Category Archives: Mental Health

Guest Post – Mental Health Awareness

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I am very excited to introduce my very first guest blogger, Kris from Our Journey Through Life. She has a great blog, where she discuss what life is like for her and her children, living with a Husband/Father who has Bi-Polar Disorder. I admire her for her willingness to stick it out, in what has to be a very difficult situation. After you read what she has written for us here, I urge you to take the time to visit her site and read her other posts.

I am still new to guest blogging. Even newer to that than I am to blogging on my own blog Our Journey Through Life. I have been trying on and off over the past few years to really get started and just over the past few months really got into the groove of things. My name is Kris and I am married to L who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in October 2007. Before that his doctor had said that it was GAD (General Anxiety disorder) and depression. It wasn’t until a severe nervous breakdown with psychotic features presented itself that his diagnosis changed. We have been married for 5 1/2 years and have two beautiful little girls who are 3 1/2 years and 13 months old.

Melissa asked me to write about how my husband’s effects us as a family. The bigger (and more accurate) question would be how does it not. Everything we do and everything we don’t do is based on his illness at this point. We are starting to move away from that but it is a difficult road.

When he was showing more symptoms I would watch him every waking moment. I would stay up until 1am or later with him and be up at 6am the next morning with our oldest daughter who wasn’t even a year old yet at that point. I lost count of the number of times I fell asleep in her room while she was playing because I was simply exhausted. I was scared to leave him at home alone because I didn’t know what he would do. It took me a long time to start taking care of not just him and our daughter but of myself as well.

Even now, though things have improved, we are still not out of the woods. One of his biggest issues is impulse control especially when he isn’t doing well. His biggest rash decision up to this point was made in September 2008 when he HAD to move. No talking would get him out of it. It was either we move with him or he would move on his own. So, we moved. From the time he made that decision until the time we were in our new apartment it took all of three days…

The biggest effect I see though is in our interpersonal interactions. His relationship with our daughters is very strained at this point. Our oldest is too young to understand why her daddy who she loves with all her heart can change in a heartbeat from loving and joking to upset and yelling. All she knows is that there are times when her daddy gets ‘mean’. How do you explain that to a three-year old child?

Overall, I think what effects me the most is the constant vigilance (both conscious and unconscious). The smallest change in his mood or behavior can set off warning bells for me. I am overly sensitive to any changes and as much as I am trying not to I tend to be rather pessimistic about the outcome of things. It is something I am trying very hard to overcome and something that I am hoping that our girls will not pick up. Yet at the same time i am the one that is hopeful that he WILL get better and that we will get back to a point where he is in control of his illness and not the other way around. I think if I let myself believe that there was no hope then all hope WOULD be lost. So I keep trucking on for my husband, our girls and myself.

Suicide Facts – Mental Health Awareness

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To put the societal impact of suicide into a better perspective, I researched some facts about suicide.  I have listed some of what I found here.  I have to admit, I was surprised by some of what I discovered.  My hope is, after you read what is here, you will understand the importance of eliminating the stigma that surrounds mental health issues, and suicide.  I believe one of the keys to reducing the suicide rate is to change people’s attitudes and thinking about these issues.

  • Suicide is the 8th leading cause of death in the United States, claiming about 30,000 lives each year.
  • 90% of the people who commit suicide have depression or some other treatable mental disorder.
  • Each day, 14 young people (ages between 15-24) commit suicide.  That is about 1 every 100 minutes.
  • Suicide attempts are among the leading causes of hospitalization for people under 35.
  • Men are 4 times more likely to commit suicide than women, however, women attempt to commit suicide twice as often as men do.
  • The highest suicide rates can be found in men over the age of 85.
  • There are about twice as many deaths by suicide than HIV/AIDS.
  • Suicide rates in the US are highest in the Spring.
  • 15% of the people diagnosed with Clinical Depression commit suicide.  80% of the people who seek treatment for depression are treated successfully.
  • The strongest risk factor for suicide is depression.
  • SUICIDE IS PREVENTABLE

If you or a loved one is in imminent danger of committing suicide call 911 immediately.

