Substance Abuse and Mental Health

The following article was written for Helium.com
Mental health is a broad term and it is increased or decreased by many factors, and substance abuse is one of its detractors. Mental health is a desired description that most crave, but is an attribute few actually own completely. Human nature is ever changing and in order to be mentally healthy, individuals must be able to change along with the times while keeping their personal integrity intact. Substance abuse disrupts this chain of events and lowers mental capacity to resist, to sift through, and to make good decisions.

The National Drug Intelligence Center has a question and answer sheet that shows interaction between drug abuse and mental health. In the first question, "What is the relationship between substance abuse and mental health" they answer that those who abuse drugs -- addicts -- are often seriously mentally ill. They mentioned also that either condition can be the first. Mentally ill persons will take drugs to alleviate their symptoms of depression and apathy, and otherwise normal persons who are substance abusers become mentally ill because of the effects of their over consumption of drugs.

Other questions they ask and answer concern what causes drug addiction, illnesses connected to this condition, prevalence, and treatment options. The most common mental illness with the highest rate of substance abuse -- 15.5% -- is Antisocial personality disorder; next is Manic episode -- 14.5%; Schizophrenia -- 10.1%; panic disorder -- 10.3%. Major depressive episode, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias trail in the order given.

Other types of drug abuse are inhalants, prescription drugs. Inhalant abuse is a dangerous habit children and teens often do for kicks or for fun. The startling statistics is that one in five will abuse inhalants by the eight grade. They do it because of the intoxicating feeling they get from it within minutes of sniffing. The fumes enter the blood stream rapidly and has detrimental effects on the chemistry of the brain, and on the rest of the body.

Permanent danger and death can result from sniffing airplane glue, nail polish remover, lighter fluid, toxic magic markers, gasoline, hair spray, air fresheners, cooking spray, deodorant, propane, helium, butane, and other substances. Parents must become knowledgeable about huffing and how popular inhalant abuse has become in children. Deaths have been reported and case studies show the prevalence and the dangers of this abuse.

Prescription drug abuse is on the rise. That is because we are now living in a world where people have the mistaken belief that for every ailment, every bit of pain -- however transient it is -- there is a pill, a capsule, or an elixir, that can do away with it. Mental health objects to this view and its supporters believe that all medicine should be considered possibly addictive. They also believe that the body is the best healer and with a little patience and understanding of how their bodies work, prescription drug abuse, as well as OTC (over the counter) pain killers and sleep aids, will lessen.

Recovery from addictions take place all the time and one site is out to show how this comes about. Check out Sober Recovery for facts and figures and more information on the subject of addictions in general.

PS:
The image is a random scribbling done out of boredom recently. It is constructed of cheap construction paper, glue, and colored pencils. After carefully utilizing all the torn out shreds of construction paper and pasting them alongside the big picture, I then try to analyze what I had created. What mental picture could I paint of the picture, and what did it reveal about me when the truth of its construction was told? How could I use it to illustrate some point I wanted to make on Headline Hunting?

I see the girl as not particularly mentally ill in appearance, and walking her dog -- looks more like a cat -- is something normal people do. But looking on the right the picture changes. Could it be the right side is the interior feelings of a substance abuser, or a mentally ill person? On the outside, everything looks fairly normal, but is it?

How do I know? I added the extra bit on the right side because I wanted to utilize all the torn out scraps of construction paper in this work of art -- a questionable one indeed -- and just randomly pasted them. Then to add to the overall appeal, made some more scribbles. That's it. What it says about me is I like to use scraps. I like to make things useful. I like to recycle. I like to define shapes and I like to make sense out of nonsense. I don't like to lie, to pretend, and I see relationships in things not ordinarily thought necessary or appropriate.

After thinking about the picture for a while, I realized that for some reason it was important to replace the missing items. In that way of thinking could the little shreds of construction paper pasted on the side be puzzle pieces to the restoration of the sheet of construction paper back to its original shape? Of the two pieces of art -- and I use that term loosely -- all scraps were utilized.

As a writer I could go on and on explaining what could be made out of the the construction, but in no way would it take away from the facts. Neither was I abusing the substance of the paper, since I purposely bought it to shred it into any shapes I happened to want to shred it into. But there is no denying that wholeness, whether it be a sheet of paper, or a human being, is a desirable situation.

And the fact remains substance abuse, too much of anything, and mental illness detract from the wholeness of an individual. To get back to the way we were created to be, all parts in good working order, especially the mind, is what wellness thinking is all about. It is a worthy goal to work toward.

Post Stress Disorder in Veterans

"More than 50,000 of the nearly 2 million U.S. troops deployed in two wars have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a local expert on a condition once known as shell shock or combat fatigue. And the number of cases appears to be climbing.

"Imagine all the undiagnosed cases out there that are waiting to present themselves to us - not just the medical community, but to all of us," said Dr. Philip A. Mackowiak of Sherwood Forest, chief of medicine for the Baltimore VA Hospital."

The above headlines are somewhat startling, but thinking of what service men and women go through makes the statistics understanding. Along with all other types of mental illness that is being spoken and written about today, what is more worthy than seeing those who fought for their country are being treated adequately.

