Stress is a killer but if you are also coping with a mental illness, it can make coping even tougher.
read about coping techniques here
Going through treatment for conditions like anxiety can often produce more anxiety as you get to the bottom of what triggers your panic attacks. Learning a stress-reducing technique will only help your treatment and speed your recovery.
Developing a plan that works for you may take time. Some people find that setting aside even 15 minutes in the morning to quietly reflect through meditation can put their mind into a place where they can better cope through a stressful day.
For others, a daily exercise routine helps to keep them balanced.
Remember that we are all unique and what works for one person may not be what works for you.
Try many techniques until you find one that is right for you and practice it daily.
Your mental well-being will improve. Guaranteed!
A Parent's Denial
Children can and do suffer from mental illness. It can range in severity but if it is not treated, it will not go away on its own.
read "Not my child"
Facing the fact that your child may be having trouble coping is not easy to accept. You would not ignore if your child was kept up at night with a horrible cough and recognizing symptoms of depression and other mood disorders is just (if not more) important.
A child who has experienced a trauma in their life may seem fine but actually may be deeply affected and need some help coping. There are many reasons why a child may have a mood disorder.
The parent who can let go of the idea that "my child is perfect" and see their child realistically can help them to be mentally healthy.
Not everyone copes the same way with difficulties in life. Parents who think that their children are not effected because they may not understand are wrong. Some children are more sensitive than others and what a parent may consider a small thing could be huge to a child.
how to find mental health care for your child
A parent who denies that anything is wrong will often be faced with a bigger challenge with their child later on. A child who has anxious feelings will only become more anxious. A child with depression may later on suffer in school, with social relationships and may even turn suicidal.
Mental illnesses are treatable and a parent should not fear what treatment may be like but remember that they need to address these symptoms so their child can live a happy and healthy life.
Educating your Bipolar Child
Schedules and your Bipolar Child
Depression and your Teenager
Recognizing Conduct Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
read "Not my child"
Facing the fact that your child may be having trouble coping is not easy to accept. You would not ignore if your child was kept up at night with a horrible cough and recognizing symptoms of depression and other mood disorders is just (if not more) important.
A child who has experienced a trauma in their life may seem fine but actually may be deeply affected and need some help coping. There are many reasons why a child may have a mood disorder.
The parent who can let go of the idea that "my child is perfect" and see their child realistically can help them to be mentally healthy.
Not everyone copes the same way with difficulties in life. Parents who think that their children are not effected because they may not understand are wrong. Some children are more sensitive than others and what a parent may consider a small thing could be huge to a child.
how to find mental health care for your child
A parent who denies that anything is wrong will often be faced with a bigger challenge with their child later on. A child who has anxious feelings will only become more anxious. A child with depression may later on suffer in school, with social relationships and may even turn suicidal.
Mental illnesses are treatable and a parent should not fear what treatment may be like but remember that they need to address these symptoms so their child can live a happy and healthy life.
Educating your Bipolar Child
Schedules and your Bipolar Child
Depression and your Teenager
Recognizing Conduct Disorder
Oppositional Defiant Disorder
The Consequences of Untreated Mental Illness
We have come a long way in lowering the stigma against mental illness and promoting awareness of mood disorders.
Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go. One of the problems is that the laws that were put in place to avoid abuse of those who have a mental illness can often keep them from getting the help that they desperately need.
Take the case of Jared Loughner. read more here
Although he was indicted for the shootings in Arizona and will probably spend the rest of his life behind bars, will he receive the mental health treatment that he so badly needs?
It should have never come to this. The tragedy should never have happened. Although many recognized Jared to be someone who did not "fit in" to society and exhibited unacceptable behavior, he was an adult. No one can force treatment upon an adult.
That is a part of the problem. Although violent behavior by the mentally ill only occurs in about 3% of patients, that is 3% too much.
A young adult who is undiagnosed or refuses treatment (which is their right) can lead an unproductive and often criminal life. They commit crimes such as theft and they indulge in illegal drug use.
A parent of a young adult who is out of control due to a mood disorder cannot do much to force treatment. All a parent can do is refuse to enable their adult child. This often means that the relationship becomes broken and the parent spends many sleepless nights worrying about what their adult child's fate will be. Tough love can be hard to live with but it is better than enabling their behavior.
This is why it is so important for parents of teenagers to recognize when something is "off" with their teen's behavior. If you can catch a problem before the teen reaches legal age, there is a better chance of avoiding their self-destruction when they reach adulthood.
How to recognize depression symptoms in your teen can help to save them from themselves. Teens who do not receive treatment often turn to drugs or even suicide.
There is help out there for parents of teens who need a mental health evaluation. Where to find mental health treatment is not difficult. Local and state agencies have resources and if you are insured, your insurance companies website has resources also.
Looking the other way when you feel that something is just not right with your teen's behavior could escalate into tragedy in the future. Mood disorders are treatable mental illnesses. Ignoring them will not make them go away.
Unfortunately, we still have a long way to go. One of the problems is that the laws that were put in place to avoid abuse of those who have a mental illness can often keep them from getting the help that they desperately need.
Take the case of Jared Loughner. read more here
Although he was indicted for the shootings in Arizona and will probably spend the rest of his life behind bars, will he receive the mental health treatment that he so badly needs?
It should have never come to this. The tragedy should never have happened. Although many recognized Jared to be someone who did not "fit in" to society and exhibited unacceptable behavior, he was an adult. No one can force treatment upon an adult.
That is a part of the problem. Although violent behavior by the mentally ill only occurs in about 3% of patients, that is 3% too much.
A young adult who is undiagnosed or refuses treatment (which is their right) can lead an unproductive and often criminal life. They commit crimes such as theft and they indulge in illegal drug use.
A parent of a young adult who is out of control due to a mood disorder cannot do much to force treatment. All a parent can do is refuse to enable their adult child. This often means that the relationship becomes broken and the parent spends many sleepless nights worrying about what their adult child's fate will be. Tough love can be hard to live with but it is better than enabling their behavior.
This is why it is so important for parents of teenagers to recognize when something is "off" with their teen's behavior. If you can catch a problem before the teen reaches legal age, there is a better chance of avoiding their self-destruction when they reach adulthood.
How to recognize depression symptoms in your teen can help to save them from themselves. Teens who do not receive treatment often turn to drugs or even suicide.
There is help out there for parents of teens who need a mental health evaluation. Where to find mental health treatment is not difficult. Local and state agencies have resources and if you are insured, your insurance companies website has resources also.
Looking the other way when you feel that something is just not right with your teen's behavior could escalate into tragedy in the future. Mood disorders are treatable mental illnesses. Ignoring them will not make them go away.
Familys That Enable
Watching the Casey Anthony murder trial is a lesson in dysfunctional families. The enabling that goes on in this family is mind-boggling. read more here
Maybe what fascinates a lot of people is that they recognize themselves or others they know in this real-life drama.
Casey Anthony is beyond being "just a good liar". It is obvious that her parents have had issues with her for a long time. She did not graduate high school and her father admits that she has always "lived on the edge".
Cindy Anthony is the kind of person who tries to control things but also avoids dealing with anything that may be upsetting to her world that she tries to control. Her daughter's pregnancy, for one, was something that the family didn't speak about. Denial is a coping mechanism for some people and Cindy Anthony held onto that denial like a security blanket.
Lee Anthony is obviously someone who needs intensive therapy. Whatever went on in his household affected him deeply. Although he is an adult, he still feels this pain and in order for him to live a happy life, he needs to confront this damage.
Some people are just not able to face reality when a family member behaves badly. They enable their behavior by allowing them to continue it. They may make excuses or pretend all is well. They may try and force their beliefs onto others or demand that things be their way.
Ultimately, the person who has a problem runs the show and everyone else is sucked into their world.
Casey Anthony's lies and criminal behavior has torn this family apart. Testimony showed that as an unwed mother she frequently took Caylee to a boyfriend's house and spent the night. She lacked the emotional maturity or concern to be a real mother to Caylee and I am sure behind closed doors there were battles about that.
