BiPolar Disorder

Coping with bipolar disorder takes work. Aside from keeping regular appointments with your psychiatrist and your therapist, you need to follow certain rules in order to manage your disorder. Many people are not diagnosed with bipolar disorder until their mid to late twenties or later. Sometimes they have already developed a dependancy on drugs or alcohol which further complicates the treatment of bipolar. Having a dual diagnosis is more challenging but it can be overcome. It takes patience on the part of the sufferer and lots of support from family and friends.

The first week of October is National Mental Health Awareness Week. Organizations like BringChange2Mind and NAMI are holding events to spread awareness and educate people about mental illness. This is also a great time for those who do suffer from a mental illness to teach others in order to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Bipolar disorder is a treatable condition. If you know someone who has bipolar disorder, they could always use support and understanding. Learn what you can about it. It happens in many families and the face of bipolar disorder could be someone you know.

Frustrations of Finding Quality Mental Health Care

I am no stranger to psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists of all kinds. I am the kind of person that when I get a splinter, I research everything about splinters. If I need medical attention, I get it but doctors are human and although they may have been educated about a certain subject, I will question them if I need to. It's my right.

In the state of New Jersey, as in many states across this country, mental health care is not easily accessible. In my county, there are not too many child psychiatrists that I have not seen. Time limits keep me from traveling an hour or more from my home to seek out care. Then, of course there are the restrictions of medical insurance. It isn't easy. And time is not on my side.

I know it takes time to properly diagnose mental illness. Too many disorders have symptoms that mimic other disorders. It takes a good doctor time to determine a diagnosis. When your "child" is a teenager, time is of the essence. When a teenager turns 18, they can stop their treatment. What often happens is that a young adult, frustrated by the system and the treatment process will turn to self-medicating. This leads to addiction and abuse. Unfortunately, it also can lead to suicide or accidental death.

After too many years of hearing stories from friends and my own experiences, I have had enough. It is not simple to find a competent doctor. I actually had a doctor turn my "child" down because it would require too much work to go through her history and treat her. Yes, I will be reporting this doctor. I have had so-called experts in their field write me a prescription without even seeing the child in question. I know that medication is often necessary but doctors just want to prescribe meds until we cannot think for ourselves anymore. Too many seem to think that controlling a mental illness is about turning the patient into a pill-dependent zombie. Not my child. No way.

I am a member of NAMI, and now I am even more inspired to get actively involved. I will be writing my state representatives about the problems with finding quality care for children, teens and adults. I will use my passions and throw them into writing for the cause of mental health care being more available.

Depression is a common, treatable mental illness. Most mental illnesses are treatable. It is just disgusting how hard it is to find someone in the profession who cares enough to listen to the parent, the patient and do what they took and oath to do.

Children and Psychiatric Medications

Parents who deal with a child who has a mental illness often to not know where to turn for help. When they do find a doctor to treat their child, they often allow the doctor to make the decisions regarding the care of their child. They are handed a prescription and even if they ask questions regarding the safety of these medications that are more commonly used for adults, they are told that the drugs are safe. How safe are they really? What can a parent do to ensure that their child is not being overmedicated?

This recent article published in the NY Times explores the idea of overmedicating children who are diagnosed with mental illnesses. Unfortunately because of the high costs involved, often medication is cheaper than weeks and months of therapy. Therapy along with medication (s) can be much more effective than medication alone. If you are low-income or not, with or without medical insurance, treating your child for a mental illness can strain a family's finances. Parents want desperately to get help for their child but many parents are not educated about the treatment of mental illness in children.

Parents need to be their child's advocate by joining support groups and learning as much as they can about their child's mental health diagnosis. Knowledge is power.

Clinical Depression

Been a busy week and although I would have liked to post something of my own today, instead I am sharing a very good piece about depression written by a writer friend of mine. He is also a psychologist and a very good poet as well!

This Depression test is very helpful and really does a good job of explaining the difference between feeling blue and true clinical depression.

A must-read for anyone who has any doubt about what depression is and if it is "real" or not.

This could also help to save someone you know from sinking further into the depths of a disorder that is totally treatable. Please click on the above depression test and read it.