Soldiers not being able to cope after coming home form wars was though of as being shell shocked. That description applies today, but like so much other medical terminology, the labeling now is labeled differently. But the important part, no matter what it is called, is in recognition.

PS: The image is a fabric created plaque honoring all soldiers, especially those who gave their lives in the line of duty. It was created about three years ago as I sat in front of my sewing machine with a bag of scraps. Some news item had brought my attention to the ongoing battlefield and this was my way of honoring the war effort.

It is scrappy and unkempt, nothing at all worth framing, but it has captured my heart. It rests quite well among my other art treasures that are hidden away but for this reminder.

Finding ways to be thankful

Thankfulness is more than a day set aside once a year when we get together and pretend to be happy, it is a way of being realistic and understanding of ourselves and of others. Thanksgiving day, which is two days hence in the United States, is a wonderful way of getting families together and for celebrating their love for each others.

Thankfulness in general, however, is something to strive for every day, even though it often hard to do, but it can become a habit as well as grumbling and complaining can become a habit. Most of all, the number one reason for being thankful, is being thankful for simply being who we are.

We are unique, a creation made by God and like no other. Our thankfulness increases when we accept who we are without grumbling and next, our thankfulness overflows when we seek to do the will of God. To understand that we must also understand that he created us for a specific purpose known only to Him, and when we accept that, what reason do we have to be unhappy?

PS:
The image. What do those two gingerbread kids have to be thankful for? They are not real.They are over twenty years old and were made to illustrate a children's story, the title I've forgotten. They were drawn from the outline of a cookie cutter and wears pasted on clothes. None of that is important, but what is important is the delight I find on their face. They are happy because they are loved. And why are they loved? I remember the happiness I had when creating them. For an hour or so that day I somehow managed to shrink back into being a little girl playing with her paper dolls. I was happy when I created them.

What does that have with thanksgiving today? Nothing but one important thought has now surfaced that tells me when I was a little girl I never had real paper dolls. I had to cut figures out of the Sears Roebuck Catalog and pretend. Oh, how I wanted real paper dolls. Many years later I found a way of creating my own. And although what seems like a silly incident, is not silly at all. Nothing that carries with it tales from out of our childhood is ever silly. They are important puzzle pieces toward our own knowledge of our self. And out of that, comes healthy thoughts, and healthy thoughts is what this blog undertakes.

Today's headline: Dysfunctional familes

The following excerpt from a psychiatric professional is one such article. It speaks rationally about family dysfunction and the confronts the problem of how to help your doctor decide whether or not your family is suffering from bipolar mania. Its symptoms aren't clear and are those of many other diseases, and this good doctor lays out ways of getting nearer to the truth of the matter. The first paragraph:

"Has a mental health professional told you that you or your child is bipolar, when you know down deep that the real problem is that your family life is a war zone? Are your kids out of control? When you visit with your parents or even talk to them on the phone, do you feel like you have just spent hours listening to fingernails scratching on a chalkboard? Do you find yourself hurting the ones you love, or letting them hurt you? Do you feel that your family members are better off without you? Were you a victim of childhood abuse? Do you constantly subvert your own chances for success in love and work? Are you chronically nervous and unhappy?"

Family dysfunction, for whatever reason, is rampant. It is at the core of unhappiness, confusion and disorder in the world. A child born into the world needs care and nourishment, not only of body and mind, but of emotions. They need guidance and they want to feel secure and loved as they struggle to grow and to make sense of what they see. When their home life is a 'war zone' how else can they grow up normally.

Not to say, that every child is born healthy. Many are not. And some are born with an inherited condition that will complicate their life and will be disruptive to them and to those around. Bipolar mood shifts and alternative depression and mania may may life a living hell. That is the problem the doctor talks about in his article. He explains the symptoms and shows what to look for when parents are searching for professionals who can adequately advise them what to do.

The symptoms of bipolar (Manic-Depression) can be slight, severe, and are those of many other illnesses. They are not specific to the this disease, therefore making a diagnosis difficult. Family history makes a difference. If a parent, an uncle, an aunt, grandfather, grandmother, has suffered from the disease, it is probable it will be passed on generation after generation.

What can be done about it? That is what scientists are working on now. Some progress has been made since some specific genes have been marked that probably have some significance about what went went wrong causing these distinctive mood shifts from the normal pattern, but nothing, as yet, is conclusive. At this point everyone involved are grabbing at straws.

PS: The accompanying image is from out of my past and speaks to me not so much of family dysfunction, but of impatience and irritation and a lack of reasoning. It was part of a an attempt to illustrate a book children's book, The Impatient Reindeer,I had written (unpublished) about a disruptive reindeer. He was impatient for Christmas and simply could not wait for it to arrive, so he set out in search. On the way he met other creatures that and they agreed or disagreed as they walked on in search of Christmas.

The story is rather silly, but for some reason I am fond of it. Christmas is not he joyful time it was meant to be, but often is misinterpreted and is anything but a peace and hopeful time of year. It brings heightened emotions -- moods -- and afterwards, bleakness and despair, or depression. Separating it from its material and its commercial value and seeing it as a spiritual renewal and hope for peace on earth, will help in making it the glorious time it was meant to be.