Being that Casey was of legal age, there wasn't too much her parents could do. They enabled her behavior out of fear of losing the granddaughter that they loved.
I have heard stories of young mothers who use their child as pawns with their mothers in particular, in order to get what they want. In Casey's case, she was living rent-free, her parents were supporting her daughter and she came and went as she pleased.
Her parents seemed to be in fear of being firm with her. Did they create the monster she appears to be? In part, they did but I believe that some people are just born with the potential to be "bad".
Did they overindulge her and not expect her to be responsible for her own actions? I don't know. Tough love is not called tough because it is easy to do. It takes strength to say no to your child, no matter what their age. Obviously, it is important for parents to speak their minds and demand certain behavior. In this case, life with Casey was probably crazy before she got pregnant out of wedlock. By then, the patterns were set.
Is this what happens when you allow your child to be the center of your world? Parents want to install a certain amount of self-esteem in their child but when you do not teach personal responsibility along with it, are you helping to create a narcissistic monster?
How to break the cycle of dysfunction in a family is not always easy but it will free you from repeating what probably is a long history of dysfunctional behavior.
This family's dynamics have been put under a microscope. It is obvious through public statements that they have made that they all had their "roles" in the family. Cindy tried to have things be a "certain way". Others, like her husband, tried to please her. Things were not talked about the way they would be in other families. This frustrated their son Lee, who eventually grew tired of it. Even though he seems to want to break free of this, he still has this loyalty to the people who caused him so much emotional hurt and damage.
Seeing this unfortunate dissection of a family's dynamics reminds many of us that we have no clue what goes on at the house next door. We also are reminded that none of us are human and sometimes what we think we are doing out of love may be doing more harm than good.
Read more about why enabling is a bad idea
Maybe what fascinates a lot of people is that they recognize themselves or others they know in this real-life drama.
Casey Anthony is beyond being "just a good liar". It is obvious that her parents have had issues with her for a long time. She did not graduate high school and her father admits that she has always "lived on the edge".
Cindy Anthony is the kind of person who tries to control things but also avoids dealing with anything that may be upsetting to her world that she tries to control. Her daughter's pregnancy, for one, was something that the family didn't speak about. Denial is a coping mechanism for some people and Cindy Anthony held onto that denial like a security blanket.
Lee Anthony is obviously someone who needs intensive therapy. Whatever went on in his household affected him deeply. Although he is an adult, he still feels this pain and in order for him to live a happy life, he needs to confront this damage.
Some people are just not able to face reality when a family member behaves badly. They enable their behavior by allowing them to continue it. They may make excuses or pretend all is well. They may try and force their beliefs onto others or demand that things be their way.
Ultimately, the person who has a problem runs the show and everyone else is sucked into their world.
Casey Anthony's lies and criminal behavior has torn this family apart. Testimony showed that as an unwed mother she frequently took Caylee to a boyfriend's house and spent the night. She lacked the emotional maturity or concern to be a real mother to Caylee and I am sure behind closed doors there were battles about that.
Being that Casey was of legal age, there wasn't too much her parents could do. They enabled her behavior out of fear of losing the granddaughter that they loved.
I have heard stories of young mothers who use their child as pawns with their mothers in particular, in order to get what they want. In Casey's case, she was living rent-free, her parents were supporting her daughter and she came and went as she pleased.
Her parents seemed to be in fear of being firm with her. Did they create the monster she appears to be? In part, they did but I believe that some people are just born with the potential to be "bad".
Did they overindulge her and not expect her to be responsible for her own actions? I don't know. Tough love is not called tough because it is easy to do. It takes strength to say no to your child, no matter what their age. Obviously, it is important for parents to speak their minds and demand certain behavior. In this case, life with Casey was probably crazy before she got pregnant out of wedlock. By then, the patterns were set.
Is this what happens when you allow your child to be the center of your world? Parents want to install a certain amount of self-esteem in their child but when you do not teach personal responsibility along with it, are you helping to create a narcissistic monster?
How to break the cycle of dysfunction in a family is not always easy but it will free you from repeating what probably is a long history of dysfunctional behavior.
This family's dynamics have been put under a microscope. It is obvious through public statements that they have made that they all had their "roles" in the family. Cindy tried to have things be a "certain way". Others, like her husband, tried to please her. Things were not talked about the way they would be in other families. This frustrated their son Lee, who eventually grew tired of it. Even though he seems to want to break free of this, he still has this loyalty to the people who caused him so much emotional hurt and damage.
Seeing this unfortunate dissection of a family's dynamics reminds many of us that we have no clue what goes on at the house next door. We also are reminded that none of us are human and sometimes what we think we are doing out of love may be doing more harm than good.
Read more about why enabling is a bad idea
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Severe anxiety can be overcome and the way to successfully treat anxiety is cognitive behavioral therapy.
read more about anxiety here
Cognitive behavioral therapy in simple terms means that a trained therapist helps to guide the patient while teaching them new ways of coping with triggers that produce their anxiety symptoms.
For someone with anxiety, even though their fears may seem "unreasonable" they are very real. Sometimes anxiety goes along with post traumatic stress disorder and the reason why a patient may fear something is because of a traumatic event that they experienced.
Facing your fear is absolutely terrifying for someone with severe anxiety. When a patient figures out that anti-anxiety medication is not "curing" the anxiety, therapy is usually where they turn for help.
Living with anxiety is frustrating. You can try stress-reducing techniques in order to learn how to cope better with stress which will lower anxiety symptoms. This can definitely help but ultimately, when you have severe anxiety, you will notice that until you decide to face your fears head on they are not going to go away.
The decision to try cognitive behavioral therapy is a tough one to make. Therapy takes making a commitment towards mental wellness and it is not without pain. If you keep yourself focused on the belief that you will experience some rough emotional episodes while you go through the process of therapy but in the end you will be free, your journey will be easier.
Find the courage to commit to cognitive behavioral therapy by focusing on your ultimate goal- freedom from anxiety. Just think how great it will be to begin life over again without anxiety holding you back.
NAMI article about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
More on what Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is
read more about anxiety here
Cognitive behavioral therapy in simple terms means that a trained therapist helps to guide the patient while teaching them new ways of coping with triggers that produce their anxiety symptoms.
For someone with anxiety, even though their fears may seem "unreasonable" they are very real. Sometimes anxiety goes along with post traumatic stress disorder and the reason why a patient may fear something is because of a traumatic event that they experienced.
Facing your fear is absolutely terrifying for someone with severe anxiety. When a patient figures out that anti-anxiety medication is not "curing" the anxiety, therapy is usually where they turn for help.
Living with anxiety is frustrating. You can try stress-reducing techniques in order to learn how to cope better with stress which will lower anxiety symptoms. This can definitely help but ultimately, when you have severe anxiety, you will notice that until you decide to face your fears head on they are not going to go away.
The decision to try cognitive behavioral therapy is a tough one to make. Therapy takes making a commitment towards mental wellness and it is not without pain. If you keep yourself focused on the belief that you will experience some rough emotional episodes while you go through the process of therapy but in the end you will be free, your journey will be easier.
Find the courage to commit to cognitive behavioral therapy by focusing on your ultimate goal- freedom from anxiety. Just think how great it will be to begin life over again without anxiety holding you back.
NAMI article about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
More on what Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is
Mental Wellness
In the American culture, not enough is done in the area of preventive care. If you eat healthy foods and exercise, limit alcohol and avoid drugs and smoking, you can avoid conditions like heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer and many other chronic conditions.
Studies show that people who take care of their mental wellness deal better with stress and generally live happier lives.
Yoga , meditation, exercise, a hobby or talk therapy can all help you keep mentally balanced. If you do have a mental illness any of these activities can help you to cope and even help you to overcome conditions like anxiety or depressive disorders.
Just as you practice daily hygiene, practice something for your mental wellness daily. As your practice gets to be second-nature, you will feel the change in yourself. It can help you if life throws you something unexpected and it will also enrich your life.