National Suicide Hotlines, USA

Unites States of America

1-800-SUICIDE–1-800-784-2433                           1-800-273-TALK–1-800-273-8255

1-800-799-4TTY–1-800-799-4889  (Deaf Hotline)

The Stigma Of Suicide – Mental Health Awareness

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Society has preconceived ideas about people with a mental health issue. Not only does this stigma cloud how people view the actions of someone with a mental illness, it also determines how a “normal” person believes someone with a mental illness should look. So when I attempted suicide last year, it took  many people by surprise. They had this idea that I was “too smart to ever do anything so stupid”, and I did not fit into their idea of what a person with a mental illness should look like.

Many people think that if  someone attempts suicide they are weak or have some sort of character flaw.  Some have religious  beliefs that say suicide is an unforgivable sin.  In the face of such negativity, is it any wonder that many people with suicidal thoughts will not reach out for help?

People who are suicidal are not weak nor do they have a character flaw.  They are individuals with very real illnesses who need understanding, respect, and care, not judgments and misunderstanding.

The Stigma Of Suicide


The stigma associated with mental illness prevents many people who are at risk of suicide from seeking help for treatable problems.  The stigma of suicide itself may also reduce the number of people who reach out for help, and adds to emotional burdens.    Family members of suicide attempters often hide the behavior from friends and relatives, since they may believe that it reflects badly on their own relationship with the suicide attempter or that suicidal behavior itself is shameful or sinful. Persons who attempt suicide may have many of these same feelings. Those who have survived the suicide of a loved one suffer not only the grief of loss, but the pain of isolation from a community that may be perplexed and uninformed about suicide and its risk factors.

Historically, the stigma associated with mental illness, has contributed to inadequate funding available for mental health services and suicide prevention programs.  It also contributes to insurance companies not providing enough health care coverage for mental health services.

Until the stigma is reduced, treatable mental health problems, including those with a strong relation to suicide, will continue to go untreated and crisis treatment services will also be limited.  This means, the number of people at risk for suicide will remain much higher than it should be.

If you or a loved one is in imminent danger of committing suicide call 911 immediately.

National Suicide Hotlines, USA

Unites States of America

1-800-SUICIDE–1-800-784-2433                           1-800-273-TALK–1-800-273-8255

1-800-799-4TTY–1-800-799-4889  (Deaf Hotline)

The Benefits Of Having A Mental Illness – Mental Health Awareness

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One of the things I had to learn in an effort to manage my Clinical Depression, was to look for the positive in everything. This was so stinking hard in the beginning. It was so outside of my nature that I have had to practice long and hard to see that life does not have to be as serious as I always thought it had to be. With that attitude in mind, I thought I would list thirteen benefits of having a mental illness. If you think of something you would like to see added to the list, put it in the comment section and I will add it.

