectively walking round with a big sign on your back saying – Abuse me, I don't mind.

Expressing Appreciation:

This is one of the most difficult steps to master, so remember mastery is not the goal. The real problem with expressing appreciation is that many people feel uncomfortable when appreciation is expressed for something they have done "it was nothing", "don't mention it", "anyone would have done it".

Let's say you decide to buy a gift for someone you love (not a sexual partner, a friend) just so they know how important they are in your life. You spend a lot of time choosing the gift. You wrap it beautifully and present it to them. They take one look and hand it back. How would you feel? Most people would feel at least a little hurt.

Appreciation is a gift.

Appreciation is a gift of love.

When someone does something for you that you like – let them know. Write an e-mail, send a letter, give a bigger tip, say something more than the ritual "thank you" - "thank you that was nice", "I really enjoyed…", "you are very thoughtful"…

Money is a wonderful way to express appreciation. Buy from those whom you appreciate. Send donations. Offer payment where none is expected.

And as you start to express appreciation more and more in your life you will find one day that when someone offers that gift of appreciation to you, you will not reject it you will accept it with "thanks, that's really nice of you to say".

Physical Exercise:

However much exercise you get you can always increase it. There is much truth in the old adage - A healthy mind in a healthy body.

Exercise is the expression of appreciation for your beautiful body. Your body is such a miraculous creation – so complex, so incredibly amazing – that it would be a rejection at the deepest level for you to ignore its physical well-being. It doesn't matter how unfit you are. You can always exercise more than you are doing. Exercise releases endorphins. You feel better after exercise. The benefits are cumulative. It provides more oxygen to the brain, creates more alertness, awakens the immune system and so makes it easier to fight pathogens. But most of all it establishes a discipline and routine that is frequently lacking when mental health is poor. This change alone will improve the situation. Should you have any physical health problems then seek your doctor's advice about exercise.

Creative Activity:

Everyone is a creative being. Stifling our creative outlet leads to poor mental health Our creativity is frequently stifled long before we realise what is happening, and then it seems too late because we believe what we have been told about ourselves. Creativity is about expressing yourself in the world. If you create a simple, badly written story with atrocious spelling and poor grammar, then you have expressed yourself creatively. Your creative works don't have to be seen by others. Others tend to judge, and if you decide to create in an area where others have much greater expertise then your creation will not initially withstand comparison. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn't do it.

Photography and gardening have been loves of mine since I was 14. I decided to combine the two interests and my photographs developed a distinctly horticultural slant. At one point I wanted to share them with the world and offered them for sale. It was a while before I made my first sale, and another while before one of my pictures adorned the cover of a magazine. One day I looked back at those first photographs I offered. I felt embarrassed at the poor quality – compared to my later work. But it was only by taking more and more pictures, looking at what was being published, and constantly improving that I achieved my dream of a picture on a magazine cover. But the important thing was that I enjoyed what I was doing. I didn't have to show them to the world. I didn't have to place them in the market for comparison with others who had much greater skill and experience than I. But I did need to take the pictures. It was part of who I was and how I needed to express myself. My pleasure came from the picture taking, looking at the pictures, and constantly seeking ways to become more skilled at my craft.

Express yourself in something that you love to do. Show it only if you want to, but don't stop doing it while you love what you do.

Right Livelihood:

In a way this follows on from the previous step. It is the logical consequence of expressing yourself through what you love to do.

Now lest you are becoming concerned that I might ask you to do something you can't do – like find another job – I never ask anyone to do what they can't do. I might, however, ask you to ask yourself what exactly is it that is stopping you from doing it. At least that way you can move towards an acceptance of the barrier to happiness.

From time to time I ask the people I encounter "If you could be doing anything you wanted to do, would you choose your current livelihood?". I've yet to meet someone who answered 'yes' to that question. Those people are out there. They just don't need to come to see me.

People tend to either hate what they do, but it's all they can get in the way of work; or their work is okay, but they are earning too much money to give it up and do something fun for a living.

Look to how you feel when you get up in the morning on a workday. Is there any excitement or sense of anticipation or looking forward to the challenges of the day ahead? This is a good sign. If there is dread, a wishing for the day to be over, tiredness, or a general lack of enthusiasm – then something needs to change, either the work or the attitude towards it.

Go back to step one and accept whatever it is you are engaged in right now. Accept that you would like to be doing something more fun but that you don't know how to bring about the change, or you are fearful of taking the necessary steps. That's all. As best you can find small pleasures in what you do – even if it's just the appreciation for how the income makes life better than life would be without that income; or appreciation for the good feeling that comes from making a contribution that benefits someone, somewhere.

And then make a list of all the things you love to do. And then write a fantasy job description for an income-generating job doing each of the things on your list.

Then find a way to do one of the things you love to do for free.

Meditation:

Meditation is a mind/body regenerating exercise. Aim initially for 10 minutes once a day at a regular time and place. If you have such a busy schedule that you haven't got 10 minutes to spare then I'll tell you how you can create 10 minutes out of nothing. But I know you won't do it, because "I haven't got time for 10 minutes meditation every day" is just an excuse to avoid coming face to face with yourself.

There are plenty of books and articles on meditation so I won't go into the technique here. But I would also like you to consider that in part I am suggesting quiet space for you to relax and let go of the busy-ness in your mind for a few minutes on a daily basis. This is a regenerating activity.

It is essential.

It is rejuvenating.

It is the most difficult step, and therefore, it has the capacity to bring about the greatest sense of achievment.

… and if you really want to know how to get the free 10 minutes then you'll have to e-mail me.

Michael J. Hadfield MBSCH is a registered clinical hypnotherapist. You can experience his unique style on a popular range of hypnosis CD's and tapes at http://www.hypnosisiseasy.com. Here you can also obtain treatment for a variety of problems and explore his approach to health, healing, and hypnosis.

Vitamin B1 and Its Importance to Mental Health

2007-10-25T03:54:00.001-07:00

Vitamin B1 also called as thiamine is one of the eight vitamins that make up the powerful group called as the Vitamin B complex. Like all of the B vitamins this nutrient plays a great role in the good health of the body as well as a sound mental health. Proper care and caution should always be considered when it comes to taking in these nutrients especially when it comes to dosages as some may tend to overdose which is never really a good thing and is actually quite as bad as not having any at all.

Vitamin B1 serves many purposes in the body. It is an essential part of converting carbohydrates to energy and necessary to the proper functioning of the nervous system, the heart and the musculature system of the body. Thiamine is very important to the brain particularly in terms of emotional health and well being as well as being useful for focus and concentration.

There are a variety of physical conditions and diseases associated with deficiencies in Vitamin B1. Symptoms include pain, numbness and tingling in the extremities, muscle weakness and a lack of physical coordination particularly in the larger muscle masses that make up the leg muscles. A deficiency in thiamine can cause enlargement of the heart which can itself lead to congestive heart failure and lung congestion. A severe deficiency in Vitamin B1 can lead to nerve damage, brain damage and even death. Mental symptoms associated with a serious lack of Vitamin B include fatigue, psychosis and confusion.

These are a few serious diseases specifically associated with a deficiency of Vitamin B1 including the notorious beriberi disease. There are also two specific types of brain damage associated with severely low levels of Vitamin B1. One is the Korsakoff syndrome which results in confusion and short term memory loss. Another is the Wernicke’s Disease which has symptoms that include vision disturbances and irregularities, an unsteady walk and mental confusion.

