I'm either going to kill me, or I'm going to turn this into a game.After the four most miserable weeks of my life, Those Seemed like the only two options left……
Monday, September 28, 2009
Avant Game
Medical News: Risk of Sudden Death No Less Likely with Atypical Antipsychotics - in Psychiatry, Schizophrenia from MedPage Today
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 14 -- Atypical antipsychotic drugs carry a risk of sudden cardiac death similar to that associated with older antipsychotics, an analysis of a Medicaid database revealed.
Users of either class of drugs had a two-fold greater risk of sudden death compared with nonusers, Wayne A. Ray, Ph.D., of Vanderbilt University, and colleagues reported in the Jan. 15 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine,,,,,,,
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
tallguywrites: Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
An eleven page chapter from my upcoming book Psychiatric Tales, which will be out from Blank Slate in early 2010. Feel free to point out any errors or make any other comments.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Bonkers Institute for Nearly Genuine Research
BuzzNet Tags: Recovery,ironic humor
Advancing in the direction of bona fide medical science since last Tuesday.
Located in Traverse City, Michigan, the Bonkers Institute in no way resembles the building pictured above.
“Truly removed the scales from my eyes, and launched me into oneness with the medical spacetime continuum”….
NIne components of recovery - Part 3 - Community Blog - Practitioners - Wired In
I am reading another excellent book at the moment, A Practical Guide to Recovery-Oriented Practice by Larry Davidson and colleagues. Davidson has been a leading researcher at the forefront of the metal health recovery movement almost since it began.
In their book, Davidson and colleagues describe nine components of being in recovery from mental illness. I outlined the first three components in Part 1 and Part 2:…..
I now describe the last three components keeping close to Davidson’s description, but referring explicitly to addiction and serious substance use problems when necessary:
7. Assuming control….
8. Fighting stigma….
9. Being an empowered citizen…..
BuzzNet Tags: Recovery
NIne components of recovery - Part 3 - Community Blog - Practitioners - Wired In
Thursday, September 17, 2009
MIWatch - Chronic PTSD affects brain functions
Can time alone heal the impact of PTSD arising from combat in Iraq? Not likely, according to the results of a study published in the September issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. The authors say changes in the brain can appear a year later on neuropsychological tests, often with greater severity than soon after the trauma. "Greater PTSD symptoms were associated with poorer attention in soldiers tested at 1-year follow-up. . .but not in recently returned soldiers." Their findings confirm earlier studies and could inform policy about parameters for evaluating combat injuries.
Plus links to more PTSD articles……
MIWatch - Loathsome prison conditions for mentally ill
With one psychiatrist for every 1,000 inmates, and more than two dozen current investigations into civil rights violations, America faces a human rights crisis in its jails and prisons. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill) called current practices of incarcerating people with a mental illness "loathsome, indefensible." Durbin chaired yesterday's congressional hearings, "Human Rights at Home: Mental Illness in U.S. Prisons and Jails."
The United States has the world's highest rate of putting people behind bars, and in the federal prisons, 45 percent of them have a mental illness. The rates are higher in state prisons (56%), and local jails (64%) said Sen. Durbin who lamented the country has taken a "step backward in time." He noted a "growing public revulsion."
Testimony of seven witnesses spelled out details, starting with the intake of inmates who have a mental illness or substance use disorder. Also noted are:
A two-hour webcast is available (perhaps temporarily), as is testimony at the website of the Senate Judiciary Committee
•solitary confinement for symptomatic behavior;
•lack of on-site psychiatrists;
•revolving doors of psychologists and psychiatrists;
•high rates of suicide;
•the transfer of youngsters to juvenile justice system to enable them to receive mental health treatment……BuzzNet Tags: mental illness,prison
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Virtual Recovery Center » Myra: My Mental Health Issues
BuzzNet Tags: recovery
My mental health issues stem more from childhood abuse than genetics so it is very hard for me to trust anybody or to believe what I am told. I also suffer from a very severe case of ADHD. It has taken me several years and multiple attempts to get the right combination of medication to get this under control.