  1. My life goes according to my schedule most of the time. One of the things that used to stress me out so much was always having to be someplace on time.  Whether it was picking up kids, or getting the grocery shopping done at a decent time, or going on outings, it would all stress me out.  Now that I cannot drive very much because of how sleepy my depression medications make me, someone else is responsible for keeping the schedule  Also because of the sleepiness, I now have a really good reason for why I do not do mornings, and why I need at least one nap a day.
  2. I am much more thankful than I used to be. I have had to learn to rely on other people.  I have had to learn how to say “I need help with something.”  That has made me appreciate the people in my life much more than I used to.
  3. I have a voice! In the past I rarely said what I meant, and meant what I said.  I was always watching what I said, out of fear of angering someone, or offending someone, or even making my needs known above someone else’s.  Now that I have a voice, I say what I mean and I mean what I say.  I am direct and honest with people, and I make my needs known.  I offer my opinions and thoughts.  I still try to not offend people, but I do speak my mind.  It is very liberating to just talk and express myself without the constant worry about who might take what I said the wrong way.
  4. I have made personal connections. When Clinical Depression began to rule my life, I lost my friends.  Most of it was due to my behavior.  I was not a very nice person before my recovery process began.  Since I have been doing better and have been putting myself out into the internet world, I have met so many wonderful people.  They know that I have a mental illness and they do not care about that diagnosis one bit.  Those friendships mean a great deal to me.
  5. No. I remember when my daughter was little and she did not want to listen to the word no.  I had a little song I that I would sing, I believe Lunette the Clown from The Big Comfy Couch was the inspiration behind it.  The words were simple and the tune could be anything you wanted.  It went something like this.  “No means no, means no, means no, means no….”  In the past saying the word no was something I struggled with.  Often that meant I would take on more than I could handle, get over-whelmed and stressed out, and then everything would fall apart.  Now when I find that I am struggling with sticking to my no, I start singing my No song and let people know that I cannot take on anymore than I already have on my plate because I have a mental illness and if I were to get overwhelmed I would very likely have a melt down.
  6. The Mail. I know this is going to sound totally insane, but I used to obsess about the mail.  I was convinced that if anyone other than me checked the mail, then there would be something disastrous in the mailbox.  Once I realized that the mail was a huge source of my anxiety, I chose to no longer get the mail from the mailbox.  Not only do I not have the stress of the mail anymore, but my husband is now in charge of the bills.  Being too anxious to check the mail got rid of two sources of stress at the same time.
  7. I have learned to laugh. I used to be so serious all the time.  Not anymore.  I have learned that laughter feels good.  I laugh at myself, I laugh with others, I laugh when I am all by myself.  I laughed when I re-read what I wrote about my mail box anxiety.
  8. My life is simple. I keep things in my life simple now.  No long exaggerated lists of things to do, clothes to wear, or suppers to cook.  Keeping things simple, frees up my time to do other things.
  9. I take risks. I will take chances now that I never would have before.  I always liked everything very predictable. Nothing could spin me out of control faster than things not going according to my plan.  Having a mental illness has taught me that nothing can really be planned.  Once I start planning, then I start worrying, then I become obsessed with worrying and then….you get the picture.  Now, for the most part, my life does not go according to a plan.   I am stepping out my comfort zone and trying new things, like writing.
  10. I have a better perspective. I have learned to not sweat the little stuff.   Because of my depression, I cannot get bogged down by the little things.  It would be too easy for it to trigger a depressed episode.
  11. I am a better person than I used to be. I had my own very negative ideas about what people with mental illnesses were like.  Now I am one of those people and I have come to realize that people with mental illnesses are not anything like I thought they were.
  12. Helping Others. Being willing to talk about my illness helps others.  It lets them know they are not alone with their thoughts and feelings and there are things that can be done to feel better.
  13. I take better care of myself. I value my life and health much more than I used to.  I spend the time and energy necessary to monitor my other illnesses and do the things I am supposed to in order to manage them.

Random Morning Thoughts – May 12, 2010

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I will try and catch up on my commenting today.  I have been so busy researching information for my Mental Health Awareness posts that I keep running out of time to comment on the blogs I follow.  I appreciate everyone’s patience.

As much work as it has been to do those posts every day, I have enjoyed it a great deal.  Not only have I learned a lot, I have met some other fabulous bloggers.

Yesterday I found out, from my mom,  that my dad has an aneurysm in his back.  The good news is that it is not life threatening at this time.  His doctor is going to keep an eye on it though.  My dad called after I spoke to my mother.  I was rather disturbed and upset by what he said.

In his conversation with me, he told me about an uncle of his that had a similar aneurysm and that when it “blew” his uncle was dead within 30 minutes.   Then my father proceeds to tell me that he is not worried about his aneurysm because he has lived a full life and seen and done things that most people have not.  He also says that when he goes he will leave behind a very rich wife.  I am sure he thinks he is being funny or at least amusing when he says those things, but I do not find what he said the least bit amusing.  To me it almost feels as if he has given up already.  Not to mention, my dad is not the best at taking care of himself, so in way it makes me think that he is justifying his lack of care for himself.

May 17th is the “anniversary”  of my last, and almost successful, suicide attempt.  I am feeling anxious about that upcoming date.  I have an appointment with my counselor on that day.  I will discuss with her why I feel so anxious about it.

Well, I guess that is all my random thoughts this morning.

Saturday Silliness – Mental Health Humor

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THE 12 WARNING SIGNS OF GOOD HEALTH*
(If several or more appear, you may rarely need to visit a doctor.)