How does the story fit into family dysfunction or bipolar? Mania over shopping and getting a piece of the exultation and excitement and the resultant let down when it is over.

In their frenzy and in their confusion about the true meaning of the holiday and the part they were to play in it, they arrived back at their starting place too late. Instead of making it on back in time for the December 25th celebration, they returned on January 6. The story concludes that Christmas is actually a way of thinking and feeling and if one does not carry love for God and all His creation in their heart, they will not find it by searching the world over. In other words, Christmas is an everyday event since since everyone of the 360 days of the year someone is getting born, a true miracle in itself.

Today's Headline: Depression and its many faces

Depression wears many faces, according to Help Guide, a exceptional website that is out to help people understand their afflictions. Their guide to understanding depression is thorough and easy to read. They explain the symptoms, how to recognize it in your family and friends, how to treat it, and what associated conditions often cause it.

"ScienceDaily (Nov. 16, 2010) — A new animal study suggests the immune system plays a role in depression. The research was presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held in San Diego..."

We've known for a long time that depression was somehow linked to chemical activity, but this article goes further by giving more precise information about how the immune system is involved. Carrying that information further, we can safely guess that the immune system interacting with nerve pathways and brain chemicals have a greater influence on moods, their different varieties and their associated diseases than is commonly believed.


Based on today's research, the following are my thoughts on depression: Depression wears many faces, according to Help Guide, a exceptional website that is out to help people understand their afflictions. Their guide to understanding depression is thorough and easy to read. They explain the symptoms, how to recognize it in family and friends, how to treat it, and what associated conditions often cause it.

"Science Daily (Nov. 16, 2010) — A new animal study suggests the immune system plays a role in depression. The research was presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, held in San Diego..."

We've known for a long time that depression was somehow linked to chemical activity, but this article goes further by giving more precise information about how the immune system is involved. Carrying that information further, we can safely guess that the immune system interacting with nerve pathways and brain chemicals have a greater influence on moods, their different varieties and their associated diseases, than is commonly believed.

Symptoms of depression vary. It is doubtful if the normal low moods that everyone has from time to time can be considered depression, but if the mood is down more often than it is up, deepens, then it is pathological. To distinguish the two conditions, feelings come into play. If in a normal low time one is not up to par on a particular day or for a particular reason, but the reason is understood, tolerated, it is not depression in the overall sense of the word; on the other hand, if feelings of helpless, of having nothing to look forward to, and there is nothing but despair, then its is depression.

Loss of interest, either sleeping too much, or hardly sleeping; eating too much or too little with consequent overweight or underweight; Agitated, always irritable and quarrelsome; low energy levels, fatigue, inability to do simple chores without feeling tired out and exhausted, explains severe depression.

When these symptoms, along with wrong thinking such as feelings of worthlessness or obsessive guilt, inability to concentrate, inability to make decisions, memory blanks, headaches, muscle aches, and other physical complaints, talk of self harm, then it is time for friends and relatives to get that person help. They will be unable to do it for themselves since their system, for whatever reason, will not be understandable to them.

Depression is actually a symptom of other illnesses, as a result of some chemical imbalance that in turn dismantles other systems to the point they are rendered ineffectual. It may also originate from wrong thinking that sends false messages to other parts of the body and therefore creating disturbing amounts of chemical activity whether it be too much or too little. Finding out the relationship between it and other conditions both physically and mentally, is basically how treatment starts.

Other than realizing that the problem is real and is not the fault of the one suffering from it, is the first step toward treatment. That is why headlines that tell of breakthroughs in the management of depression are so welcomed. In the latest one that traces depression to a chemical imbalance (Science Daily) they explain that "Activation of the immune system caused mice to learn to run less on wheels in their cages -- an activity they normally like. The mice resumed their normal activity when the action of interleukin-6, an immune hormone that carries "sickness" signals to the brain, was blocked."

That is what internal messaging systems are about, and when the necessary chemicals are missing, it is like trying to print out a sheet of instructions when the printer is out of ink. The body, believe it or not, functions inwardly and outwardly in much the same way. And in both cases, sometimes there is too much, too little, none, or surplus garbage being spread about causing problems.(My thoughts are also published on Helium.com)

Today's headline: Picture vs. words when describing mental illness

Pictures vs. words when describing mental illnes


A picture is worth a thousand words is a quotation that has been used over and over by those who want to point out that the superiority of pictures over words. It may or may not be true, or may be true in some instances but not in all, but it is one phrase that is marked indellibly in our mind.

However, Pictures are worth a dozen words when trying to read the Italian language surrounding the pictures of the famed Renaissance artist Caravaggio. The picture spoke to me while I was perusing books in a used book store and, although not being able to read a word of Italian, I immediately bought the book. It remains one of my treasures.

Words on the other hand, astute picture puzzle experts might decide, are superior in that they originally made up the thousand words. Therefore many separate words -- letters of the alphabet -- multiplied by one thousand would prove the superior choice. Who is say, since there are no studies being done to refute either claim.