Studies show that people who take care of their mental wellness deal better with stress and generally live happier lives.
Yoga , meditation, exercise, a hobby or talk therapy can all help you keep mentally balanced. If you do have a mental illness any of these activities can help you to cope and even help you to overcome conditions like anxiety or depressive disorders.
Just as you practice daily hygiene, practice something for your mental wellness daily. As your practice gets to be second-nature, you will feel the change in yourself. It can help you if life throws you something unexpected and it will also enrich your life.
When is a disorder NOT a mental illness?
Awareness is a great thing. Knowing that there is help for when you truly need help and seeking it means that you can go back to feeling "normal" again. (whatever normal is)
The problem today is that sometimes it seems as if there is a disorder for every possible kind of behavior. How are you supposed to know when you need help and what isn't a real disorder?
A psychologist writer friend of mine recently tackled this subject in a way that only he can. Read his article here
There are serious conditions that require treatment but the truth is that just feeling a little "off" sometimes doesn't mean that you are bipolar. Although it is true that having mental illness or substance abuse in your family history does put you at a higher risk for developing a disorder yourself, it doesn't mean that you will.
Some women are moody (most men reading this will not argue) but mood swings in itself are not bipolar. We all go through periods in our lives that cause us to worry and feel more stress. We can sometimes have times of extreme elation; think "falling in love". Does this mean we are experiencing depression, anxiety or a manic episode?
Probably not.
Bipolar disorder (for example) should not be diagnosed based upon a month of ups and downs in your moods. Proper diagnosis of most mental illnesses takes time and careful evaluation. A good doctor will not jump to label a patient.
Most people seek out an evaluation when they are feeling desperate and tired of the way they are feeling. These symptoms, whether they are ones of depression or those of anxiety are usually not good feelings. They disrupt your life and you know that you are in need of help.
Of course if your symptoms such as extremes in moods continue on and off for several months you should see a mental health professional. If you ever (even once) feel like you may hurt yourself or someone else - go to your local emergency room immediately. Do not wait for the feelings to pass. You will get help immediately.
Mental health awareness and reducing the stigma by talking openly about mental health is great. Remember that with most disorders the symptoms will be continuous for several weeks and may only increase in severity.
A woman (or man) can be moody without it being a disorder. A sloppy person may just be a sloppy person. Someone who likes things to be "just so" is not necessarily suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. The bottom line is unless it disrupts your life and alters how you live, it probably is your "normal".
The problem today is that sometimes it seems as if there is a disorder for every possible kind of behavior. How are you supposed to know when you need help and what isn't a real disorder?
A psychologist writer friend of mine recently tackled this subject in a way that only he can. Read his article here
There are serious conditions that require treatment but the truth is that just feeling a little "off" sometimes doesn't mean that you are bipolar. Although it is true that having mental illness or substance abuse in your family history does put you at a higher risk for developing a disorder yourself, it doesn't mean that you will.
Some women are moody (most men reading this will not argue) but mood swings in itself are not bipolar. We all go through periods in our lives that cause us to worry and feel more stress. We can sometimes have times of extreme elation; think "falling in love". Does this mean we are experiencing depression, anxiety or a manic episode?
Probably not.
Bipolar disorder (for example) should not be diagnosed based upon a month of ups and downs in your moods. Proper diagnosis of most mental illnesses takes time and careful evaluation. A good doctor will not jump to label a patient.
Most people seek out an evaluation when they are feeling desperate and tired of the way they are feeling. These symptoms, whether they are ones of depression or those of anxiety are usually not good feelings. They disrupt your life and you know that you are in need of help.
Of course if your symptoms such as extremes in moods continue on and off for several months you should see a mental health professional. If you ever (even once) feel like you may hurt yourself or someone else - go to your local emergency room immediately. Do not wait for the feelings to pass. You will get help immediately.
Mental health awareness and reducing the stigma by talking openly about mental health is great. Remember that with most disorders the symptoms will be continuous for several weeks and may only increase in severity.
A woman (or man) can be moody without it being a disorder. A sloppy person may just be a sloppy person. Someone who likes things to be "just so" is not necessarily suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. The bottom line is unless it disrupts your life and alters how you live, it probably is your "normal".
Who is at risk for Substance Abuse?
Substance abuse is widespread today mainly because of prescription drugs. Pain pills, sleeping aids, ADHD medication and anxiety medications are widely misused by patients.
Most patients do not intentionally use prescription drugs to get high; the dependence happens because of a patient's needs.
The patient who has suffered an injury and is desperate to relieve the pain will find that after several days of taking pain medication as prescribed that they will need to increase their dosage to get the same amount of pain relief.
Weeks will go by and the patient's dependency on the pain medication will cloud how much pain they are actually in. They have become dependent on pain medication. Often their pain may be more manageable but since they have developed a need for the narcotic pain pill they may think that they are still in pain.
This is just one of the dangers of prescription medications that have addictive properties.
Anti-anxiety medications like Xanax can have the same affect. A patient can become so dependent on Xanax that although they may not feel anxious, they will find themselves suffering from withdrawal if they skip a dose. They take a pill to avoid the discomfort of the withdrawal and the cycle of needing to take more to control their anxiety coupled with keeping withdrawal symptoms at bay makes a dangerous combination.
Withdrawal from Xanax can be emotionally, psychologically and physically painful. It can take from several months to a year to fully get the drug out of your system. It depends on how long you have been taking Xanax and how much you take.
Another prescription with addictive tendencies are sleeping aids. Insomnia can ruin your life and the person who cannot get sleep like those in pain or with anxiety is just desperate to get some rest. Sleep aids can be a good thing but because of their addictive tendencies, they also can fool you into thinking that you need them. Often you do because your body gets so used to taking them that your insomnia may actually worsen if you try and skip a night without taking them.
If you find that after several weeks you cannot sleep without taking a prescription sleep aid, you need to see your doctor and talk about other options.
The other prescription drug that is widely misused are stimulants that are prescribed for attention deficit disorder. The stimulant medications will help you to focus better but some people find that they become more productive when taking them and before long, take them to keep up that level of energy and focus.
For patients who have anxiety, insomnia, ADD, or pain, looking towards alternative therapies to help you cope is one way of avoiding the risk of addiction to prescription drugs.
Withdrawal can be a painful process and if you are not dealing with the real problem, taking prescription drugs will only serve as a mask to what is really going on.
Natural remedies like vitamin supplements and herbs are not addicting. Using natural remedies in combination with stress-reduction techniques, alternative therapies such as massage, acupuncture and meditation and cognitive behavior therapy can help you cope with these issues that may make your doctor pull out his prescription pad.
Especially if you have other medical conditions that require maintenance, lowering your risk of substance abuse and dependency will make your overall health better.
Remember that substance abuse addiction is a treatable disease. Just like mental illness, there should be no shame in admitting that you need help to get over addiction. It is a battle that can be won if you are serious about receiving help for your addiction.
Five ways to deal with a substance abuse addict
Anxiety Treatment Options
A typical anxiety sufferer does not usually realize that it is anxiety that is causing their symptoms. Many people find themselves in the emergency room of their local hospital or at their primary care physician's office complaining of heart palpitations, shortness of breath or just a feeling that "something" is horribly wrong.
Many feel embarrassed to find out that the cause of their symptoms is due to anxiety. There is nothing is be ashamed about; the truth is that many people experience anxiety at some point in their lives. Having anxiety symptoms severe enough to cause a person to seek medical attention is also not uncommon.
In order to effectively treat anxiety, a patient needs to become proactive in their treatment. We are conditioned to believe that our doctor has a pill for anything. Many times the way traditional medicine views dealing with a patient's symptoms is not the best way to treat the illness.
Anxiety is treatable and studies prove that taking pharmaceutical drugs alone is not the way to do it.
We live in a hectic world and if you begin to feel like you are "losing control", it may be time to take a step back, recognize the anxiety that has become a part of your life and take steps to help yourself.