Despite the obvious importance of Vitamin B1 to many of the body’s important functions a great deal of people regularly fail to meet the recommended daily intake levels of this vitamin. Alcoholics are particularly vulnerable to being deficient in Vitamin B1 because alcohol ruins the B vitamins. Illnesses that force bodily fluids out from the body such as chronic diarrhea can deplete the body’s levels of thiamine because it is a water-soluble vitamin and the body needs to have its steady supply renewed every day. There are also rare conditions that interfere with the body’s ability to use Vitamin B1 properly.

Dietary supplements are an affordable, safe and effective way to consistently meet the recommended daily intake levels of Vitamin B1. It is especially important however, when taking supplements to use them with care and attention because taking too much Vitamin B1 can cause adverse side effects and even serious health problems. As with all substances there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Moderation is always key. While there are certain health situations that do call for higher than average doses of this powerful B vitamin high dosages should only be taken while under the direct supervision of a qualified health care professional. Like any other medication or dietary supplement Vitamin B1 supplements should always be kept well out of the reach of children.

------------------------- Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes. -------------------------

Charlene J. Nuble 2005. For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

Mental Health Stigma - What Can We Do About It?

2007-10-25T03:49:00.000-07:00

What is Stigma?

Stigma is the use of stereotypes and labels when describing someone, and it is often attached to people who suffer from mental health issues. We don’t fully understand how the brain works yet, but one thing we DO know is that it is an organ. Yet our society doesn’t readily accept brain disorders the way we accept other organ disorders. Why is this so?

Stigma is a harsh reality for people who have mental health problems, because it prevents them from enjoying a normal and productive life. So many people today feel uncomfortable about mental health issues, despite the fact that there is growing evidence that more and more people are developing these problems. In fact, many people are so uncomfortable with the stigma that they would rather suffer in silence than get help they need.

Here are a few of the most common misconceptions about mental health problems:

Mentally ill people have a weak character

Mentally ill people are potentially dangerous.

People with mental illness should just “snap out of it”

Mentally ill people are violent

The media has only further fuelled our distorted beliefs about mental health issues. Frequently, characters on television and in the movies that have a mental illness are depicted as dangerous, unpredictable and violent.

What Are the Effects of Stigma?

If you became ill you would go to a doctor. Once you got better, you would expect to get on with life as usual. But it’s not that easy for people who suffer from mental illness. Often, they can suffer from persistent rejections and exclusions by ill-informed members of the community. Some people have been denied loans, health insurance and jobs because of their history of mental health issues. Consequently, these people lose their self confidence and may develop further anxiety or depression, on top of the issues they are already facing.

I witnessed this first hand many years ago, when my brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The majority of his friends deserted him; they weren’t able to comprehend or cope with his altered personality and erratic behaviour. Within months he went from being a popular, vivacious and outgoing young man to a shattered, isolated loner. Over the following months, I watched my brother sink deeper into debilitating depression, which ultimately became so unbearable that he took his own life.

What Can We Do?

All of us have times when we feel depressed, anxious or angry. We might even have a series of bad days, where we think that nothing will ever go right for us and the world is against us. For a mentally ill person, these feelings do not go away.

So the answer lies in education and understanding. If you know someone who seems very emotional, down or upset, then lead by example; show compassion and understanding, and encourage them to seek help. And if you’re suffering silently yourself, take comfort in the fact that you’re not alone and that there is hope.

*** You are licensed to publish this article free of charge, on condition that the author's name is included, and the link to her website remains visible and clickable to human readers, and as long as the links can be read and followed by the search engine spiders. ***

Sonia Devine is a qualified professional hypnotherapist and success coach with a caring and committed approach to healing, who lives in Melbourne, Australia. You can find more of her information on mental health, self image, love, relationships, phobias and much more on her website Manifest Your Success

Aspartame and Your Mental Health

2007-10-24T01:38:00.003-07:00

In 1965, a chemist working to develop an ulcer drug accidentally discovered a substance 200 times sweeter than sugar. The FDA initially shunned this substance because it caused seizures and brain tumors in lab animals.

In 1981, the FDA allowed this brain tumor and seizure-causing substance to begin both sweetening and poisoning our food supply, pharmaceuticals, and children’s’ vitamins. Banned in children’s products in Europe, the chemical, aspartame, is now a big part of America’s diet craze. This is despite the fact that it accounts for more than 75% of the complaints reported in the FDA's Adverse Reaction Monitoring system. (http://www.aspartame.ca/page_a3.html and http://www.dorway.com/jwnoasp.html)

Aspartame, once in the body, breaks down into various chemicals. One is the same toxin you get from a fire ant bite. Another is the smelly formaldehyde in which your science teacher stored animals to dissect. Yet another is methanol, the same main ingredient as in Prohibition Era moonshine - the same moonshine that was notorious for causing blindness. How many mothers, who would never think of giving their children moonshine, have stocked their cabinets with any of the now 5,000 products that contain aspartame? (http://www.dorway.com/betty/environ.txt)

For those of us who struggle with anxiety or depression because of low serotonin levels, aspartame is especially bad news. This chemical additive wreaks further havoc by depleting tryptophan levels. Tryptophan is necessary in the production of serotonin. Without it, you will suffer more frequent attacks and more severe depression! (http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aspartame.htm)

For more information on aspartame and depression and anxiety, visit http://www.alternativementalhealth.com/articles/aspartame.htm.

Heidi Whitaker is an author and speaker on the subject of nutritional support of autoimmune disease. To read more articles by Heidi, vistit: http://autoimmune.myblogsite.com/blog. For information on how you can join one of Heidi's teleseminars, visit http://www.20again.com/teleseminar2.htm.

Designing a Calm ADD - ADHD Home Atmosphere

2007-10-24T01:38:00.001-07:00

Attention Deficit Disorder is a mild brain disorder that is passed down from parent to child.

If one parent has Adult ADHD, then their child has a 50% chance of inheriting it. If both parents have it, a child is almost 90% likely to have attention deficit disorder. This means there may be more than one ADHD child in a family.

What this means is that attention deficit disorder hyperactive children who have trouble concentrating and sitting still are born to hyperactive ADHD adults who have trouble organizing their day and staying focused on tasks.

This is a real problem, because the ADHD child does best in a very structured environment. They function best when there is a definite routine followed hour by hour...day by day.

Yet they are born to parents who are unorganized and unstructured - this is where the family problems start. That is why most ADD ADHD specialists recommend that the family go into counseling as a group, or that the parents get trained in how to handle children who tend to be difficult.

If you cannot afford a therapist trained in attention deficit disorder or if your insurance does not cover this service, you may want to join a support group through CHADD.

Here are some things ADD ADHD coaches and counselors typically recommend. This kind of advice is the hardest for someone with attention deficit disorder to follow, because they prefer to "live on the edge" and find well- organized houses "boring" and "uptight."

1. Set up a soothing, calm physical environment. Keep the house neat. Paint rooms in soothing colors like light blue and beige. Don't put up a lot of posters and artwork, clocks, and other decorations. If you DO put up artwork, buy soothing pictures of nature and landscapes, not violent pictures with bright colors.

2. Buy simple furniture and aim for an uncluttered look. Don't put up a lot of knickknacks or use busy patterns for draperies and rugs. Think simple, minimal and "less is more."

3. Organize supplies in an orderly way. The mentality is "Everything in its place and a place for everything." Store things like forks and spoons, pencils and stationery, and all other household supplies in an orderly way. Put things away after you use them. Clutter is very distracting to the ADD ADHD mind.