The nearest to that is an assertion by the British Journal of Psychiatry in 2000 by a group of Auckland psychiatrists that "Young viewers are being socialised into stigmatising conceptions of mental illness". Although they had nothing to back this claim other than a week of saturating themselves in these presentations, they reached the foregoing conclusions that indeed pictures -- in this case moving pictures -- are influential. Yet, modifying that statement when put along side words as likewise worthy of influence, is that fact that both were used in the television shows.

Does it matter which create more problems of the mind, and lead to violence, wrongful thinking, and to either mental health or mental illness? Of course not. Each enhance or violate the other. And thinking to ten years hence and adult television as well as children televison and their words and pictures, there is no doubt that both contribute to defamations of both body and mind. The more mentally healthy switich channels or when they cannot find what is mentally enlightening without being damaging to their tender minds, they switch off television and instead read a good book.

What's the antidote against unwanted pictures versus unwanted words and which decreases the damage to brain nerve cells and pathways? Switching off the television, monitoring shows for children and bypassing highprices movies at the theater that show no responsibility to mental health, either in the young or the old.

Words are by far less invasive. Mostly they sit quietly on shleves and cause no problems unless read. If, as an example, a family member is not happy with the chosen television program, they can choose to go into an other room and read a book. Even if the book is somewhat raunchy and potentially mentally unhealthy, the mind that is being comprimised is but one, not the whole family.

On the other hand, if a family is watching a television program together, it most likely is one that is wholesome and appealing to whole family. It is something that they all can share in and exchange points of view and talk about among themselves for days afterward. It binds them together and gives them something in common. This certainly is mentally healthy.

Allthough nothing definitive has been proven about words and pictures and which are more mentally assaulting or mentally uplifting and therapeutic, it can be said both need improvement, and both have possibilities for a better overall education for us all. Yet where it comes to words, their ability to tell the truth gains over pictures. Showing the truth via pictures is a little more difficult.

An example of truth telling is the origin of the sentence "Pictures are worth a thousand words". No one knows for sure where it origninated, or with whom, although when Googling many sources come up. It has invaribly been credited with being a Chinese proverb, a Japanese proverb, originationg with a author back in 1921, and to several other possible sources. We must therefore be satisfied with knowing that the words did not spring by themselves, they had an author, and when we use the sentence in a writing we can simply credit it to an anonymous source.

Mental Health, or Mental Illness: Where do we draw the Line?

Mental Illness or mental Health, where do we draw the line, or do we? The answer for me lies somewhere behind those dark glasses of the self-portrait I drew of myself in the early nineties. Truths are hidden there known only by me. It goes something like this: It would not be mentally healthy if I decided to admit that I drew the portrait with help from technology.

It is easily recognized as being yours truly and I was able to render it so because an error in printing out a copy of a photograph resulted in a slight outline of where my features should go. Otherwise, my art ability would not have allowed me to get my nose right, my mouth in right proportions to my facial features, and it would not have been me. As it were, I looked at the real photograph and tried to copy as near as possible what I saw. At the time I liked the results and framed it, hung it on the wall and thought little of it.

What of the dark glasses though? They were items I could draw and eyes I could not. Therefore to cover up my lack of drawing skills, I covered my eyes with dark glasses. It was an easy way out of a confusing situation. What does this confession have to do with the title of this article? Everything? It says that my discomfort in perpetuating lies is healthy, that my desire to be a better artist is likewise healthy, that my self interest in using myself as subject matter is somewhat in between.

In comparison, had I kept silent about the actual rendering of the self-portrait -- even though no one probably cares -- I would be furthering my narcissism by passing off, ever so slightly, something not totally mine. To whom do I give that part of the credit? To my Creator, that is who is responsible for my features being where they are on my face, and for giving me a look that is uniquely my own. A person less given to introspection and less devoted to reality, would have passed on that one, but I chose not to do that.

In a less mentally healthy time of my life, I decided once and for all to be truthful in the small things in my life as well in the large things. That was a healthy thing to do and most likely it made a large impact on the tug of war going on between my mental health and my mental illness.That problem was settled and was out of the way. Furthering my path toward mental health was knowing what to keep untold when it was no one's business but my own. I had to weigh the risk of hurting others against my own desire to be truthful.

Therefore, my quest to be all that I can be, does not give me the right to cast shadows of doubt on others. That statement means simply that I will not be be doing any tell all stories on my journey to shed light on mental illness and to show it up for what it is. The only stories I will tell will be on myself, and when others are involved, they will in no way be blamed for anything that happened to me. My parents had their good and their bad, and I hold no grudges. That is indeed healthy, and I believe that wherever they are, that is comforting to them. Love, I believe, when the final analysis is in, must weigh in on that.

Self portraits that we paint mentally of ourselves, or in reality, should be as honest as they can be. To allow them to perpetuate lies and distortions that could distort honesty and fair dealings are wrong, and should not be allowed to detract from our mentally healthy tally sheet. Even though we cover our eyes with dark inpenetrable glasses, we can still see through our own charades. Do we want that? Not if we prefer to stay safely, if only in longing, on the mental healthy side versus the mentally ill side.