Many feel embarrassed to find out that the cause of their symptoms is due to anxiety. There is nothing is be ashamed about; the truth is that many people experience anxiety at some point in their lives. Having anxiety symptoms severe enough to cause a person to seek medical attention is also not uncommon.
In order to effectively treat anxiety, a patient needs to become proactive in their treatment. We are conditioned to believe that our doctor has a pill for anything. Many times the way traditional medicine views dealing with a patient's symptoms is not the best way to treat the illness.
Anxiety is treatable and studies prove that taking pharmaceutical drugs alone is not the way to do it.
We live in a hectic world and if you begin to feel like you are "losing control", it may be time to take a step back, recognize the anxiety that has become a part of your life and take steps to help yourself.
Hypnosis for Anxiety Control
Anxiety is irrational fears that threaten to consume a person until they are powerless over them.
After suffering from anxiety for years and trying "traditional" treatments, I discovered that there was a better way to overcome anxiety.
I had tried several anti-anxiety medications over the years and the results were always the same. After an initial period of side effects, the medication would help my symptoms for a period of about 3 months. The doctor would then increase the dosage and after a few more months I would wean myself off the drug.
When taking anti-depressants, I would always get to a place where I just felt emotionally numb. My sex life would suffer and I often felt depressed. I needed Xanax to sleep and on some days, I needed Xanax just to get through the stress of a work day.
Once I finally said no more medications and allowed my body to become free of the pharmaceutical drugs, I began to feel things again. It wasn't all pretty. I cried a lot. My anger sometimes was hard to manage. What really began to work for me was a combination of things.
I started to regularly take B-stress vitamins twice a day. I cut out coffee except for one cup a day.
I started to read a self-help book for overcoming anxiety. Most importantly, I decided to conquer my anxiety.
Believe it or not ( I sometimes still don't) I found hypnosis really made me turn a corner and get on the road to really finally beating anxiety.
Hypnosis is something that has always interested me. I read many books on it and was fortunate enough to have a friend who is certified (and also a psychologist). He first hypnotized me over the phone. YES. Over the phone.
He spoke to me and although I cannot quote what he said, I listened and all he asked was that I stay open to what he was saying.
After he was done, we hung up and I felt an inner "glow". I slept like a baby that night but for the next 2 days, I felt miserable. Moody is the best way to describe it.
Then on the 3rd day, I woke up and it was like the sun was shining for the first time ever. I felt glowing again. Soon it was time to put the hypnosis to a test. I had to be a passenger in my hubby's car in order to go see a concert with my daughter. I hate the Garden State Parkway. I have for a long time. Riding with my husband is another anxiety producing event. Although I was excited about making my daughter's dream come true to see a concert with her favorite Green Day, getting there was my issue.
Long story short, the ride was enjoyable. I didn't experience the all-too-familiar panic that I used to. I felt relaxed and almost excited. When we arrived I excitedly texted my doctor friend and thanked him. He reminded me that I held the power over the voice.
As time goes by, I remember the techniques that he taught me. I still get days where I am anxious for no apparent reason. I am not 100% "over" my anxiety. I am winning the battle though. When I am in a car and I start to feel those familiar feelings, I let them run their course. I do not give them room to breed and I focus my energy elsewhere. I use breathing to calm myself.
I don't try to fight with the voice that wants me to feel fear. I am stronger than it is. Sometimes it is like taking baby steps but I keep focused on my goal and I reach it. I don't let my anxiety cripple me like it used to.
If you suffer from anxiety, find the practice that is going to allow you to find your power. Practice it daily. Even if you are feeling good; don't ignore the practice. It will become a routine and your power over anxiety will grow stronger until one day, anxiety will be so far in your past that you will forget it ever existed.
After suffering from anxiety for years and trying "traditional" treatments, I discovered that there was a better way to overcome anxiety.
I had tried several anti-anxiety medications over the years and the results were always the same. After an initial period of side effects, the medication would help my symptoms for a period of about 3 months. The doctor would then increase the dosage and after a few more months I would wean myself off the drug.
When taking anti-depressants, I would always get to a place where I just felt emotionally numb. My sex life would suffer and I often felt depressed. I needed Xanax to sleep and on some days, I needed Xanax just to get through the stress of a work day.
Once I finally said no more medications and allowed my body to become free of the pharmaceutical drugs, I began to feel things again. It wasn't all pretty. I cried a lot. My anger sometimes was hard to manage. What really began to work for me was a combination of things.
I started to regularly take B-stress vitamins twice a day. I cut out coffee except for one cup a day.
I started to read a self-help book for overcoming anxiety. Most importantly, I decided to conquer my anxiety.
Believe it or not ( I sometimes still don't) I found hypnosis really made me turn a corner and get on the road to really finally beating anxiety.
Hypnosis is something that has always interested me. I read many books on it and was fortunate enough to have a friend who is certified (and also a psychologist). He first hypnotized me over the phone. YES. Over the phone.
He spoke to me and although I cannot quote what he said, I listened and all he asked was that I stay open to what he was saying.
After he was done, we hung up and I felt an inner "glow". I slept like a baby that night but for the next 2 days, I felt miserable. Moody is the best way to describe it.
Then on the 3rd day, I woke up and it was like the sun was shining for the first time ever. I felt glowing again. Soon it was time to put the hypnosis to a test. I had to be a passenger in my hubby's car in order to go see a concert with my daughter. I hate the Garden State Parkway. I have for a long time. Riding with my husband is another anxiety producing event. Although I was excited about making my daughter's dream come true to see a concert with her favorite Green Day, getting there was my issue.
Long story short, the ride was enjoyable. I didn't experience the all-too-familiar panic that I used to. I felt relaxed and almost excited. When we arrived I excitedly texted my doctor friend and thanked him. He reminded me that I held the power over the voice.
As time goes by, I remember the techniques that he taught me. I still get days where I am anxious for no apparent reason. I am not 100% "over" my anxiety. I am winning the battle though. When I am in a car and I start to feel those familiar feelings, I let them run their course. I do not give them room to breed and I focus my energy elsewhere. I use breathing to calm myself.
I don't try to fight with the voice that wants me to feel fear. I am stronger than it is. Sometimes it is like taking baby steps but I keep focused on my goal and I reach it. I don't let my anxiety cripple me like it used to.
If you suffer from anxiety, find the practice that is going to allow you to find your power. Practice it daily. Even if you are feeling good; don't ignore the practice. It will become a routine and your power over anxiety will grow stronger until one day, anxiety will be so far in your past that you will forget it ever existed.
Tracking Your Symptoms
Diagnosing mental illness takes time and skill. There are many psychiatrists but some will rush to diagnose which can be harmful to a patient.
To make sure that you don't get too quick of a diagnosis, track your symptoms.
You do not need to spend money on a fancy calendar, a simple notebook will do. No matter what, every single day write down something.
If you are a female, note if you are premenstrual. If you take vitamins or any supplements, write it down.
Write down how you slept. Write down what you ate or drank. Track your moods.
You may experience highs and lows in your moods. Even if these highs and lows occur within one 24 hour period- write it all down.
Whatever else may be going on in your life, at your job, with your relationships, anything in your life matters so log it!
Getting an appointment to have an evaluation often takes a few weeks. You can start the work towards getting a proper diagnosis by tracking your symptoms as soon as you decide that you may need help.
Bring this notebook with you to your mental health evaluation. This will be a valuable tool for your doctor to help determine why you are feeling the way that you are. He/she will be able to guide you towards the help that you need.
Remember that you know yourself best. If you feel that something is off and you feel a lack of control over it, there is help out there that can get you back to feeling good again.
To make sure that you don't get too quick of a diagnosis, track your symptoms.
You do not need to spend money on a fancy calendar, a simple notebook will do. No matter what, every single day write down something.
If you are a female, note if you are premenstrual. If you take vitamins or any supplements, write it down.
Write down how you slept. Write down what you ate or drank. Track your moods.
You may experience highs and lows in your moods. Even if these highs and lows occur within one 24 hour period- write it all down.