4. Keep televisions, computers and other "screens" covered or enclosed in cabinets. Otherwise they will "call" to you to use them. The ADHD child and adult ADHD have problems controlling the impulse to turn these machines on when they pass them. Keep televisions, radios, CD players and everything else that makes noise turned off and shut away, unless you are going to sit down and use them for at least a half-hour.

My children and I all have one thing in common...We all have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD ADHD)... and we were all able to Successfully cope with it...

Contributed by: Ron Rougeaux
Website: http://www.Adult-Child-ADD-ADHD.com

How Essential Fatty Acids Improve Your Brain Power and Mental Health

2007-10-24T01:37:00.000-07:00

What is your brain made of

Over 50% of your brain is made of good fat. Twenty percent of this good fat comes from EPA and DHA. Remember EPA and DHA comes from,

* omega-3 fatty acids

* eating fish

* borage oil

* primrose oil

* parilla oil

* NOK oil

I have covered all these oils in other articles except NKO Krill Oil. This oil is the new kid on the block. It comes from Antarctic krill, a crustacean found in the Antarctic waters. It provides EPA and DHA like borage oil does, but its chemical structure is phospholipids. Phospholipids are easier for your cells to absorb than borage oil’s EPA and DHA, which is in the form of tryglycerides.

The essential fatty acids provide the chemical molecules to make Phospholipids. These phospholipids gather together to form a protective barrier around each cell in your body.

If the fatty acids are in phospholipids form, your body is able to use them quicker and more efficiently.

This is what makes NOK oil a more bio-available advanced oil than borage or primrose oil.

If you are deficient in the essential fatty acids, you will be more susceptible to these conditions:

* Alzheimer’s disease

* Anxiety and body stress

* Heart disease

* Attention deficit disorder

* Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

* Bipolar disorder

* Chronic fatigue syndrome

* Depression

* Learning disorders

* Memory impairment

* Parkinson’s disease

* Schizophrenia

Making Your Brain Work Like It Should

Your brain needs a good daily supply of the essential fatty acid omega-3. It also uses omega-6 and AA (Arachidonic acid). So this means taking a good dose of NKO oil is a necessary daily routine for keeping your brain from shrinking.

Alzheimer’s disease

Doctors believe that if every one lived to be over 120 years, they would come down with Alzheimer’s disease. It is a disease that once your have it, all you can do, at this time, is to slow its progression using certain drugs and nutrients.

Before your brain starts to deteriorated to where it contains nodules of toxins, excess oxidation due to free radicals, and weaken and narrowing blood vessels, it might be a good idea to start feeding it the food it needs.

DHA is in order for Alzheimer’s disease. When DHA is deficient in your diet, you can expect to have memory loss and become depressed as you age.

Lecithin is also in order since it helps to provide choline, a precursor to the memory neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It also provide the chemicals to produce RNA.

Heart disease is closely related to Alzheimer’s because the heart must be strong enough to pump plenty of blood into the brain and the arteries must open enough to circulate enough blood through the brain and throughout your body.

Even if you don’t come down with Alzheimer’s or your family history doesn’t support it, most of us are in line for dementia. Dementia is also attributed to deterioration of brain cells and support tissue. One of the causes of dementia is a diet that has been deficient in the essential fatty acids.

Here are my recommendation for supplementing with the essential fatty acids:

* Eat more good fish, at least once a week and occasionally twice a week

* Eat less fat and particularly saturated fat. A good number for daily fat intake is 15-20% of your overall calories.

* Take daily, flax seed oil and olive oil for the omega-3 and omega-6 oils

* Take a daily supplement of NKO or Borage oil which supplies EPA and DHA

Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter called "Natural Remedies Thatwork.com " For more information on essential fatty acids go to http://www.fatty-acid-remedies.for--you.info

Rosen Divorce Collaborates with Mental Health Professionals

2007-10-23T03:33:00.003-07:00

Raleigh, NC-Rosen Divorce, the state’s largest divorce firm and rising multidisciplinary practice, recently began collaborating with mental health professionals who assist clients in divorce related situations.

Earlier this week in both Raleigh and Charlotte locations, Rosen Divorce held Clinicians in Court, a half-day seminar where more than 50 statewide mental health professionals attended. Among the guest speakers was Jonathan Gould, a practicing forensic and clinical psychologist who has done extensive writing in the area of child custody evaluations.

“We also now have a section of our website especially dedicated to mental health professionals,” said Lee Rosen, attorney and president of Rosen Divorce. “We felt that teaming up with these professionals will better strengthen the role both attorneys and therapist play in family law.” Along with their external collaboration, Rosen Divorce recently hired a mental health professional to work alongside staff attorneys in assisting clients through the divorce process.

Rosen Divorce’s on-line section for mental health professionals features FAQ’s about matters such as receiving a subpoena and testifying in a trial; sample cases relating to mental health professionals; and relevant statutes that concern mental health professionals in the court system. “This is just the beginning of our comprehensive on-line section for mention health professionals,” said Lisa Angel, Rosen Divorce attorney. “Mental health professionals need a resource to go to when faced with situations involving the courts and we want to provide them with the guidance and information they need.”

With offices in Raleigh and Charlotte, Rosen Divorce is the largest divorce firm in North Carolina. Founded in 1990, the firm is dedicated to providing individual growth and support to couples seeking divorce by helping them move forward with their lives. Our staff of attorneys, accountants, and specially trained divorce coaches expertly address the complex issues of ending a marriage. Our innovative approach acknowledges that divorce is so much more than just a legal matter. Specialties include child custody, alimony, property distribution, separation agreements, and domestic violence relief.

To visit Rosen Divorce’s on-line section for mental health professionals, visit: http://www.rosendivorce.com/mhp

Contact: Alison Kramer
Director of Public Relations
Office: 919-256-1542
Cell: 919-523-7104
E-mail: akramer@rosen.com

***

ROSEN DIVORCE
4101 Lake Boone Trail Suite 500
Raleigh, NC 27607
http://www.rosendivorce.com
“Divorce is Different Here”

Lee S. Rosen
Is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist and founder of the Rosen Law Firm. Mr. Rosen has extensive experience and training in negotiation, litigation and collaborative resolution of divorce matters, which has been his area of practice since he began his legal career in 1987. He is active in bar association activities and is a frequent lecturer for continuing legal education programs across the country. Mr. Rosen has spoken on behalf of the North Carolina Bar Foundation, American Bar Association, Wake Forest University School of Law, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, Campbell University School of Law, National Business Institute and a number of other providers of continuing legal education. Mr. Rosen has authored numerous articles for legal and lay publications.

Mr. Rosen has served as a Council member of the North Carolina Bar Association Family Law Section, as chairperson of several committees of the American Bar Association and as editor of Family Forum, a publication of the North Carolina Bar Association Family Law Section. Mr. Rosen curren

Fairies and Mental Health

2007-10-23T03:33:00.001-07:00

Schizophrenics hallucinate alternate realities. People who claim to have been abducted by aliens are accused of having Fantasy Prone Personalities. So what about those of us who claim to be conversing with angels, fairies, and spirit guides? Are we nuts? Absolutely yes! If we weren't crazy before we started chatting with the divine, we soon will be. Just the constant questioning of one's sanity can drive a person insane. How do you know if you're really talking to spirits or if you're losing your mind?

Let me start by saying that until the little creatures begin showing themselves as real and 3D touchable as any other critter on earth and do it on a massive worldwide scale so that they're able to be counted and kept track of like anyone else on the endangered species list, then you won't ever really know for sure will you? So why don't they? Well that's one of those million dollar questions. As far as I can tell it's a combination of them not actually existing in a physical sense beyond the spiritual realm and that they get a certain amount of pleasure in teasing and playfully messing with our minds.