Art and its therapeutic effects

Art is salve to the soul. Well maybe. Yet there is nothing like art to bring out those hidden unknowns about the person that creates the art. None of this is perfection, however, but means by which some important facet of a personality manages to make an entrance. Art thus seen is freeing and is enjoyable, but it has its darker sides when it is used for ulterior purposes. More on that later. In this article, art is being considered as a tool for understanding more about mental illness.

For that reason, art sessions are important parts of rehabilitation in mental hospitals and clinics everywhere. Much of its true value is probably lost on those in manic or extreme depressive states, but if they ever manage to get to the plateau of their healing where they can use these to learn about themselves, they will have discovered a great gift. That gift will be an understanding of themselves and a new evaluation based on truths rather than on outward appearances.

What are some of the tales it tells on its creator? Am I a perfectionist, fastidious, sloppy, have a hidden wit, talented or merely enjoying myself, understand the true nature of art, care too much about others say about me, have a good grasp of reality, am liable to space out at the most opportune moments leaving others wondering where I am, should I continue my art lessons or take up writing, gardening, or better still, housecleaning? The list could go on indefinitely and the answers will be subject to change as new insights and cognition develop.

Looking inward and getting glimpses of what's underneath one's own skull is good if not overdone. Life is to be lived in the world filled with others and our purpose is to learn who we are, what we are about, and how to help others along on their paths onward and upward. It is a tall order, but art makes the journey much easier.

What does the image above say about its author? First of all its says that I need to practice my art, it is not well done. But actually, I know why I did that particular piece of miniature art. It was to see if I could paint a road and sky. The two women are incidental -- or so I think -- since without them there would be a road no one walked on and going nowhere. I dabbled in art and still do ocassionally, but it is strictly a hobby. It is something that delights me. I ask nothing of it other than it allow me to be myself.

As a writer, I could of course make up a story about the picture. Yet, if it had been done by some one else, what would I say about it? I can't answer that because any answer I would give would be tied up with what I know about the small piece of art. That blocks the real message, if it has any. I could say a mother and daughter is quarreling and one is walking away in anger. And I probably would be right.

Just now as I am typing this, I am taken back to my childhood in the early forties and my mother and I are walking to town. The trip is about three miles in all, and it is a hot day, and we both are a bit cranky. We argue. Of course, I being bratty, said something that irritated her and I would not stop. We went on to the store, bought what we were going after, and afterward walked home. But I remember the incident clearly. It was a long tiring trip.

Now, I ask, did that incident have anything to do with the picture being painted? I don't know but it could have. Like most children, I grew up with a lot of guilt over some of the things I have said to my parents, especially my mother. Unfortunately,or fortunately, most children see mothers as one who will love them unconditionally no matter what they do or say.

But love changes or one is changed by it and it takes years before children grow into adults who will understand their parents did the best they could do, and they too lived with guilt over the things they had said that displeased their parents. That is why love is ongoing, and not back looking. What we learn about ourselves and what good is extracted, we hope will be passed on to our grandchildren.

Today's headline: Kansas City here we come

Today's headline is a copy from another blog that is being dismantled.It's news, however is ever fresh.

In today's news, as reported by Medical News Today, Kansas may be the trailblazer to start legislating about mental health is addressed in their state.In their article."Kansas Has Opportunity For National Leadership In Referendum On Mental Illness" people being singles out for the illness and not being allowed to vote, will be legislated out.

"This is more than a symbolic issue. Even though the Kansas legislature has not used the constitutional provision to pass a law to prohibit voting by people with mental illness, the authority to do so hangs as a potential threat over the head of any person who lives with a mental illness. . .

"The current provision represents stigma and discrimination. Stigma discourages people from getting help when they need it. People living with mental illness internalize the fact that such a provision is in the state constitution. It increases the stigma already imposed on them and undermines the opportunity for recovery. . ."

Most people don't realize that such wording is on the books, but the NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) wants it to be known that as long such wording is officially there, even though never used, people with mental illness still that much further from getting equal treatment as any other health related illness.

Although not much will probably come from such a gesture, it might serve to open up debates about mental illness in general: Is it simply another part of the public's health that should concern all and shouldn't it be given as much attention and study as any other disease. In other words, has not the time come from the accumulated barnicles of shame be lifted? One little gleam of light from the Kansas legislature might be the catalyst for other states to examine their own books.

Today's Headline: How healthcare reform relates to mental illness

The following is a reprint of a Helium article on how health care reform relates to mental illness: While the health care reform may not be what is best for the country as a whole, or more specifiacally what it thinks it wants, it does have input that will benefit those suffering from mental illness, the president of the American Psychiatric Association Alan F. Schatzsberg MD says. This help is still somewhat illusory however, and is spoken about in broad terms such as helping sufferers find help when they are off work, and when they otherwise may need help in being insured.

Specifically, a letter was written by the president of the APA to president Obama in March requesting two provisions in the reform package that would benefit those suffering from mental "illness and substance abuse and in extending this coverage to the plan within five years."