I was diagnosed with a mental illness at the age of 9 when my mother put me in a home for wayward kids even though I had mental illness. I moved out of my mother’s home at the age of 17. I was homeless for two years from age 17 – 19. My grandmother found me and took me in to live with her. After she died I was in and out of trouble constantly. I had four children and three miscarriages. All four children were taken away by the court system.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Next MindFreedom Free Live Blog Talk Radio — MFI Portal
Technorati Tags: recovery,MFI radio show
Your calls are invited on this free 90-minute radio show, hosted by MindFreedom director David Oaks.
Topic: Mad Pride vs. Mass Media
Guests: Bonfire Madgian Shive, Ruth Ruth, Ann Rider. Host: David OaksFor a news release about the next show with more info, including how to listen and when, click here:
Friday, September 11, 2009
WHO | Suicide prevention (SUPRE)
The problem
- In the year 2000, approximately one million people died from suicide: a "global" mortality rate of 16 per 100,000, or one death every 40 seconds.
- In the last 45 years suicide rates have increased by 60% worldwide. Suicide is now among the three leading causes of death among those aged 15-44 years (both sexes); these figures do not include suicide attempts up to 20 times more frequent than completed suicide.
- Suicide worldwide is estimated to represent 1.8% of the total global burden of disease in 1998, and 2.4% in countries with market and former socialist economies in 2020.
- Although traditionally suicide rates have been highest among the male elderly, rates among young people have been increasing to such an extent that they are now the group at highest risk in a third of countries, in both developed and developing countries.
- Mental disorders (particularly depression and substance abuse) are associated with more than 90% of all cases of suicide; however, suicide results from many complex sociocultural factors and is more likely to occur particularly during periods of socioeconomic, family and individual crisis situations (e.g. loss of a loved one, employment, honour)……
WHO | Suicide prevention (SUPRE)
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Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Using Advocacy as a Self-Help Tool | Psych Central
To truly experience wellness and recovery I have learned that I want to be, and have to be an advocate for issues that I feel passionately about. A big part of recovery for me has been learning to advocate for myself. When I began work on my recovery, I had no idea how to ask for what I wanted, needed and deserved. I don’t think I even knew what it was that I wanted. Over the years that has changed dramatically. I have become a seasoned self advocate. I know what I want for myself and work on it until I get it, or until I decide it is really something else I want and start working toward that. From time to time I have advocated for another person or a program. But now, with major cuts proposed in programs that are very important to me, and with the focus of our government being oppositional to many of my beliefs, I have become convinced that I must become a strong advocate in my community, region, and even nationally……..
The Key To Overcoming Shame Is Making Connections
Van Vliet's research shows that people who feel debilitated by shame tend to internalize and over-personalize the situation. They also seem resigned to being unable to change their feelings or their fate.
"When people experience shame, they may say to themselves 'I'm to blame, it's all my fault, all of me is bad, and there's nothing I can do to change the situation,'" said Van Vliet. "They identify so much with shame that it takes over their entire view of themselves. That leads to an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness." Van Vliet found that one of the key steps to overcoming a profound sense of shame is making connections, be it with family and friends, a higher power, or humanity as a whole. While it is one of several aspects of moving forward, Van Vliet notes that the step can often blend or lead into others.
"Connecting to others helps to increase self-acceptance, and with self-acceptance can come a greater acceptance of other people as well," said Van Vliet. "People start to realize that it's not just them. Other people do things that are as bad or even worse sometimes so they're not the worst person on the planet. They start to say to themselves, 'This is human, I am human, others are human.'"
Coming Out Crazy
It may surprise you to learn that I've never "come out" in any of my classes, and certainly not at the beginning of a new school term.
But yesterday, the first day of school, I did. I've never done it before. Here's what happened.
My class began at 8 a.m. It's a double-period class. I arrived at the Newnham campus of Seneca College more than an hour early, at about 6:55 a.m. I knew had a tiny class – with only nine students registered. If I was lucky, maybe six would show up.
8 a.m. classes are loathed and shunned by students. They're never awake at 8 a.m. If they take an 8 a.m. class, usually it's because they need it and it's the only one that fits into their timetables.
Naturally, I was nervous. I always am on the first day – and tomorrow, I'll have another "first day" at another campus. So I'm nervous again, right now.
Yesterday, I was wondering exactly what I going to do with such a tiny group. I was anxious, too. I wanted to make a good first impression. So, I was up until close to 1 a.m. on Monday morning preparing and twigging my lesson plan. Then the alarm went off at 5 a.m. yesterday morning. I was running on raw energy. No gas…….