I don't know what the official stance is according to the Grand PooBah of Psychiatry, but I know that most people who are certifiably insane don't know that they are. The saying goes that if you are capable of questioning your own sanity, then you must not be too far gone yet. Not very reassuring, I know. Are they real or not? That's the question you're asking. I could give you one of those psychobabble answers like, "They are as real as you believe them to be." Again, that doesn't really help much.

Here's the first question to ask yourself. Do they control you? The reason I ask is because throughout history there have been stories in all religions and cultures of some type of spirits that come to lovingly guide us along our way. So are the spirits controlling you and your life or are they guiding and nudging you? If they're pushy and controlling you then there's a higher probability that it's a psychological game you're playing with yourself. "The devil made me do it." That usually means that you don't want to face your secret motivations and so you have created an entity to force you to do things.

If they don't control you and are simply loving guides trying to help out, then do you control them? If you are able to tell them what to do and they are working around the clock at your beck and call, then chances are you're making them up. Free will is at the core of love. Nobody is forced to do anything. If you're able to control when they come and go and what they do or do not do to help you, then you aren't working with separate entities. Angels, fairies, and spirit guides are not our cosmic slaves to be controlled and dictated to. If you can do that, then they aren't real.

Are you dependant on them? What I mean by this is that if they are an emotional security blanket then you've probably made them up in your mind. Real guardian angels and such are here to help you to believe in yourself, not to make you completely dependant on them for your every thing. If you can't make a personal decision without your guides and they allow that kind of neediness, then they aren't real. If you require they're presence in order to create your art, play your music, or to write your great masterpiece, then chances are you don't have enough self-esteem and you created a third party in your mind to give the credit to. That's not the same as occasionally co-creating with them but being able to also work independently. If you are unable to do your spiritual works or offer your gifts to the world without their assistance, then they are probably not real.

Finally, upon meeting with the spirits and building a strong mentally healthy relationship with them where neither is a control freak bossing the other around and both are free to come and go as they please. Then the last thing to consider is the impact that the relationship has on you. Are you called to do some sort of spiritual work? Are you shown how to give some kind of a gift of love to the world whether it's music, writing, speaking, art, cleaning up the planet or whatever else? Most people who come into contact with the divine find themselves with some sort of an undying need to spread love and joy around the planet. Real angels, fairies, and spirit guides teach us how to give our greatest gifts to the world. They empower us with the self belief that we have always had whatever is needed to make a difference in the world. If the relationship isn't spiritual and inspirational, then it's doubtful that it's really spirit guides or angels that you're talking to.

It is universally understood that the angels, fairies, spirit guides, or whatever other name your culture gives to those messengers of love and light, it is understood that they come from God. Again, it doesn't matter if you call it God, Mother Nature, the Light, the Force or whatever name you like. These little spirits are divine helpers from the heavens come to cheer you on and to help you find a spiritually divine path. They are not owned by us and cannot be bossed around. They have no control over us and cannot boss us around without our consent. They can work amazing magic when co-creating with us, but they are here to show you your own magic and the divinity within you. Once that's done, they tend to slip back into the shadows to allow you to shine your own light on your little corner of the world.

About The Author

Skye Thomas is the CEO of Tomorrow's Edge, an Internet leader in inspiring leaps of faith. She became a writer in 1999 after twenty years of studying spirituality, metaphysics, astrology, personal growth, motivation, soulmates, and parenting. Her books and articles have inspired people of all ages and faiths to recommit themselves to the pursuit of happiness. After years of high heels and business clothes, she is currently enjoying working from home in her pajamas. To read more of her articles, sign up to receive her free weekly newsletter, and get free previews of her books go to www.TomorrowsEdge.net.

Skye@TomorrowsEdge.net

What's In Your Dog Food?

2007-10-23T03:32:00.001-07:00

According to holistic veternarian Dr. Jane Bicks, the maximum life span of dogs is estimated to be around 25 to 30 years, yet the average dog generally lives no longer than about 13 to 14 years.

She says that this deficit is due largely to poor nutrition.

For example, canned food is about 75 to 78 percent moisture, which leaves very little room for nutrition.

In addition to containing what is generally considered the bottom of the barrel ingredients in terms of nutritional density, most conventional dog food products contain especially large amounts of sodium to make them palatable, as well as

dairy, by-products, chemical preservatives, artificial colors and other potentially harmful ingredients. The carbohydrate ratio is too high in some dog food brands as well, eventually leading to obesity, which is increasingly becoming a serious problem with dogs.

In fact, obesity is one of the greatest health concerns facing our dogs; it can cause unnecessary suffering and a shortened lifespan

Renowned research scientist Dr. Barry Sears believes that dog food should have about the same 30-30-40 ratio as the human Zone diet. This means a relatively small amount of carbohydrates. Not only do many dog food brands have a particulary large amount of carbohydrates, they are mostly grain based, which are exactly the ones the Zone diet tries to minimize.

Another problem, according to the USDA Agricultural service, is that mites often get into dog food pellets, which can cause a number of problems such as disease. They recommend keeping dog food cool and dry, and vacuuming in the places where the food is stored the food is stored a least once a week. In addition keep the are around the dish where the dog food is served clean.

Also, do not leave any dog food in your pet's bowl on warm, humid days.

It should be noted that harder working dogs require more protein and fat in their diet to maintain stamina and good body form. A dog food that is complete and balanced and includes at least 26 percent protein and 1650 kilocalories of metabolizable energy per pound is ideal. During the seasons when dogs are not working, their energy requirements decrease. Feed less of the high calorie

food or change to a less nutrient-dense dog food.

Dr. Jane Bicks has been honored on many occasions by the veternary profession and is the author of several books inlcluding 'Thirty days to a healthier, happier dog' and 'Dr. Jane's Natural guide to a healthier, happier dog'. She has been involved in many advisory boards including Canine Companions for independence and has served as the President of the Veterinary Medical association of New York City.

To find out more about her holistic food and other dog food nutrition facts, go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.com/

About The Author

A. M. Wilmot is an author and researcher in the fields of human and pet health. For more info. go to http://www.dog-food-nutrition.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A.M._Wilmot

Mental Health Maintenance Is Made Simple

2007-10-23T03:31:00.000-07:00

Your mental health is often drastically improved when you use the techniques Dr. Kuhn teaches in this article. When you are able to experience this improvement, your relationships blossom, career paths open, and people find you attractive and accessible. You deserve to have fun and joy in your life - and Cliff Kuhn, M.D. will help you do that.

In the classic Frank Capra film, It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey's mental health is overwhelmed by the difficulties of his life and he wishes he'd never been born. George's guardian angel grants his wish and takes him to a grim reality as it would've been without him. George feels nothing when he reaches into his coat pocket to retrieve the flower his daughter, Zuzu, placed there - and that's when George knows that his wish has come true...he's never been born.

Wishing she had never been born, Roberta became my patient, seeking desperately to improve her mental health. Like the fictional George Bailey character, Roberta's depression and anxiety had grown so strong as to threaten her ability to lead any semblance of a normal life. Fortunately for Roberta, she soon discovered exactly why the natural medicine of humor is one of the most powerful adjunctive treatments for improving mental health, because humor literally pours water on the fire of depression and anxiety.

Roberta is not alone. As many as 35% of all Americans suffer from depression and anxiety, the twins that make mental health elusive for millions. Your depression and anxiety is exacerbated by your seriousness - taking yourself too seriously. As we move into adulthood, we unfortunately buy into the notion that responsible and productive people must be "serious." As we make the biggest mistake of our lives and relegate our humor nature and fun to recreational activities (if we experience fun at all), we doom ourselves to all the symptoms of the corresponding seriousness that fills the void - declining health, rising stress, increased pain, lessened energy, impaired creativity, and more.