Whatever else may be going on in your life, at your job, with your relationships, anything in your life matters so log it!
Getting an appointment to have an evaluation often takes a few weeks. You can start the work towards getting a proper diagnosis by tracking your symptoms as soon as you decide that you may need help.
Bring this notebook with you to your mental health evaluation. This will be a valuable tool for your doctor to help determine why you are feeling the way that you are. He/she will be able to guide you towards the help that you need.
Remember that you know yourself best. If you feel that something is off and you feel a lack of control over it, there is help out there that can get you back to feeling good again.
How Divorce Affects Your Child's Mental Health
You are going through a divorce and although emotionally you feel drained, have you noticed how it is affecting your children?
Your child who was normally well-behaved, may become defiant due to the changes going on in the household. The child who seems to be adjusting just fine to your divorce may actually be holding their feelings inside, afraid to open up.
It is completely normal for children to blame themselves for their parents divorce. If parents are unable to keep their children out of their personal battle it will only further damage the children.
While it can be devastating to face up to the fact that your marriage is over, imagine how your child feels. To your children, their entire world is being ripped apart. What has been "normal" for them is now changing. Their sense of security is threatened and that can lead to anxiety and depression. Children most definitely can suffer from anxiety and depression.
If a parent fails to acknowledge their child's mental health issues, it can lead to more serious problems.
Divorce is not just about a man and a woman ending their relationship. When a divorcing couple has children, they are affected also and often more seriously than the adults are.
Don't ignore your child's feelings at this time. Sit down and talk to them about how life will be different after the divorce and reassure them that they can come to you. Keep your personal feelings about your soon-to-be ex OUT of the conversation. Bad mouthing your spouse to your children is just wrong. YOU are hurting YOUR child by doing this.
Look for changes in your child's eating, sleeping and behavioral habits. Talk to their teacher or childcare provider about what is going on in your home. If you notice changes- get your child to a counselor who can help.
Having your child speak to a professional who they will see as someone safe that they can tell their feelings to can help them adjust to the life changes. Remember, your child did not ask for their family to break apart. Sometimes divorce is inevitable and although you may feel that it is "for the best", it still is a change that your child may not be able to understand.
Children can learn to cope with the changes that divorce can bring. BOTH parents should do their best to put their personal issues aside and put their child's needs first in order to ensure that the child's mental health and well-being is taken care of.
You and your children can come through divorce and begin a new life with few scars. Be aware of your child's feelings and have respect for them.
For more about divorce read these articles
The Emotional Stages of Divorce
How to Find Mental Health Care for Your Child or Teen
Your child who was normally well-behaved, may become defiant due to the changes going on in the household. The child who seems to be adjusting just fine to your divorce may actually be holding their feelings inside, afraid to open up.
It is completely normal for children to blame themselves for their parents divorce. If parents are unable to keep their children out of their personal battle it will only further damage the children.
While it can be devastating to face up to the fact that your marriage is over, imagine how your child feels. To your children, their entire world is being ripped apart. What has been "normal" for them is now changing. Their sense of security is threatened and that can lead to anxiety and depression. Children most definitely can suffer from anxiety and depression.
If a parent fails to acknowledge their child's mental health issues, it can lead to more serious problems.
Divorce is not just about a man and a woman ending their relationship. When a divorcing couple has children, they are affected also and often more seriously than the adults are.
Don't ignore your child's feelings at this time. Sit down and talk to them about how life will be different after the divorce and reassure them that they can come to you. Keep your personal feelings about your soon-to-be ex OUT of the conversation. Bad mouthing your spouse to your children is just wrong. YOU are hurting YOUR child by doing this.
Look for changes in your child's eating, sleeping and behavioral habits. Talk to their teacher or childcare provider about what is going on in your home. If you notice changes- get your child to a counselor who can help.
Having your child speak to a professional who they will see as someone safe that they can tell their feelings to can help them adjust to the life changes. Remember, your child did not ask for their family to break apart. Sometimes divorce is inevitable and although you may feel that it is "for the best", it still is a change that your child may not be able to understand.
Children can learn to cope with the changes that divorce can bring. BOTH parents should do their best to put their personal issues aside and put their child's needs first in order to ensure that the child's mental health and well-being is taken care of.
You and your children can come through divorce and begin a new life with few scars. Be aware of your child's feelings and have respect for them.
For more about divorce read these articles
The Emotional Stages of Divorce
How to Find Mental Health Care for Your Child or Teen
Psychopath or Sexual Abuse Victim?
The trial of Casey Anthony is a study in why it is often so difficult to properly diagnose mental illness.
Anyone who is at all familiar with the case of the "Tot Mom" who allegedly killed her two year old daughter Caylee and for 31 days carried on a life of a party girl, already believes her to be a pathological liar. Now that she has gone to trial (for her life), her defense is claiming that Caylee's death was an accident and because Casey had been sexually abused and therefore "taught" to lie, this explains her behavior.
Most experts are not buying the defense's claims. Although it is true that sexual abuse victims do not always talk about it and many do seek to numb their pain through substance abuse, there is enough reason to be confused when it comes to Casey Anthony.
A psychopathic personality can appear to be a victim but that is also the characteristic of a narcissistic personality. Not accepting blame for their own actions they can claim abuse as a reason for their actions.
Many people get annoyed by defendents who "use" sexual abuse as their excuse for bad behavior. Although the battered woman or sexual abuse victim defense is true in some cases, it often does not work because of the woman's actions.
Children are affected by how they are raised. A child who is taught to lie, for example, will grow up to be an effective liar.
When a sexual abuse victim lies, it is the kind of lie that is meant to protect their dirty little secret. A victim of sexual abuse can be made to feel guilty by their abuser or told that no one will believe them. It is not usual for a victim of sexual abuse to become sexually promiscuous. There is also a fear that a victim has and that causes them to lie.
In Casey Anthony's case, there is too much there to believe that she is a victim of sexual abuse. I do believe that life in the Anthony household was dysfunctional but is it really an excuse for her behavior?
Casey Anthony could simply be an overindulged young woman who perhaps was affected by her dysfunctional upbringing but not sexually abused.
A defense attorney's job is to defend his client. Using a defense that points fingers and accuses people of sexual abuse can damage someone's life and reputation forever.
With so many of the characteristics of an abuse victim mirroring other conditions, it takes a very thorough evaluation to determine the truth. This takes time. Like diagnosing many mental illnesses like bipolar or schizophrenia, emotional disorders can mimick other conditions.
Sexual abuse of a child is a horrendous crime. For a victim, healing can be life-long. To use sexual abuse as a defense for a child murderer hurts true victims of this crime. It can make it harder for them to come forward or to trust that they will get justice for the crime committed against them.
Anyone who is at all familiar with the case of the "Tot Mom" who allegedly killed her two year old daughter Caylee and for 31 days carried on a life of a party girl, already believes her to be a pathological liar. Now that she has gone to trial (for her life), her defense is claiming that Caylee's death was an accident and because Casey had been sexually abused and therefore "taught" to lie, this explains her behavior.
Most experts are not buying the defense's claims. Although it is true that sexual abuse victims do not always talk about it and many do seek to numb their pain through substance abuse, there is enough reason to be confused when it comes to Casey Anthony.
A psychopathic personality can appear to be a victim but that is also the characteristic of a narcissistic personality. Not accepting blame for their own actions they can claim abuse as a reason for their actions.
Many people get annoyed by defendents who "use" sexual abuse as their excuse for bad behavior. Although the battered woman or sexual abuse victim defense is true in some cases, it often does not work because of the woman's actions.
Children are affected by how they are raised. A child who is taught to lie, for example, will grow up to be an effective liar.
When a sexual abuse victim lies, it is the kind of lie that is meant to protect their dirty little secret. A victim of sexual abuse can be made to feel guilty by their abuser or told that no one will believe them. It is not usual for a victim of sexual abuse to become sexually promiscuous. There is also a fear that a victim has and that causes them to lie.