Nami (National Alliance for Mental Illness) is closely watching health care reform as it is unfolding. On their site, in initially explaining how previous to the new laws, mental illness and was looked upon, and comparing it to the future, they are hopeful about the new changes. Out of the "46 million of uninsured people" , many were mentally ill, or on the brink. Specifically, pre-existing conditions prevented many of them from getting insurance, or being denied coverage for specific treatment.

Specifics relating to PPACA (Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act) Are: Jan 1, 2014, Insurance cannot be denied to those with a pre-existing condition, nor past history of medical illness; September 23, 2010, youngsters are allowed to stay on parent's plans until the age of 26. The nice part of this, they don't have to live at home for this part of care to take effect.

They may be away at school, live in halfway houses, or have their own apartment. They may even be married, but their spouse or their children are not part of the insurance plan. Of course the exclusion plan will not begin until 2014. And of course, the lifetime limits to exclusive plans are done away with since September 23, 2010, although the annual limits for group plans won't start until January 1, 2014.

Now lets be realisitc and say it like it is: Mental health is first of all a community priority, and why shouldn't it be. This is where drug abuse -- which is rampant everywhere -- and mental illness plays out. When victims of either are untreated and are allowed to roam freely, the crime rate soars. Not necessarily by the mental ill themselves, but crimes against them, although criminals no doubt are mentally deranged to some degree.

Mental illness, drug addiction, and crime cannot be totally separated. They need each other. And of course that says nothing complimentary about mental illness and especially not at the time when a campaign is out to make it more socially acceptable. Well the truth is, it is not socially acceptable, nor should it be. Yet, a society that accepts it as part of its own and works toward eradicating it, or at least reducing its impact on society, is to be commended.(What pray tell me, is socially acceptable about maniacial behavior or sexual promiscuity that the poor victims of bipolar often fall into?)

Health as a topic is an all consuming one and that fact alone makes mental health an issue. When we get down to analyzing all the reasons and objections and outright craziness done in the name of health, we must conclude that to take up every waking moment worrying, arguing over, and defending ourselves against attacks of others who deny our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we have to somehow know we have missed the boat and are on some insane planet on the way to nowhere.

Therefore, mental health, conclusively, is a condition all should strive to achieve. And it will best be done by those who recognize their own failings while still having enough of their faculties to recognize their mental illness, however slight. There are no clear demarcation lines, although those dealing in health issues and insurance claims and making laws must continue try to delineate between who is and who isn't. Writers have no such problems. They can boldly ask, now tell me about your crazy times.

Therefore, the new health care reform may be helping best by opening the door, at least a crack, toward more enlightenment and discussion on the subject. And who best knows the subject, than those who have had it, who are brought down by its actions, and by those who have lost jobs because of its influence?

PS: The shaggy look of the image is due to time and wear of the knitted flag I created about twenty years ago. When trying to select something representative of how our country is health wise, I could find no better example than is small hand knitted flag. Despite its wear and its flaws, it still is a treasure. So are the citizens of the Us, and of course the rest of the world, although I have knitted no flags to represent them. And that is okay, since we have citizens from all of them here.

Today's Headline: Sink into debt or swim out of it

To get behind in paying bills, having put everything into that dream home and then to find your world crumbling around you, just staying afloat demands tenacity, and a rethinking of priorities. To bounce back will demand all of one's mental faculties. It will not be easy, but with a change of priorities and a determination to get right with the world and not let it defeat you, will take courage. It will also show mental stamina.

Today's headline, rethinking your life after a catastrophe, is all about mental wellness. Yesterday on the news the remark was made that many homeowners now own homes that are only worth half of what their mortgages are worth. That started me to thinking about what were those people thinking when they went in debt that far?How much incentive will they now have for that home when they know they will be paying for it for the rest of their lives?

Money certainly makes a difference in one's life, whether having too little and overspending, having none and living under the poverty line, having too much and becoming calloused to the rest of the suffering world, or whatever, it changes the lives of people. But the people seeing it as nothing more than purchasing power and a necessity and not necessarily something to be coveted far above its value, is those who seem to use it most wisely.

Compounding it with mental illness is not helping the situation. Change lifestyles and budget and get out of debt and decide never again to spend beyond your limits. Yet, what help is out there for those deep in debt? For starters why not see what he blog, Psychcentral has to say. Possibly then can steer you in the right direction.

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/anxiety/2010/04/mental-health-and-money/

Today's headline: Health reform and mental illness

Fox Business news today alerts mental illness sufferers that there is something in the recent health reform laws that concern them. Expansive coverage for illnesses not formerly covered, or covered adequately, is now available through PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.)This legislation took effect September 23, 2010.

Barbara Mannino, writing for Fox Business, explains how PPACA helps the mentally ill. "Mental health advocates continue to herald the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) as an enormous win for people with mental disorders.

PPACA mandates coverage parity, putting mental health treatment on par with medical care, which means deductibles, copayments, and doctor visits can’t be more restrictive for mental illnesses than medical and surgical coverage.

This means that people who suffer from substance use disorder and illnesses like bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder or schizophrenia, are provided the same coverage as those with cancer, diabetes or heart disease.

Also, if a plan provides for out-of-network medical benefits, it must provide the same for mental health benefits, as well.