The good news for your mental health, however, is that we know how to shrink your deadly seriousness to practically nothing and reduce almost completely the sway it holds over your health, vitality, wellness, and zest. The natural medicine of humor is an incredibly powerful resource that you already possess; you've only forgotten how to use it to maximum effectiveness. You will soon discover that, while not a panacea, the natural medicine of humor is a tremendous tonic for depression or anxiety and will also supercharge other treatments because it is an amazing adjunctive medicine too!

I have distilled the natural medicine of humor, through my years of medical practice, into an amazing prescription I call The Fun Factor. Based on what I learned over twenty years ago from a terminally ill fifteen-year-old patient, I created a unique set of principles I call the Fun Commandments, then forged these Commandments into my Fun Factor prescription and have been prescribing The Fun Factor with great success for years. This report will show you how to use just three of my Fun Commandments to turn your mental health around, and gain new joy, pleasure, and appreciation from your life!

Improve Your Mental Health Using My Fun Factor Prescription

Step One: Always Go the Extra Smile

The first Fun Commandment I recommend for improved mental health is: Always Go the Extra Smile. This Commandment is doubly helpfully for depression and anxiety because not only does it provide measurable emotional and physical relief, but it also is completely under your control - regardless of your circumstances. Because smiling remains totally under your control, it can be your greatest resource for using humor's natural medicine to accelerate your mental health.

Smiling produces measurable physical benefits you can experience immediately: your stress decreases, your immunity improves, your pain and frustration tolerances increase, and your creativity soars. And guess what? You experience all these benefits even if your smile is "fake." That's right...forcing a smile onto your face perks up your immune system and lightens your mood just as readily as a genuine smile. Fake a smile and you'll soon feel well enough to wear a real one!

This is great news for your proactive stance on sustainable mental health. You have an amazing amount of pre-emptive control over your mood - you can, literally, choose more energy and happiness. The key for your use of this Fun Commandment in enhancing your mental health is to start practicing right now, so that smiling becomes an entrenched, habitual method of accessing the natural medicine of humor. If you wait to smile until your mental health has taken a turn for the worse, and depression or anxiety has taken hold of you, it will not be as effective.

Step Two: Act and Interact

Smiling leads us right into the second Fun Commandment you'll find instrumental in maintaining your mental health: Act and Interact. Humor's natural medicine works best when we are sharing ourselves and this Commandment will teach you how to capitalize on the control you've taken over your physiology and mood by smiling. Acting and interacting is now easier for you to do because you're smiling more. Not only is your mood improved, but your smile is also a pleasant invitation to other people.

My suggestion is that you solidify the power of this Commandment by setting a reasonable goal regarding the number of people you will interact with each day. These social interactions are great for your mental health, forcing you to exchange information and ideas with another person. Combined with your commitment to smiling, your interactions should be pleasant, because your heightened energy, lessened pain, and lowered stress levels are very attractive to others.

Beyond keeping you out of isolation, there is another reason why acting and interacting with the people you encounter fosters improved mental health. It allows you to avoid spiritual "flat tires." Spiritual flat tires occur when you sidestep, or avoid, an interaction that is about to happen naturally - you duck into an office to avoid encountering someone in a hallway or you don't answer the phone because you don't want to talk to the person calling. This type of avoidance drains and deletes your reservoir of powerful natural energy and siphons your mental health reserves.

Have you ever noticed that it usually takes you twice as much mental and physical energy to avoid doing a job than you would have expended just doing it? It also takes twice the energy to avoid acting and interacting with the people who cross your path because you are, in effect, saying, "I'm going to correct the mistake that nature made by putting this person in my path and I'm going to correct it by being mentally and spiritually negligent." Mental and spiritual negligence have the same effect as physical negligence (isn't it strange how you get tired if you don't exercise?). If your mental health can afford to allow this much energy to be drained, then you have a much bigger reservoir than I!

But spiritual flat tires do more than drain our energy, they are detrimental in at least two additional ways:

We miss out on an interaction with a teacher. If nature didn't have a lesson for you, that person you just avoided would not have been placed in your path. You say that the person you just avoided was a negative influence or would've wasted your time? I know we have legitimate schedules to keep, but if I am avoiding people based on my prejudgment of them, I'm cutting myself off from my greatest teachers - those very same people. We all learn tolerance from the intolerant, patience from the impatient, temperance from the intemperate, gentleness from the ruffian, etc. I am supremely grateful for those teachers and the lessons they give me.

We create a small, nagging spiritual void of dishonesty, the kind of dishonesty that keeps us from laying our heads down with complete peace of mind each night. Our spiritual flat tire is caused by the pothole our avoidance created; it is a natural consequence, or symptom, of our spiritual dishonesty. These consequences clutter our lives with mental and emotional baggage that further drains us of our energy and vitality.

Step Three: Celebrate Everything

The third Fun Commandment which will help you use the natural medicine of humor to charge up your mental health is: Celebrate Everything. Celebrating everything may sound like a monumental task to someone who's mental health isn't up to par, but you will find this part of my doctor's orders much easier to fulfill once you start practicing my first two Commandments. In fact, celebrating everything is more than a maintenance step providing sustainable mental health. It will also become your lifestyle, the more you practice it, because you will enjoy the results so much.

How do you celebrate everything and how will this keep your mental health on the upswing? The epitome of this Commandment is found in the old joke about the boy who wanted a pony for his birthday. Instead, he found a room full of manure waiting for him. But he dove right into the dung, gleefully exclaiming, "With all this manure, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"

Laugh as we might, we're quick to remember that, as adults, we would never allow ourselves such "naive" enthusiasm. Why not? Do you realize what is behind such a "grown up," "mature" decision? Your deadly seriousness (taking yourself too seriously) encourages the attitude that a mature adult should not let herself be so optimistic and thus mental health is jeopardized.

We could do more than chuckle at this birthday boy's unabashed optimism - we should emulate it! When was the last time you encountered an unexpected pile of manure in your life? You had absolutely no control over the mess, right? But you had absolute control over your reaction to it and this is the key to using celebration to keep your mental health improved!

When you celebrate everything, the natural medicine of humor creates spiritual, emotional, and mental health like nothing you've felt before. You will find that your fears become much less controlling when you are celebrating everything because it no longer matters so much how things turn out. In fact, you are literally ready for anything because you are prepared to find the blessing in whatever happens.

My daughter-in-law, for example, broke her back last year. My son, who is often my model for the embodiment of my Fun Commandments, can tick off a laundry list of blessings his family has received as a direct result of his wife's "tragedy." Not that his mental health hasn't been challenged, but faced with the choice of depression and anxiety over an event he couldn't control versus finding the blessings waiting for him, he has chosen the latter.

The choice to celebrate everything is not a panacea; my son's choice did not change the reality of his wife's injury. What did change, however, was his ability to respond to the injury and, thus, keep his mental health on an even keel. Celebrating everything changes our lives because it allows us to positively control the only things we have control over - our actions, ideas, and attitudes.

There you have it. Start by going the extra smile, use your newfound smiling energy and vitality to act and interact with people, and celebrate everything to maintain your positive momentum. Say good-bye to imprisonment from depression and anxiety and welcome to your new world of improved mental health! Start Using The Fun Factor to Improve Your Mental Health...Right Now

Here are some simple, easy steps you can take right now to turbo-charge your mental health.