1. Regular flare-ups of a supportive network of friends and family.
2. Chronic positive expectations.
3. Repeated episodes of gratitude and generosity.
4. Increased appetite for physical activity.
5. Marked tendency to identify and express feelings.
6. Compulsion to contribute to society.
7. Lingering sensitivity to the feelings of others.
8. Habitual behavior related to seeking new challenges.
9. Craving for peak experiences.
10. Tendency to adapt to changing conditions.
11. Feelings of spiritual involvement.
12. Persistent sense of humor.

Mental Hospital Interview

Dr. Leroy, the head psychiatrist at the local mental hospital, is examining patients to see if they’re cured and ready to re-enter society.

“So, Mr. Clark,” the doctor says to one of his patients, “I see by your chart that you’ve been recommended for dismissal. Do you have any idea what you might do once you’re released?”

The patient thinks for a moment, then replies, “Well, I went to school for mechanical engineering. That’s still a good field, good money there. But on the other hand, I thought I might write a book about my experience here in the hospital, what it’s like to be a patient here. People might be interested in reading a book like that. In addition, I thought I might go back to college and study art history, which I’ve grown interested in lately.”

Dr. Leroy nods and says, “Yes, those all sound like intriguing possibilities.”

The patient replies, “And the best part is, in my spare time, I can go on being a teapot.”

Humor And Mental Health – Mental Health Awareness

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I have never considered myself a funny person. It is hard to be funny when all you see is the negative in everything. When I started feeling better and my thoughts were more clear and positive, I had to teach myself how to find the humor in life. The way I put it one time, was that my funny bone was broken and needed to be fixed.

Eventually, I learned that I do have a sense of humor. It was just a little squashed from not having been used for so long. Once I began using my sense of humor, I found it a great way to diffuse my emotions when I am angry or irritated. It has also been a great tool in taking the seriousness out of a situation, so I do not worry and stress about things as much. The most important thing I discovered about having a sense of humor, is that it is a great way to bond with the people in your life.

Humor and Mental Health

Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress, pain and conflict. Nothing works faster to bring your mind back into balance than a good laugh.  Humor lightens your load, inspires hope, connects you to others and keeps you grounded focused and alert.  With its ability to heal and renew us, laughter is a wonderful resource for overcoming problems, enhancing relationships, and supporting both physical and mental health.

More than just a break from sadness and pain, laughter gives you the courage and strength to find new sources of meaning and hope.  Even in the most difficult times something as simple as a smile can go a long way to making us feel better.

The Link Between Laughter and Mental Health

  • Laughter dissolves distressing emotions. You cannot feel anxious, angry or sad if you are laughing.
  • Laughter helps you relax and recharge. It reduces stress and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more.
  • Humor shifts perspective, allowing you to see situations in a more realistic, less threatening light.  A humorous perspective creates psychological distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed

2010 Cartoon-A-Thon

This week I discovered what I think is a terrific site.  It is Mental Health Humor by Chato B. Stewart.

For the last three years in May, Mr. Stewart has hosted a Cartoon-A-Thon for Mental Health Awareness Month. This year his theme is Mental Health Heroes. Each day in May, he will highlight a Mental Health Hero by drawing a caricature of them.

Here is just a tiny bit of his story in his own words.

“I started out with my personal hero… ME!  When I look back just 3 years ago, I was lost; had no hope and in the hospital from a suicide attempt.  It was my last call for help. O.K., maybe I called a few other times in the past… As my Med manager says, it was “multiple attempts.”  This time my cries for help were heard by a piece of paper and a dull pencil in the hospital…  The Psych Ward doesn’t let us have sharp pencils.  I guess, they fear, we might poke an eye out or something.  It was there, it all started.  Instead of writing a journal,  I drew cartoons of my mental vacation.  I found focus and balance in drawing. Yes, it was art therapy with cartoons!”


Mental Health Humor
Permission to use by Chato B. Stewart

One of the things I like about Mr. Stewart and his humor is his ability to point out the humorous side of what it is like to live with a mental illness. For me, it takes some of the seriousness out of the situation and allows me to see some of what I have encountered in a less discouraging light. I have posted two of his cartoon creations. I encourage you to visit his site and see his other work.