In Casey Anthony's case, there is too much there to believe that she is a victim of sexual abuse. I do believe that life in the Anthony household was dysfunctional but is it really an excuse for her behavior?
Casey Anthony could simply be an overindulged young woman who perhaps was affected by her dysfunctional upbringing but not sexually abused.
A defense attorney's job is to defend his client. Using a defense that points fingers and accuses people of sexual abuse can damage someone's life and reputation forever.
With so many of the characteristics of an abuse victim mirroring other conditions, it takes a very thorough evaluation to determine the truth. This takes time. Like diagnosing many mental illnesses like bipolar or schizophrenia, emotional disorders can mimick other conditions.
Sexual abuse of a child is a horrendous crime. For a victim, healing can be life-long. To use sexual abuse as a defense for a child murderer hurts true victims of this crime. It can make it harder for them to come forward or to trust that they will get justice for the crime committed against them.
Living with Depression
Depression is the demon and many people can relate to what it is like to be caught in the grips of it.
Depression is often misunderstood unless you happen to have suffered from it. Many people who are ignorant about the disorder believe that a depressed person can just "snap out of it" when the truth is that it is not that easy.
read more about how depression impacts your life here
The news is not all hopeless because depression is a treatable mental illness. Therapy does work.
The latest research shows that there are genetic links to depression .
This is good news because major depression affects about 20% of people at any given time in their lives and for 4% of people, their depression is chronic and harder to treat. Exploring this genetic connection can help researchers to develop treatments that will help those whose depression is harder to treat.
These findings won't make new medications available immediately; it will take another decade at least but the good news is that progress is being made.
In the meantime the best treatment for depression is a combination of efforts. These include lifestyle changes which means switching to a healthier, all-natural diet, avoiding over-consumption of alcohol and regular exercise. Learning stress reducing techniques and practicing them is another key to successful depression treatment. Therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy in which a professional teaches you how to change your reaction to situations can help you to gain a more positive outlook. Lastly, an anti-depressant can be useful, especially in the beginning of treatment. This can help give you the "fight" to face your inner demons and work to pull yourself out of this often debilitating condition.
Depression that goes untreated will not go away on its own.
If you have been experiencing symptoms of depression for several weeks and it is not lifting, seek out help for your depression!
Depression is often misunderstood unless you happen to have suffered from it. Many people who are ignorant about the disorder believe that a depressed person can just "snap out of it" when the truth is that it is not that easy.
read more about how depression impacts your life here
The news is not all hopeless because depression is a treatable mental illness. Therapy does work.
The latest research shows that there are genetic links to depression .
This is good news because major depression affects about 20% of people at any given time in their lives and for 4% of people, their depression is chronic and harder to treat. Exploring this genetic connection can help researchers to develop treatments that will help those whose depression is harder to treat.
These findings won't make new medications available immediately; it will take another decade at least but the good news is that progress is being made.
In the meantime the best treatment for depression is a combination of efforts. These include lifestyle changes which means switching to a healthier, all-natural diet, avoiding over-consumption of alcohol and regular exercise. Learning stress reducing techniques and practicing them is another key to successful depression treatment. Therapy, especially cognitive behavioral therapy in which a professional teaches you how to change your reaction to situations can help you to gain a more positive outlook. Lastly, an anti-depressant can be useful, especially in the beginning of treatment. This can help give you the "fight" to face your inner demons and work to pull yourself out of this often debilitating condition.
Depression that goes untreated will not go away on its own.
If you have been experiencing symptoms of depression for several weeks and it is not lifting, seek out help for your depression!
Anxiety
Anxiety affects many adults and children. Everyone lives with a certain level of anxiety due to stress and other reasons but when anxiety becomes a problem that controls your life, you can either give in and allow it to swallow you whole or you can take back control.
Working through anxiety is hard work. Treatment for anxiety is more than just taking anti-anxiety medication. If only there was a "magic" pill. Once you are adjusted to the anti-anxiety medication that your doctor prescribes you may have more confidence to tackle the source of your anxiety. Often it is not that easy.
read the rest of the article here
I know this first-hand. Life circumstances that have been beyond my control have challenged my fight against anxiety lately. I have a fear of driving. Although in my teens I was able to drive anywhere, after the birth of my first child I suddenly found myself with a fear of being a passenger and with driving in certain circumstances.
I managed through the years and although I admit that I gave into this fear too many times, avoiding certain highways, not driving in inclement weather, etc., I got by.
Unemployment was the first catalyst in my fight against this anxiety. With no place that I had to be, it became easier to avoid driving. I suffered many health problems that caused me to rely on others for transportation. After having three surgeries, I was forced to have others drive me home from the hospital. This was a huge anxiety producer. Again, I managed to get through it and even did it in a relaxed state.
Is it a control issue? Maybe. Some psychologists feel that there is an underlying cause for fear. I have never been in a car accident so this fear really seems unrealistic. I do not fear death; I am truly confident that there is an afterlife. So what is my issue? I don't know. All I can do is continue to reason with my fear and work to overcome it.
In December of 2010, the worst possible situation happened. My car died. I got it briefly running in March for 4 days. During that time I didn't drive a lot but I did drive. Then the car died for good. Every day that goes by my fear of getting behind the wheel again grows. I cannot borrow a car; for me, being in an unfamiliar car is more than I can handle.
Occasionally I have no choice but to leave my house by way of car. My son will take me to where I have to go; he is one of 3 people that I can calmly ride with. The more I am a passenger, the better I can control my anxiety. Unfortunately, I do not ask him to take me out enough.
I am a smart woman. I hate the idea that this unrealistic and often uncontrollable fear has made me a prisoner. I am independently minded. I don't like to be controlled by anything yet anxiety has control over me.
I have fought through chronic depression and often feel like I am winning that battle. I am sure that I can win this battle against anxiety. I have to. I hate feeling weak and I hate that it has so much power over me.
Anxiety will someday be something in my past. The day is not here yet but it will be. Giving up is not an option.
Working through anxiety is hard work. Treatment for anxiety is more than just taking anti-anxiety medication. If only there was a "magic" pill. Once you are adjusted to the anti-anxiety medication that your doctor prescribes you may have more confidence to tackle the source of your anxiety. Often it is not that easy.
read the rest of the article here
I know this first-hand. Life circumstances that have been beyond my control have challenged my fight against anxiety lately. I have a fear of driving. Although in my teens I was able to drive anywhere, after the birth of my first child I suddenly found myself with a fear of being a passenger and with driving in certain circumstances.
I managed through the years and although I admit that I gave into this fear too many times, avoiding certain highways, not driving in inclement weather, etc., I got by.
Unemployment was the first catalyst in my fight against this anxiety. With no place that I had to be, it became easier to avoid driving. I suffered many health problems that caused me to rely on others for transportation. After having three surgeries, I was forced to have others drive me home from the hospital. This was a huge anxiety producer. Again, I managed to get through it and even did it in a relaxed state.
Is it a control issue? Maybe. Some psychologists feel that there is an underlying cause for fear. I have never been in a car accident so this fear really seems unrealistic. I do not fear death; I am truly confident that there is an afterlife. So what is my issue? I don't know. All I can do is continue to reason with my fear and work to overcome it.
In December of 2010, the worst possible situation happened. My car died. I got it briefly running in March for 4 days. During that time I didn't drive a lot but I did drive. Then the car died for good. Every day that goes by my fear of getting behind the wheel again grows. I cannot borrow a car; for me, being in an unfamiliar car is more than I can handle.
Occasionally I have no choice but to leave my house by way of car. My son will take me to where I have to go; he is one of 3 people that I can calmly ride with. The more I am a passenger, the better I can control my anxiety. Unfortunately, I do not ask him to take me out enough.
I am a smart woman. I hate the idea that this unrealistic and often uncontrollable fear has made me a prisoner. I am independently minded. I don't like to be controlled by anything yet anxiety has control over me.
I have fought through chronic depression and often feel like I am winning that battle. I am sure that I can win this battle against anxiety. I have to. I hate feeling weak and I hate that it has so much power over me.