Subscribe to my Fun Times newsletter. The Fun Times is all about using your natural power of humor to increase the quality of your life - including your mental health. The Fun Times is 100% free, and is delivered instantly, every week, to your email inbox. If you sign up now, I'll also throw in a copy of my "Stop Your Seriousness" Ecourse and my book, Ten Ways You Can Be Happier...Right Now! which will show you how you can use my Fun Factor prescription in your life to increase your mental health!

Check out The Fun Factor. This prescription has changed so many lives for the better - it would be a shame if you passed it up. Check it out here if you're sick of wishing for mental health and want to finally achieve your greatest mental health! My patient Roberta, by the way, learned to use these three Fun Commandments - and the rest of my Fun Factor prescription. She has enjoyed the same job for three years now and was recently engaged to be married. Roberta occasionally has setbacks, as most people suffering from depression or anxiety do. But, her mental health has never been stronger as she continues to apply The Fun Factor to her life.

In It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is so shocked by the grim vision of a world without him that he decides he wants to live again and begs to return. He knows he is back when he finds Zuzu's flower petals in his coat pocket again.

Let this article be like finding Zuzu's petals. Move forward today with a new, positive outlook on your improved mental health by using my Fun Factor prescription.

Clifford Kuhn, M.D., America's Laugh Doctor, teaches people and organizations to be more healthy and successful through the use of fun and humor. A psychiatrist, and the former associate chairperson of the University of Louisville's renowned Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Kuhn now dispenses his prescription for turbo-charging your health, success, and vitality from http://www.natural-humor-medicine.com/EZA3 On his website you will find tons of fun, free ways for you to maximize your sense of humor, and enjoy a life others will envy.

Child's Play - Treating The Insanity of the Mental Health System

2007-10-23T03:30:00.000-07:00

In today's mental health system there is a pattern of fraud and coercion that takes way the freedoms and dignity of children and their families. Children are receiving stigmatizing labels and being prescribed psychotropic drugs with many untoward effects. Psychiatrist Thomas Szasz, MD made the comment that if an individual hit us with a blackjack and robbed us of our dignity we would call them thugs, yet psychiatrists label and drug children and rob them of their dignity and nothing is said. All in the name of profit. Rarely, if never are the families given informed consent. Szasz has also stated, "From a sociological point of view, psychiatry is a secular institution to regulate domestic relations. From my point of view, it is child abuse." Families are provided with literature that appears so matter of fact but is funded by the pharmaceutical companies and tainted with their bias. According to the Poughkeepsie Journal, the 'support' or should it be said front group for Children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder received substantial funds from the pharmaceutical companies: "CHADD received $315,000 from drug companies in the year ending June 2000, about 12 percent of its budget."

Children are being beaten, improperly restrained, physically and sexually abused, and emotionally scarred in residential treatment programs. Juvenile probation officials are failing to understand the emotional distress of our children, they are submitting to this "psychiatric Gestapo". Educators rather than finding new methods of shaping our children's learning are falling into the trap of psychiatric 'solutions' as well. Never could it be that a school has simply failed to help a child learn, rather it is always the child denigrated and labeled as 'disordered'. There are loving and concerned parents, and there are others who lack love and compassion towards their children. There are loving and concerned parents who become duped by the 'professionals'. Below are some actual stories of experiences in my work as a therapist with children as well as one story submitted to me by a concerned and struggling parent. I share them to give some perspective as to what is occurring.

I share this scenario because sadly it is becoming a frightening reality: A child is considered overly active and has behavioral issues at school. The school staff may recommend psychiatric intervention and even go as far as to say that medication is necessary, even designating which one. The child sees the psychiatrist for a brief session- it is never examined if the child has any physical conditions, allergies, etc. Immediately the child is labeled and given a dose of psychostimulant. The child develops side effects such as weight loss, insomnia, and possible tics. In order to counteract the insomnia, a new drug such as Klonidine is added. The child develops emotional lability and has crying episodes and manic behaviors. The psychiatrist is seen again for a brief time, and on this visit its determined that 'bipolar is emerging'. The child is then given Depakote or some other mood stablizer. The child now must receive regular blood tests to insure that liver toxicity does not arise. The child is not overly active, he is quite docile, so it is reported that improvement has occurred. However, with the combination of drugs, he develops some psychotic like symptoms where he feels something is crawling on him and has some hallucinations. The psychiatrist is consulted again, and its determined that bipolar with psychotic features exists or maybe even the possibility of childhood schizophrenia. The child is then given Risperdal or another neuroleptic. Strangely, the child begins developing unusual jaw movements and muscle rigidity. The parents are concerned and ask the psychiatrist if this is medication related and if the child is overmedicated. The psychiatrist brushes off the question and prescribes Cogentin (used for Parkinson's) to alleviate the neurological problems but fails to remove the offending agent. The child's behavior becomes more unusual and bizarre leading to hospitalization where medications are raised and adjusted and new ones added. Then the recommendation comes from the psychiatrist that it would be better for the child to be moved to a residential treatment facility. While in the residential facility, the child is frequently restrained and is injured, he is placed with other children with serious emotional and behaviorla distress. he is discharged home having absorbed alot of new negative behaviors from peers, lacking knowledge of the outside world, and with few skills. So, once the child nears adulthood, it is recommended that he live in a group home where he can be cared for and the psychiatric regiment can be maintained. The child has been 'treated.' Names have been changed to preserve confidentiality:

I worked with a teen who had experienced sexual trauma by a relative. The relative was arrested and sentenced. The teen was asked to attend the setencing hearing and prior began acting out at school. She had an incident where she left the classroom to de-escalate after an argument with a teacher. She was restrained by a rather obese school staff. The teen explained to me that sher was frustrated with the school because a number of boys were exposing themselves to her and knew about her sexual trauma and that school staff did not respond. She was charged with disorderly conduct and had to appear before a juvenile judge. The judge was made aware of her sexual trauma and her need to be at the sentencing hearing. He locked her in juvenile detention for 10 days and said, 'we will transport her from detention to the hearing." The teen ahd no previous juvenile arrests. In this situation, Attorney Jana Markus was also became involved and after consulting with the District Attorney's office was able to secure her release and to encourage that she be recommended for homebound education. The school district has agreed not without some contention, particularly trying to continue to charge the teen with truancy for the time between her leaving the school and obtaining the recommendation of homebound education.

I received a call from a mother who had a very young child who was displaying some aggressive behaviors which caused the day care to have the child removed until therapeutic services could be provided. The mother took the child to one agency and was told, "you better medicate this child before he tries to kill someone." The mother was appalled. I later spoke to this mother by phone and explained my therapeutic approach. She told me her situation and the response she had received. As I spoke with her at length, she said, "You really care about children." I appreciated this comment but at the same time was saddened as I thought, shouldn't this be said about every person in the mental health profession? What has gone wrong?

A client who is a physician and his wife related that they sought assistance with their child diagnosed with autism and wanted assistance in aiding him with communication skills. They saw a psychiatrist who visited with them fr less than 10 minutes and began writing a script for antipsychotic medication. When the parents noted that they were not there for medications, the psychiatrist became belligerent and asked, 'then what do you want and why are you here?"

A staff of a agency working with mentally challenged adults related to me that the supervisors insisted that a client in the residential program was non-verbal and unable to communicate. This client was left frequently to sit and watch television for hours and privided with no real attention or work on skills development. The staff stated that she sought to engage the client in dialogue and found that he was far from non-verbal and after some work was able to write his name and other words.