Mental Health Humor
Permission to use by Chato B. Stewart


Mental Health Humor
Permission to use by Chato B. Stewart

The Impact Of Physical Illness On Mental Health – Mental Health Awareness

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I believe that my physical illnesses contributed to the poor state of mind I had, as well as developing Clinical Depression, and an Anxiety Disorder. I went from being a relatively healthy person to someone who physically feels rotten much of the time. Also, several of the medications I am on to treat the diabetes and the asthma have been shown to directly affect your brain and lead to depression, especially, if you are already prone to depression or anxiety.  My counselor calls it co-morbidity.

I believe I have a better attitude and outlook about my physical illnesses. When I was in the hospital for my asthma in February,  I was not down in the dumps like I would have been before. Being there on my fortieth birthday did not bother me. I even kept blogging while I was there. I would have the nebulizer in my mouth, for a breathing treatment, and I would be blogging away at the same time. I also think my depression medications help counter how my other medications might affect my brain chemistry.

The Impact of Physical Illness on Mental Health


There is one particular aspect of  mental health that is still not widely discussed.  It is the impact that physical illness has on a person’s mental health.  Mental health workers easily recognize this fact, everyday they see patients with a multitude of physical and mental issues.  Unfortunately, few outside the mental health field see the correlation.

One way to put it in perspective is to think about how you feel when you have a cold.  Obviously, you have a stuffy nose, runny eyes, a fever, and you just feel physically awful.  How about the mental aspect of it?  Many people get cranky, and a bit irritable.   Very often it goes deeper than that.  Many people feel “blue” or “down in the dumps” when they have a cold.  I know I get really whiny when I have a cold.  The good thing is we know that a cold is not going to last very long, most of the time, and soon we will be back to feeling like ourselves.

Now think about this, what if the cold turned into a long term illness?  How do you think that would affect your mental health?  Most people, no matter how mild or serious the illness is, experience a wide range of emotions.  Emotions like anger, sadness, and worry.  We feel like we have no control and that our bodies have let us down.  We feel lonely, and even though there probably have been millions of other people with the same illness, we feel as if no one really understands what we are going through.

From a mental health perspective, when it comes to a chronic or long-term illness, anxiety and depression are the biggest concerns.  Many times these mental health issues  are  over-looked and left untreated.  Which can be very dangerous from both a mental health perspective, it can lead to suicide, and from a physical health perspective, it can delay healing.

Doctors are becoming more aware of how physical illnesses can affect mental health and attempt to be on the look out for the signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression.  However, their best source of information about how you are doing mentally, is from you.  Your doctor will not be aware that you are having any mental health issues if you are not open and honest with them about what is going on in your life and how you are feeling.

Why are depression and anxiety more likely to happen when you have a physical illness?

  • People become depressed and anxious when they are stressed for any reason.  Being ill is stressful.
  • Some drug treatments, such as steroids, affect the way the brain works and can directly cause anxiety and depression.
  • Some physical illness, such as an under-active thyroid, affect the way the brain works and can directly cause anxiety and depression.

You are more likely to experience severe anxiety and depression when you are physically ill if:

  • You have been anxious or depressed before.
  • You do not have family or friends you can talk to about your illness.
  • You are female (women report more anxiety and depression than men).
  • You have other problems or stresses going on in your life at the same time.
  • You are in a lot of pain.
  • Your illness is life threatening.
  • Your illness has left you incapable of taking care of yourself.

Thursday Thirteen – Mental Health Awareness

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Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month and many of my posts are about Mental Health Awareness, my thirteen today are thirteen ways to maintain good mental health.