Anxiety will someday be something in my past. The day is not here yet but it will be. Giving up is not an option.
May and Awareness of Mental Health Issues
May is a month where mental health organizations strive to bring awareness and educate people about mental health. "Let's Talk about Mental Illness" was started out of my own personal need to educate others. Along the way I have discovered many helpful sites that educate and provide resources.
Bring Change to Mind an excellent organization started by the actress Glenn Close and her sister who has bipolar.
When celebrities like Catherine Zeta-Jones discuss their personal struggles with mental illness (Catherine has bipolar 2) I get excited. One more voice to put a face to something that is misunderstood and feared by too many people.
Mental illness is not the result of having a personal "weakness", if anything, seeking treatment shows your strength. Successful treatment involves digging deep inside of yourself and facing the demons within.
There is help for mental illness. Once you bravely come to terms with the idea that you need help- go for it! You won't be sorry.
It can be a scary journey to wellness but it is always scary when you are on a road that you are not familiar with. Know that this road has been traveled before and you are not alone on it.
Bring Change to Mind an excellent organization started by the actress Glenn Close and her sister who has bipolar.
When celebrities like Catherine Zeta-Jones discuss their personal struggles with mental illness (Catherine has bipolar 2) I get excited. One more voice to put a face to something that is misunderstood and feared by too many people.
Mental illness is not the result of having a personal "weakness", if anything, seeking treatment shows your strength. Successful treatment involves digging deep inside of yourself and facing the demons within.
There is help for mental illness. Once you bravely come to terms with the idea that you need help- go for it! You won't be sorry.
It can be a scary journey to wellness but it is always scary when you are on a road that you are not familiar with. Know that this road has been traveled before and you are not alone on it.
What is YOUR Neighbor Hiding?
Mental illnesses are much more common than people think. Even though awareness is spreading, people still talk in whispers about mental illness.
The 5 most common mental illnesses are ones that most of us have heard of but are misunderstood. With anxiety, for example, there are many different kinds of disorders that are consider to be anxiety related. The severity of each depends on many factors. Anxiety can be crippling for some people and an annoyance for others. It is treatable and many people overcome it.
It is important to understand mental illness because someday it may hit close to home. Mental illness is an equal opportunity disorder; it knows no racial, economical or intellectual boundaries. It can affect children through the elderly.
Be brave and talk about it if it affects you or someone you love. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Don't accept pity for your disorder or someone that you love. Hold onto the hope that treatment will be successful. It often is.
Mental illness may still be whispered about but it doesn't mean that you have to. Standing up and speaking openly will help to educate those with misconceptions about the mentally ill. We are all not so different and we all know someone who has been affected by mental illness.
The 5 most common mental illnesses are ones that most of us have heard of but are misunderstood. With anxiety, for example, there are many different kinds of disorders that are consider to be anxiety related. The severity of each depends on many factors. Anxiety can be crippling for some people and an annoyance for others. It is treatable and many people overcome it.
It is important to understand mental illness because someday it may hit close to home. Mental illness is an equal opportunity disorder; it knows no racial, economical or intellectual boundaries. It can affect children through the elderly.
Be brave and talk about it if it affects you or someone you love. It is nothing to be ashamed of. Don't accept pity for your disorder or someone that you love. Hold onto the hope that treatment will be successful. It often is.
Mental illness may still be whispered about but it doesn't mean that you have to. Standing up and speaking openly will help to educate those with misconceptions about the mentally ill. We are all not so different and we all know someone who has been affected by mental illness.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia. Many of us have heard the term but are unaware of how it happens.
Agoraphobia is actually a symptom of prolonged anxiety that is not being treated or a side effect of anxiety that is being treated but not effectively. What does it really mean to be agoraphobic?
Being agoraphobic means that you experiences symptoms of panic when you are put in a situation that is uncomfortable to you. To some people, this can mean leaving the safety of your home, having to travel to an unfamiliar area or in some, being in a crowd of people. Because of the anticipation of fear, people with agoraphobia will avoid doing things that make them uncomfortable. This can have a profound effect on your life. If it is allowed to go on, a person can literally become housebound.
The confusing part about agoraphobia is that until it gets to a severe level, panic attacks don't happen on a regular basis. You may be fine leaving your home and going to an unfamiliar place and then the next time you do it, you experience symptoms like excessive sweating, shortness of breath, stomach upset and a sense of sheer panic that you just cannot seem to "talk yourself out of".
It can make you feel "crazy" and get you so angry with yourself over the control that the panic has over what you do. It makes you feel embarrassed and often feelings of depression will happen. In severe cases, people can actually become suicidal over the frustrations of the symptoms.
The affects of agoraphobia can severely influence your choices in life. Someone who once was outgoing may avoid social situations. It may affect your work and sometimes can even cause you to lose your job because of frequent absences.
Patients can overcome agoraphobia with medications and therapy. The problem is that when someone is suffering from anxiety and does not treat it, agoraphobia can become the result of ignoring the anxiety.
How do you deal with agoraphobia? The first step is in recognizing it. The fear associated with anxiety disorders is what makes it so hard to treat. It takes courage to want to confront the issues that are causing the anxiety. It can be a painful process but if you are tired of having anxiety control your life, this can motivate you and give you the strength to overcome anxiety .
Depression is also common amongst people who suffer from agoraphobia. This is natural because you may feel pressure from others to be a part of life and you have allowed the panic to put you into a place where you are so used to getting by that you do not want to face the fear.
Well-meaning family and friends often do not understand the power that fear has over you. Agoraphobics don't need to be "babied" but they need to be supported. Cognitive behavior therapy can help you to overcome your fears but until you commit to it, you will be stuck in an endless pattern of having fear control your life.
As with any anxiety disorder, agoraphobia can be overcome. It may take a lot of tears and facing your fears but you can put agoraphobia behind yo
Agoraphobia is actually a symptom of prolonged anxiety that is not being treated or a side effect of anxiety that is being treated but not effectively. What does it really mean to be agoraphobic?
Being agoraphobic means that you experiences symptoms of panic when you are put in a situation that is uncomfortable to you. To some people, this can mean leaving the safety of your home, having to travel to an unfamiliar area or in some, being in a crowd of people. Because of the anticipation of fear, people with agoraphobia will avoid doing things that make them uncomfortable. This can have a profound effect on your life. If it is allowed to go on, a person can literally become housebound.
The confusing part about agoraphobia is that until it gets to a severe level, panic attacks don't happen on a regular basis. You may be fine leaving your home and going to an unfamiliar place and then the next time you do it, you experience symptoms like excessive sweating, shortness of breath, stomach upset and a sense of sheer panic that you just cannot seem to "talk yourself out of".
It can make you feel "crazy" and get you so angry with yourself over the control that the panic has over what you do. It makes you feel embarrassed and often feelings of depression will happen. In severe cases, people can actually become suicidal over the frustrations of the symptoms.
The affects of agoraphobia can severely influence your choices in life. Someone who once was outgoing may avoid social situations. It may affect your work and sometimes can even cause you to lose your job because of frequent absences.
Patients can overcome agoraphobia with medications and therapy. The problem is that when someone is suffering from anxiety and does not treat it, agoraphobia can become the result of ignoring the anxiety.
How do you deal with agoraphobia? The first step is in recognizing it. The fear associated with anxiety disorders is what makes it so hard to treat. It takes courage to want to confront the issues that are causing the anxiety. It can be a painful process but if you are tired of having anxiety control your life, this can motivate you and give you the strength to overcome anxiety .
Depression is also common amongst people who suffer from agoraphobia. This is natural because you may feel pressure from others to be a part of life and you have allowed the panic to put you into a place where you are so used to getting by that you do not want to face the fear.
Well-meaning family and friends often do not understand the power that fear has over you. Agoraphobics don't need to be "babied" but they need to be supported. Cognitive behavior therapy can help you to overcome your fears but until you commit to it, you will be stuck in an endless pattern of having fear control your life.