In visiting an agency working with mentally challenged youth, I discovered that many of these youth's needs were completely ignored. I recall two incidents of seeing a young girl seated in a chair, the staff gave her paper and markers, and she would sit in the same chair for hours. Every visit she would be seated in the same spout with no one providing attention. Staff would walk past her and she would try to reach for them or hug them. I always made sure to stop and hug her and comment on her drawings. In addition, a young boy would pace incessantly around the building, once again being provided no attention, and no real work being done to aid this child in skill development.

I was presented with a child who was having some serious behavioral issues at school. I began to examine the situation and my assessment was that this child was in conflict with his teacher and this was the only cause for the behavioral issues. This child had been previously placed on Ritalin which was actually cpurt ordered. The child had a very adverse reaction and fortunatelt was removed. As I have mentioned about the fraud of ADHD, this child I was convinced had no brain disorder as the biological psychiatrists would like us to think. This child was actually quite bright and was on the borderline for qualifying for MENSA. I began to look at the dynamics at school, as it was only here that he posed a problem. I learned as well that this child was witness to abuse and trauma. So, as I thought further I saw that the teacher was only aggravating this by his actions. The teacher showed hostility to this child and made him a target, even writing in a journal that the child was 'fat and ignorant." Was it any wonder that the child exhibited behavioral issues in a classroom where he was treated with no dignity? As I suspected, this child was moved to a different school environment where he excelled. The "ADHD" symptoms all disappeared, so much for theories about a brain disorder.

I received a call from a mother who explained to me that her child was in a residential facility and only recently was determined to have a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorder after years of being labeled with 20 assorted diagnoses. She was given Risperdal as well as Ritalin. The mother reported that the child has tardive dyskinesia and was experiencing tremors. The response was to eliminate Risperdal and replace it with a different neuroleptic. This child is now permanently disfigured, and will probably never fully recover from the damage done in the name of 'help'.

I was doing an observation of one of my clients in a school setting when I took note of another child who began a conversation with me and in the process was showing facial grimaces and constant repetitive blinking. I pulled the teacher aside and asked her to examine the child for a minute and tell me if she witnessed anything out of the ordinary. "Well, he keeps making faces and twitching." I asked her, "Why may that be?" "Well, um, I do not know!". I asked her to see what medication the child was taking and if it might be a 'blue pill'. She asked the child and indeed he was taking Adderall, the cause of all his grimaces and contortion. What a price to pay to get a child to 'function' in class!

I was presented with a child who the teacher insisted was ADHD. The school guidance counselor was called in and told the mother, "without a doubt, he is ADHD and could benefit from Ritalin. It helps with academic improvement." I asked the school guidance counselor if he had actually met the child or was going on reports. "No, I have yet to meet him." I then asked him if he could name a study that proved that academic performance could be enhanced and how he was so sure of the ADHD diagnosis." He responded that he knew of no such study and that such diagnosis was based on teacher reports. Where is the science in that? I explained further that studies have actuallt shown that short term improvement in rote learning does occur, but that no long term improvement has ever been shown. The family sought a second opinion from a different psychologist who stated he saw nothing and sent the boy on his way. In this situation, I saw that the child was bright and that he learned in a way that the teacher just plainly was not providing. This idea was reinforced when the following year with a different teacher his academic performance dramatically increased with no intervention.

I worked with a delightful 5 year old child. Prior to him being referred to me, he had been on Risperdal. He had convulsions in the classroom and was taken to the emergency room. I happened to read the hospital report and it was deemed that these convulsions were a direct effect of the Risperdal. The mother was unfortunately an unconcerned parent, and there were frequent calls made to Child protective Services regarding abuse by herself and her paramour. I found it immensely difficult to work in the home with this mother, and after seeing the child with brusing, I too called the Child Protective Services but each time they found the cases unfounded. I would take the child into the community for my sessions. The mother had described him as a 'little brat', a 'monster', and a kid 'who didnt deserve sh-t'. She described all these negative behaviors in the home and yet I never saw one of them in his time with me. Occassionally he would have some difficulty in the classroom, but with some guidance and redirection, problems were always averted. It broke my heart to see that within 5 minutes of me dropping him off at home he would be in tears. The mother requested me to leave this case, and I reluctantly agreed and transferred it to a colleague and friend. My colleague informed me that the paramour was caught sexually abusing the child, and the child was taken to foster care. I feel that foster care should certainly be a last option, but here it was a blessing. I recommended that at least one member of the therapeutic staff he was familiar with continue to work with him in the new setting and I offered to go and visit him to help with his adjustment. Though it will take some time for him to adjust, I think it will be a fresh new start, as he is in a place where maybe for once he will receive love and compassion.

I was presented with a very difficult child who had received multiple psychiatric diagnoses and who had been in residential mental health treatment for the majority of his life. This child had been heavily medicated and was exhibiting slurred speech, poor motor coordination, inner feelings of agitation, and unusual jaw motions and tics. The family was told of the possibility of tardive dyskinesia. This also became a concern of a psychologist who observed him. Unfortunately, the parents stated they were never given informed consent about potential side effects and had never heard of the term 'tardive dyskinesia'. This neurological problem is a significant problem affecting individuals taking neuroleptic medications.

It is challenging to speak the truth in a corrupt system motivated frequently by greed. I have heard that "if you challenge psychiatry, the doctors will not refer to us anymore'. Or, as just as is done with patients, if you see a behavior or idea that you disagree with, label them and suppress them. Among the labels are "weird ideas", "non-mainstream", "un-orthodox", 'radical", or "Scientologist." The Church of Scientology has been active in tackling psychiatric abuse, so it is assumed that anyone who would dare speak out must be affiliated with the Church of Scientology. It is very easy to try to look at the problem as a "Scientology issue' rather than for what it is. For me, it would not matter if Hasidic Jews, Muslims, or any other group were speaking out on the corrupt mental health system. The issue should be whether there is validity to what is being said and there most certainly is. Many are unwilling to take any stand or confront anything because it is more to their advantage to sit behind a desk, make money, and pretend they are helping.