  1. Get enough rest. To have good mental and emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body. That includes getting enough sleep. Most people need seven to eight hours of sleep each night in order to function optimally.
  2. Try to avoid unhealthy mental habits. Repetitive negative mental habits, such as worry and negative thoughts about yourself or the world suck up your time, drain your energy, and trigger feelings of anxiety, fear and depression.  Replace those repetitive negative mental habits with positive ones.
  3. Manage your stress levels. Stress takes a heavy toll on mental and emotional health, so its important to keep it under control.  There is no way to eliminate everything that causes us stress, however, stress management techniques can help bring things more into balance.
  4. Connect with others. We all need to feel valued, supported and connected.  If you feel that your current connections are not enough, you can do a few things to form new ones.  Enroll in a class that intrigues you.  Join a group, like a book club, hiking club, or something else that you find interesting.  Volunteer, working together builds bonds and helping others has its own rewards.  Reach out.  Let people in your life know you need extra time with them.
  5. Get physically active. Dust off your tennis shoes and get your butt moving.  Not only is it good for you body, it is good for your mental health.  It decreases stress, anger and tension.  It reduces anxiety and depression.  It boosts your sense of well being.
  6. Create Joy and Satisfaction. It is time to add a little something to your to do list.  Pencil in a little pleasure.  You probably deserve some joy and pleasure anyway, but there are some serious benefits to pleasure.  Good feelings can help you bounce back from stress, solve problems, improve your thinking, and even boost your immune system.
  7. Eat well. Mom was right, you have to eat well to function well.  Good food can boost your energy, lower the risk of developing certain diseases, and provide fuel for your brain.  It can also counteract the impact of stress on your body, and affect mood-related chemicals in your body.
  8. Take care of your spirit. Spirituality can provide a reassuring belief in a greater force or being, a sense of purpose and meaning, and helps you focus on your own wisdom, and a way to understand suffering.
  9. Deal better with hard times. At some point in our lives, most of us will face times that are extra stressful or that even shake us to our core. At those times, having strong coping strategies can make a huge difference.  People who spend time writing about a difficult event have better health and less depression.  It is also interesting to note, writers doing this often had their grades improves and found writing jobs more quickly.  People facing stress often feel better after problem solving. People who focus on the positive in their lives are less upset by difficult memories.
  10. Help Others. If you lug your elderly neighbor’s groceries up her steps, clearly it’s good for her. But did you know that it’s likely good for you too? Research indicates that those who consistently help other people experience less depression, greater calm, fewer pains and better health. They may even live longer.
  11. Keep things in perspective. Avoid blowing things out of proportion.
  12. Prioritize. Set realistic goals.  Take small steps to accomplish each task, one at a time.
  13. Get professional help if you need it. If the problems in your life are stopping you from functioning well or feeling good, professional help can make a big difference. And if you’re having trouble, know that you are not alone: One in four adults in this country have a mental health problem in any given year.

If you or someone you know is feeling especially bad or suicidal, get help right away. You can call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center or dial 911 for immediate assistance.

Clinical Depression – Mental Health Awareness

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I was diagnosed last year with Clinical Depression. My diagnosis came after several years of suffering, and a suicide attempt. When I compare how I feel now to how I felt this time last year, I am amazed at the difference. Even my soul feels refreshed.

I will always have Clinical Depression, however, my goal is to never allow myself to get that sick with it again. Everyday, I look for any signs that my medications might not be working. I have family members whose job is to watch and see if I exhibit any signs of a set back. I have plans in place in case my medications ever stop working, and I need some extra help for a time. I believe all of these are productive steps in my plan to stay as healthy as I can.

Clinical Depression


Depression affects more people than any other mental illness, more than about 19 million Americans each year.

Clinical Depression is more than just being down in the dumps, or feeling blue.  It is a real illness, and it can be treated.  Unfortunately, most people who have depression do not seek help.

Many people are intimidated by the stigma that surrounds depression or other mental health issues, and as a result do not want to let anyone know they need help.  Others believe depression is just a normal part of  life’s ups and downs, and do not realize that it is a real illness, causing them to delay seeking help, or to never seek it at all.   It is important for people to know that depression is a real illness, and there are many effective treatments for it.

Some signs of depression are:


  • A persistent feeling of sadness, anxiety, or an empty feeling
  • Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much
  • Reduced appetite and weight loss or increased appetite and weight gain
  • Loss of interest and pleasure in once enjoyable activities
  • Restlessness, or irritability
  • Difficulty in concentrating, difficulty in remembering things, or difficulty making decisions
  • Fatigue or loss of energy
  • Feeling guilty, hopeless or worthless
  • Thoughts of suicide or death

If you have been experiencing five or more of these symptoms for two weeks or longer, there is a possibility that you may have depression.  Seek professional help immediately.

If you are a family member is in crisis right now call 1-800-273-TALK or dial 911