PPACA also means that the immediate reform changes that went into effect Sept. 23 under the health-care reform, apply to mental health conditions: non-denial of coverage for children with pre-existing conditions under age 19; preventing lifetime limits on coverage, not allowing new plans to set annual coverage limits; and requiring new plans to offer family coverage for dependents up to age 26.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, (NIMH) approximately 58 million Americans suffer from a mental disorder in a given year, with about 1 in 17 (6%) suffering from a serious mental illness.

About 20% of U.S. youth during their lifetime are affected by some type of mental disorder that impairs their daily activity, according to a new NIMH national study based on 10,000 face-to-face surveys of 13 to 18 year-olds.

Another 22.2 million Americans aged 12 or older need treatment for substance abuse or dependence, according to the Department of Health and Human Services’ 2008 statistics, the latest year data is available.

Evolution to Parity

“The stigma of mental-health based disorders was at one time enormous, has lessened recently, says Peter Newbould, director of Congressional and political affairs at the American Psychological Association.

“Today there’s a greater understanding that the mind and body are connected. The American people got that before members of Congress did.”

Health-care reform moves beyond the Wellstone-Domenici bill, which was passed in 2008 and became fully effective in July. That legislation was praised as a breakthrough for parity, but only covered Americans in group health plans.

PPACA expands parity to include people with individual health insurance policies, small businesses, and by 2019, will ultimately cover about 32 million uninsured Americans.

Coverage will come through a combination of state-based private insurance exchanges and a Medicaid expansion of the poverty level, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

A little more than half of those 32 million will probably go into state exchanges, where they can purchase coverage with pooled risk and therefore lower premiums, says Andrew Sperling, NAMI’s director of legislative advocacy."

PS: The image is actually the only part of today's message that is mine.The yarn project was done several years ago and, although at the time I have no idea what I had in mind at the time I constructed it, I believe it's unknowns fit in well with the workings of the mind. If only we knew more about what brings on mental illness, wouldn't that be great? In the meantime thanks to those who never give on human values and God-given opportunities to make life better for someone somewhere.
Effie Moore Salem

Today's Headline: Revised definitions of mental illness

While checking out the headlines on Google this morning, I ran across an excellent and thought provoking article from the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.It was first published in November 30, 2001 but has a "substantive revision this past Feb. 22, 2010. I printed out all twenty-one pages of it to have it on hand as a general guide toward further research.

The second paragraph caught my attention: "The central philosophical debate over mental illness is not about its existence, but rather over how to define it, and whether it can be given a scientific or objective definition, or whether normative and subjective elements are essential to our concept of mental illness. . . "

Naturally, when dealing with philosophical subject matter, most of what is written is rhetoric saying nothing. But while sounding profound and educated, at least this academic article does get around to saying that mental illness is as baffling as it has always been. Once it thought mental illness was caused by demons, but then a later enlightened public thought that statement cruel and untrue. Now honesty about health in general dictates that mental illness is as illusive as ever, and just as tormenting to those with it and those trying to make sense of it.

What do I think? I definitely think evil worsens mental illness by focusing attention not on its cure but on how to get even with those who cause the mentally disturbed distress. It is certainly not a secret that good and evil live side by side in a sort of tug of war. When one is mentally ill and all his faculties are not in good working order, then the sufferers are not responsive to whatever help comes their way. And too, they may not be capable of discovering their own abnormal vs. normal behavior simply because their mental capacities are not in good working order.

In other words, some things are not worth fighting over, but tell that to those with mood disorders. They may agree with you, but often it is after an explosive incident, and not before it happens. The treatment option is to get to these individuals before they go haywire and do what they will come to regret when they finally do come to their senses. How to do that is the sixty-five dollar question facing medical scientists today.

PS: The image is a favorite. It was an a fun thing I happened to do one afternoon when I was sitting on my front porch in Eastern Kentucky. A bit of elm bark shaped this bit of nostalgia and it has remained my favorite. The frame was made from purchased raffia. It actually is not much larger than it is shown here.

Headlines today: Learning about mental illness

A clearing house has been formed between the University of Michigan and NAMI where news, studies, knowledge about mood disorders can be shared.

"ANN ARBOR, Mich. —The University of Michigan Depression Center and the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, a national mental health support and advocacy organization, have announced a partnership to create an information clearinghouse that will help connect individuals with mood disorders to research opportunities.

Nearly 10 percent of the adult population – more than 20 million Americans – has a mood disorder such as depression or bipolar disorder. Mood disorders are highly treatable, but many barriers remain to early detection, treatment, and prevention. Recruiting participants to research studies can be difficult due to the stigma associated with these illnesses."

Mental Illness: Are Hallucinations real or imagined?

This is a second article about mental illness that is being moved from another blog. It fits in well with Headline hunting. The image is one I hastily sketched to show the desperation of those whose communication system has gone haywire, or how I would imagine desperation would look like if viewed visually.

The following is an article written for Helium only an hour or so ago. It fits in well with how a person's life is distorted by illness, both mentally and physically. to read other articles on the subject of mental health, mine and others, check out Helium.In their search engine write mental illness, or another subject of your choice.