First, we must stop looking through the eyes of a medical model, where we see children as broken and disordered and attempts are made to attributing their behaviors and emotions solely to a malfunctioning brain. There is no evidence supporting the psychopathology of a number of disorders. The linkage between the pharmaceutical companies and psychiatry needs to be evaluated as well as the information that is disseminated via the research and materials provided by pharmaceutical company money. The goal should be to examine the underlying factors of a child's behavior, looking at the child with dignity and respect, and seeing the child as one in conflict rather than a person who is disordered. Such stigmatization remains indefinitely, and labels can often become a self fulfilling prophecy and will follow our children for years to come and shape the way that they view themselves and also the way others view them, particularly the educational system. We cannot look to solely the most cost effective solution when our children's lives are at stake. Indeed, providing a prescription may control aspects of behavior and be though to have a 'therapeutic effect' but never gets to the root cause, and whereas it is far less expensive to medicate than to provide ongoing psychotherapy, it is appropriate and compassionate counsel that will make the difference. Second, the realm of psychotherapy must return to its orginal roots. The word psychotherapy literally means the healing of the soul. We must return the soul to therapy, encouraging therapists to instill within themselves the principles of compassion and empathy that are crucial for any therapeutic relationship to blossom forth. Therapists need to be compassionate and creative, and willing to give additional time and effort to see that a child's needs are met and to also provide community linkages and ongoing support within their environment and to encourage the least restrictive setting for our children. The coercion of parents and families into forced 'treatments' needs to be eliminated. Third, the educational system must be willing to accomodate to meet the various learning styles of children and not seek to place them in a box of rote learning or limit them to one particulat style. Some children may falter in a visual setting and need a hands on approach, whereas others may need other methods of encouraging their effective learning. We must return time, attention, and individuality to the classroom. Fourth, parents need to continue to take an active role in the lives of their children, providing ongoing guidance, validating emotions and not taking a dismissive, disapproving, or hands off approach. Rather, parents must be involved in helping the children develop their own sense of being, and being able to assess themselves. Parents need to avoid nagging their children and becoming entrapped in the propaganda that their children are disordered and need drugs to function. Fifth, our society must change in it attitudes. We are a society where we try to find our answers to ailments within a simple pill. We are a society that has unfortunately lost sight for the welfare of our children. We are a societry where we are prosperous, yet greed often blinds us. Such disorders such as ADHD can be looked upon as a social construct. 90% of Ritalin sales are in the US. This tells us that there is something to be examined within our society that needs correction. Somewhere along the line we have failed our children. We need to rely less on psychiatry and its devices to solve our problems and more on what we can do within ourselves- to take a holistic approach, to understand the child as a whole person- physical, emotional, and spiritual, and to examine in each of these areas where there may be difficulties that can be alleviated. We need to rely less on others dictating the course of our own and our children's lives and develop workable plan within our own family structure. Nothing will ever be perfect, but even in the most serious disturbances, love and compassion can heal much. We must realize that in some situations within society and within our own lives, we may never be able to evoke complete change. This is the cause of much distress, not problems themselves but how we respond to them. To battle those things beyond our control can lead us to emotional distress, but if we seek live as principled individuals, we can make a difference.

Dr. Dan L. Edmunds, Ed.D. is a noted counselor, scholar, theologian, and lecturer. Edmunds has been a vocal critic of bio-psychiatry and an advocate for a more humane and dignified mental health system. Edmunds' website can be found at http://www.danedmunds.com You can listen to Dr. Edmunds' on the nationally syndicated radio program "Take America Back" at http://www.cchr.org/radio/radio_edmunds.mp3

Christmas For One: Mental Health Over the Holidays

2007-10-18T02:43:00.001-07:00

My dear friend, poet Dessa Byrd Reed, often spends holidays alone as a widow. However, she doesn’t see this, as many people often do, as a depressing circumstance. In a November 2000 POETIC VOICES interview, she said, “Because I am single and live alone, I eat out a lot. I love to talk to strangers. That's one of my favorite things. I go out for breakfast and talk to people.”

Another talented writer, Leslie Lafayette, dealt with being a childless woman by choice in WHY DON’T YOU HAVE KIDS?: Living a Full Life Without Parenthood. You can bet that because of her choice many people would pity her. She writes the “Alone Again, Naturally” column for the outstanding magazine THE DESERT WOMAN. Observers might conclude she’s miserable on the holidays.

Both Leslie and Dessa have full lives and radiate Christmas cheer, not just in December but all year round. While we all need human contact, it’s a mistake to conclude that people without the traditional family dinner are all on suicide watch. Anyone who has negotiated where to have Christmas and which family members can come when, not to mention refereed in-law and spouse disputes, knows that the allure of having a table for one at Christmas is powerful.

However, when people aren’t alone by choice, Christmas can be lonely. In Michigan, I interviewed a woman, the founder of a divorced and widowed support group, who chose to have Christmas dinner every year for lonely widows, widowers and divorced people, usually from her support group. Her children understood that she needed to start this new tradition in her new life.

Similarly, having children around, even with the relentless gimmes and commercialism, lends a special magic to Christmas, which is why playing Santa appeals to so many.

The holidays can be joyous if you’re alone, or they can be difficult. As with so much, your feelings depend on your personality, your circumstances, your childhood, and in many cases on medical or psychological conditions.

Some tips to remember if you’re alone or without your support system:

*Take advantage of counseling services in your community, including from your local church, synagogue, temple or other place of worship.

*Take time out for spirituality. You might attend services just to experience human contact and community. People are generally nicer at Christmas.

*Do all the things you wanted to do but couldn’t in your former life. Travel. Even in this post-9/11 world, you can visit faraway places. There are many tour groups for singles.

*Attend art walks, holiday concerts, lectures, and movie screenings alone. Or invite a friend you haven’t talked to in a while.

*Volunteer—it’s a wonderful way to make friends, stay active, and feel fulfilled.

*Go out to dinner alone! While women in particular feel uncomfortable, project an air of confidence. You are a strong, vital woman. This doesn’t mean that you should go bar-hopping or take risks alone at night. But you have the right to ask for a table for one without feeling as though people are judging you. (Most people are too preoccupied with their own lives to notice.)

*Gather a circle of friends or people in the same situation—just make sure the evening doesn’t turn into a pity party.

*Don’t overdrink, overeat or do drugs. It’s just not a good tradition.

*Bake cookies if you’re so inclined. Cookies make wonderful Christmas presents and ways to reconnect with your friends.

You may be tempted to think of yourself as Ebenezer Scrooge. Don’t, and boil anyone in his own pudding who calls you “Scrooge.” You are honoring Christmas in your own heart and keeping it always. Christmas for one, anyone?

Kristin Johnson is co-author of the “enthusiastically recommended” Midwest Book Review pick, Christmas Cookies Are For Giving: Stories, Recipes and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts (ISBN: 0-9723473-9-9). A downloadablemedia kit is available at our Web site, http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com, or e-mail the publisher (info@tyrpublishing.com) to receive a printed media kit and sample copy of the book. More articles available at http://www.bakingchristmascookies.com

Women's Mental Health

2007-10-18T02:42:00.000-07:00

Does so-called "positive thinking" have any real effect on a woman’s mental health and physical health? Can a change in your thinking actually change your health? The answer is yes, according to a scientific study at the University of Pennsylvania.

The study found that those who responded optimistically to adversity lived longer those who responded pessimistically to adversity.

Adversity and stress visit us all on a regular basis. A quick test of your own current state of optimism is the reaction you have when reading the above paragraphs. Some people gain hope and confidence from the news. Others feel helpless and shake their heads while muttering something negative. We all see both reactions in life and unfortunately the negative thinking seems to be more common.

Parade magazine reports that in a recent survey, 250,000 women said the number one problem they face every day is stress. One way to face stressful challenges and overcome them is to think optimistic thoughts about how you plan to rise above the situation and solve the problem. Imagine yourself victorious.

Some women say “But I don’t have any imagination.” Sure you do. Every time you worry about something that doesn’t happen you have imagined the worst. You are using your imagination to visualize your worries. Use this same process but imagine the best and visualize things going right instead of things going wrong.

As You Think, So Shall You Become

Author James Allen wrote the following poetic advice over 100 years ago:

“Strong, pure and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and pliable instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it.

Thought is the fount of action, life and manifestations; make the fountain pure, and all will be pure.

If you would perfect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind.

As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome home unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene face can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and good will and serenity.

There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with good will for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all --such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.”

What makes a healthy personality? According to Emerson, “An individual has a healthy personality to the exact degree to which they have the propensity to look for the good in every situation.”

Try that for one day. Look for the good in every situation. Find the silver lining in every cloud. See if you don’t have a better day than usual.

When you meet up with someone who is thinking negative, remember this little joke and smile: When a grouch was given this advice he said, “I was going to try positive thinking once... but then I figured what the heck is the use in trying.”

Look for the good in every situation today and keep smiling.

Monica Nelson writes optimistically about womens health questions, including how omega-3 fish oil and also natural serotonin can improve mood and mental health.