Technorati Tags: recovery,coming out
On what to do with moods « Hopeworks Community
Moods are processes– not events. They have a coming and a going. They have a beginning and ending. Depending on where you are with the mood there are basically 3 things you can do:
- Prevention- Things are either less likely or more likely to happen. Moods, although they may feel like it, don’t, for the most part, just come out of the blue……..
Technorati Tags: recovery,mood control
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
State Discriminated Against Mentally Ill, Judge Rules - NYTimes.com
Technorati Tags: recovery,warehousing
New York State discriminated against thousands of mentally ill people in New York City by leaving them in privately run adult homes, many of which are squalid, chaotic institutions that effectively took the place of state-run psychiatric hospitals more than a generation ago, a federal judge ruled in a decision released on Tuesday.
Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis, of United States District Court in Brooklyn, ruled that the state was violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by housing more than 4,300 mentally ill people in New York City in sprawling and often poorly run homes. He said the residents in these homes were essentially warehoused with little hope of mingling with others in the wider community…….
Related
Judge Garaufis' Ruling
State Discriminated Against Mentally Ill, Judge Rules - NYTimes.com
NIne components of recovery - Part 2 - Community Blog - Practitioners - Wired In
….In their book, Davidson and colleagues describe nine components of being in recovery from mental illness. I outlined the first three components in my last blog:
- Renewing hope and commitment to one’s life
- Being supported by others
- Finding one’s niche in the community.
I now describe the next three components keeping close to Davidson’s description, but referring explicitly to addiction and serious substance use problems when necessary:
4. Redefining self or changing one’s identity……
5. Incorporating illness…..
6. Managing symptoms……
Technorati Tags: recovery
NIne components of recovery - Part 2 - Community Blog - Practitioners - Wired In
Friday, September 4, 2009
NIne components of recovery - Part 1 - Community Blog - Practitioners - Wired In
I am reading another excellent book at the moment, A Practical Guide to Recovery-Oriented Practice by Larry Davidson and colleagues. Davidson has been a leading researcher at the forefront of the metal health recovery movement almost since it began.
This book is essential reading for anyone working in our field who is seriously interested in recovery.
In their book, Davidson and colleagues describe nine components of being in recovery. I will outline the first three components here, as described by these authors, but changed where necessary to be relevant to a person recovering from a serious substance use problem:
1. Renewing hope and commitment to one’s life
People in recovery describe the importance of having hope and believing in the possibility of a renewed sense of self and purpose in the process of recovery. This hope is based on a feeling that life holds more for one than it currently does, and it inspires a desire and motivation to improve one’s life…….
NIne components of recovery - Part 1 - Community Blog - Practitioners - Wired In
Recovery Stories - National Empowerment Center
Technorati Tags: recovery stories
NEC receives many requests each week of people looking for information on recovery from mental illness. We believe one of the most helpful resources is to hear the stories of those who have an actual experience of recovery. For that reason we are excited to begin a new page on our website dedicated to the stories of some folks who have had an experience of severe emotional anguish some call “mental illness” and who have had the experience of recovery. Their words can tell you most authentically about the real experience of recovery. As you read several stories, perhaps you will notice certain themes that may help you in your own recovery. May you receive hope and inspiration from their stories.
If you would like to have your story considered for the website please send it to the National Empowerment Center by using our Contact Form for Recovery Stories.
Whole Health Campaign — support wellness of mind and body
Technorati Tags: recovery,whole health campaign
The Whole Health Campaign (WHC), an unprecedented collaboration among more than 107 mental illness and substance use prevention, treatment, research and recovery organizations, has created a series of new policy papers outlining the urgent message that substance use and mental illness issues be considered a health care policy priority during the reform process. The papers focus on access, quality, choice and cost of care for people with these disorders and their family members.
“We want to ensure that substance use and mental illness are going to be included during the health care reform process,” said Eric Goplerud, Ph.D, Director of the Center for Integrated Behavioral Health Policy at George Washington University. “It’s critical that legislators and consumers alike insist these issues are addressed – especially when a third of uninsured individuals and their families are struggling with these issues.”
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