Hallucinations are imaginary sights and sounds while delusions are wrongfully held opinions. Generally, hallucination are thought to be voices heard by mentally ill patients, but in actuality, hallucinations are sights, sounds, beliefs, that have no basis in reality. As usual, when dealing with faculties of the mind, there are a great deal of information as well as a great deal of misinformation.

Hallucinations are false perceptions of the senses. They can occur when there are interruptions of the normal processes of the mind and the nervous system. All senses, taste, sight, smell, hearing, touch can become involved. They may occur irregularly or frequent or they may occur in episodes. They are more often seen in patients suffering from Schizophrenia, and in other mental diseases, yet can occur whenever the chemistry or some other disease entity interrupts the normal working of the body's communication system. It's as if the person has received a false message from the brain signaling a condition not existing.

Actually, however, the message received when hallucinations occur is that something is out of order. It is not uncommon to see mentally ill patients talking back to the voices they hear. The question most people want to know is the voices real? Are they actually hearing the voices or do they only believe they hear the voices? They actually hear the voices because of some malformation of the hearing mechanism due to several different causes.

Proof of that is the ringing in the ears of Meniere sufferers. The sound is there due to a malfunctioning of the auditory system. The same with all other hallucinations. The smell is real to them, although there is no outward sign of cabbage cooking, bread being baked, or a fire causing the smell of smoke. Immune system damages may also cause hallucinations, as well as drugs, alcohol and high fevers and other physiological causes.

The fact of hallucinations being present in mental illness suggests that chemistry, hormonal imbalances and other physiological malfunctioning may be at the root cause of many of the mental illness.That is so because if they can are proven have chemical origins - or other wrong physiological reasons - then why not mental illness in general? Who first thought they were two separate entities? If this is so, then there is no need to further segregate the mind from the rest of the body in treatment. In time, scientific evidence may prove that the policy of treating the mind and the body as two separate conditions is in itself a delusion.

To answer the question as to who first though mind and body illnesses were two separate entities: It was once held that mental illness had demonic connections and those afflicted were possessed. Then that was overruled and a softening approach in treating them was established. Yet the fact remains that no amount of separation of mind and body has yet to deal with the problems of either the mind or the body, good or evil, effectively. Defile the body and the mind suffers, defile the mind and the body suffers.

And delusions, apart from hallucinations, are ideas and thoughts entertained and passes off as truth, are in fact wrongfully held opinions. Delusions in the past are those dealing with delicate situations where to admit their fallacy would be too embarrassing to confront. Therefore much of what is taken for granted as being the truth is delusional, in part or wholly.

To be on the road toward a healthy future, it is necessary that the leaders confront the differences between hallucinations - delusions that have a physical cause for their being, and delusions that are often started as attempts to pervert or to block reality. It is a treacherous journey, the one traveled toward sanity, but it is a worthwhile one, and along the way, if one is sincere in their efforts, better all around help will be the rewards.

Thanks to Sarah Judd, a British mental health worker trying to help rid mental health victims of the stigma of mental illness, for the theme for this headline.

"Speaking ahead of Stress Awareness Day on November 3, she said: “Mental health first aid is similar to physical first aid. It teaches people to spot the early signs, so that a problem isn’t going to deteriorate into a worse state."

Thinking through this new concept, how could this awareness and aid come about? It is always much easier to plan and study about an illness, in any form, than it is to actually get involved. Will not the person rebel against a bunch of co-workers trying to interfere into their lives? It is well known that mental illness is seldom, if ever, mentioned where work is concerned. Employees fear of not being hired and this is kept a secret when being employed, and co-workers are not supposed to know about this pre-supposing condition.

At the present time, the above questions are valid arguments, but with a better understanding of mental illness, especially Bipolar illness, where in between manic or depressive episodes, there are years of normalcy. But with an awakening of the need for the world to address these concerns, the stigma of mental illness will dissipate. This would not take long if everyone started being truthful about their family histories and their own encounters with less than normal thinking.

As Judd said in her article that I read only hours ago, “I’ve lived with bipolar disorder for more than 20 years. I’ve had so many different jobs because my illness has really stopped me from discovering a career. Doing this is part of reducing the stigma.”

The fact that the world is so afraid of mental illness, that terrible disease that does peculiar thing with the mind, it has developed a pattern of out of sight, out of mind. In fact that is what many did with the victims around one hundered years ago, or less. They locked them in rooms in attics, put them into assylums, pretended nothing unusual was happening and went about their own lives.

Out of fairness, one must admit that this was the best thing that could have been done then, but now, the times are changing. Science is moving right along and there is scarcely anything left unknown about the human body. What affects the body, affects the mind, and what affects the mind affects the body is the new thinking being offered. Plus this trail-blazing thought, there ought be no more shame connected to having a mental illness than there is in having a physical illness.

And again, it is only fair to say that this attitude of shame was perpetuated out of fear of the unknown, and not out of the cruelty it actually is. It is simply that the world has raced ahead with its technological knowhow and its scientific researches while using its old thinking mechanisms. LIfe is precious, it must come to believe, and what affects one, affects all. No longer can it afford to go on with irrational pretensions, those advocating for mental health enlightenment believe.