As with any anxiety disorder, agoraphobia can be overcome. It may take a lot of tears and facing your fears but you can put agoraphobia behind yo
Mothering with Mental Illness
Can a woman with bipolar disorder be a good mother?
Bipolar disorder is a manageable mood disorder. Going through pregnancy requires that a woman works together with her doctor and afterwards, because of the hormonal changes, adjustments may be needed to her medication cocktail, but there is no reason why a woman with bipolar cannot be a good mother.
Coping with a mental illness and mothering is a challenge but it doesn't mean that you cannot be a good mother. When you are fighting against depression and have a young child, sure, you will be up against having to take care of your child while you are trying to take care of yourself. Any mother who has any kind of illness has the same challenges.
When are we going to stop assuming that a mental illness makes someone incapable of functioning? It can make you incapable if you are not receiving treatment or if a secondary problem such as substance abuse exists. Many women make it through dual diagnosis while they parent a child.
There is always hope. Some children are raised by a mother with a mental illness and have scars to show from it. For others, they learn a valuable lesson from their mother. The lesson of never giving up and overcoming the odds that may be stacked against them helps to build strength.
What kind of treatment and support a woman receives will make all the difference in what kind of mother she is to her children. Nothing is black and white when talking about mental illness and what kind of mother someone can be in spite of it. The situations are unique and everyone has their own level of strength.
Being a mother is the most important role you will ever have as a woman. If you are a mother who is challenged by your own mental illness, get support and find treatment that works for you. You can be a great mom in spite of the mental illness that challenges you.
Happy Mother's Day!
Bipolar disorder is a manageable mood disorder. Going through pregnancy requires that a woman works together with her doctor and afterwards, because of the hormonal changes, adjustments may be needed to her medication cocktail, but there is no reason why a woman with bipolar cannot be a good mother.
Coping with a mental illness and mothering is a challenge but it doesn't mean that you cannot be a good mother. When you are fighting against depression and have a young child, sure, you will be up against having to take care of your child while you are trying to take care of yourself. Any mother who has any kind of illness has the same challenges.
When are we going to stop assuming that a mental illness makes someone incapable of functioning? It can make you incapable if you are not receiving treatment or if a secondary problem such as substance abuse exists. Many women make it through dual diagnosis while they parent a child.
There is always hope. Some children are raised by a mother with a mental illness and have scars to show from it. For others, they learn a valuable lesson from their mother. The lesson of never giving up and overcoming the odds that may be stacked against them helps to build strength.
What kind of treatment and support a woman receives will make all the difference in what kind of mother she is to her children. Nothing is black and white when talking about mental illness and what kind of mother someone can be in spite of it. The situations are unique and everyone has their own level of strength.
Being a mother is the most important role you will ever have as a woman. If you are a mother who is challenged by your own mental illness, get support and find treatment that works for you. You can be a great mom in spite of the mental illness that challenges you.
Happy Mother's Day!
Vitamin Deficiency and Mental Illness
There is most definitely a link between your diet and your depression although many psychiatrists are not going to tell you that. Not all psychiatrists are legal drug pushers; some do believe in treating psychiatric disorders by seeing the symptoms as what they really are- a sign from your body that something is wrong.
Instead of just diagnosing a disorder, they will look at factors such as your diet and what your blood shows. A thyroid disorder could be why you are experiencing symptoms of depression. If your doctor just writes you a prescription for an anti-depressant, the real problem is not being solved.
This is a problem that happens not just with psychiatry but with Western medicine. Especially in the United States, our health care system is run by pharmaceutical companies whose main purpose is to make money off of the general public using their drugs.
I could easily write several articles telling personal stories that I know of about people whose doctors put a band-aid on complaints that could be changed by the patient adapting a healthier lifestyle, evaluating their blood to check for deficiencies or learning stress reduction techniques that do not involve going to the local pharmacy. But this post is about looking for the “reasons” for symptoms that indicate mental illnesses.
Omega 3 is a supplement that researchers have been studying for some time now. It is beneficial in helping people to deal with symptoms of depression but how many doctors do you know suggest taking it instead of Zoloft?
I am not suggesting that you should ignore what your doctor says; I am only saying that there are other ways to treat mental illnesses. Many times a psychiatrist will prescribe first and diagnose later. “Let’s wait and see how the medication makes you feel before I give you a diagnosis” is something that I have heard before. Other times I have gotten quick diagnoses based upon one visit; that is frightening also.
For a person with bipolar, if the doctor is only seeing the depression, prescribes an anti-depressant and sends the patient on their way, they could be missing the mania that can follow. Many patients don’t complain about mania- why should they? Often it feels so good; who would complain? Many bipolar patients do not react well to taking an anti-depressant; it can bring on more severe manic episodes. A rush to diagnosis is harmful for just that reason.
There is also controversy about patients (children included) who are overly diagnosed with disorders such as ADHD. There are natural treatments for treating ADHD symptoms. Parents who try them often do not need to give their children any pharmaceutical medications at all. Although doctors and the pharmaceutical companies claim that these stimulant medications are safe and the FDA approves their use, how safe are they really?
Is it child-like thinking to feel that putting something man-made and artificial into your body is wrong and could potentially cause your body damage? I don’t care what a doctor says or a pharmaceutical company says…the truth is that it is their business to sell these drugs.
Long-term use of psychiatric medications could damage your liver. Patients are supposed to have their liver function tested by getting their blood checked at least once a year. And when your blood work shows that the long-term use of an anti-depressant has caused liver damage- then what?
Alternative medicine and treatments for true psychiatric conditions that cannot be explained by other medical conditions can be treated by methods other than pharmaceutical fixes. The problem is that access to orthomolecular psychiatrists is not common for the masses. Traditional psychiatry teaches that you use these medications that have side effects and can cause long-term damage to your body. It takes money to search for practitioners who use more natural methods.
Personally, I wish it was more commonplace to use alternative methods. Unfortunately, until the pharmaceutical companies stop running our health care system, a patient’s options will be limited.
Getting Your Teenager Evaluated by a Psychiatrist
After "losing" our last psychiatrist, read about a doctor's greed , we finally found a new psychiatrist to treat and re-evaluate my teenage daughter.
Child psychiatrists are not easy to come by in my area of the country. I don't know much about how others fare but I literally made many phone calls before I secured an appointment with the one we saw today. Finding someone who wasn't too far away, who took the insurance and who was accepting new patients is not an easy feat but after months of trying- SUCCESS!!!
So what actually happens during a mental health evaluation? Here is how it went. (this isn't the first one I have experienced and from what I know - this is "normal")
Since my daughter has been treated before, I came prepared. I had copies of her latest school report card, the IEP (individualized education program) and psychological evaluation and test results from the school's child study team, a typed record of her treatment history including all medications she has taken, who she has seen and a copy from the latest doctor of his diagnosis.
I wanted this doctor to have all the information she could possibly have in order to ensure that my daughter gets a correct diagnosis. I realize that one evaluation does not give parents a diagnosis; the doctor needs more time.
The three of us (mom,dad and teen) sat with the doctor while she asked questions about what brought us there. My daughter answered most questions; I was there to give family history.
In the past I often felt a bit under a microscope but I now know enough about mental illness that I no longer need to "place blame". We aren't perfect parents- show me someone who is. Genetics count but there are several other factors for why mental illnesses happen. We came to help her and placing blame doesn't help.
After going through the family history we left the doctor alone with my daughter so they could talk one on one. after about 25 minutes, she called us back in and we discussed a treatment plan. My daughter is scheduled to have some blood work done, routine when you take antidepressants in order to check liver function. The doctor is also concerned that her poor eating habits (she is EXTREMELY picky) could be to blame for her depression, something I have been trying to fix on my own by giving her B complex and Magnesium.
We need to return in 6 weeks and in that time, I hope to have seen a difference in how she feels. We were all satisfied with the new doctor and my secret wish is that it is all due to a vitamin deficiency. That is easily fixed.
With maturity I believe that her anxiety issues will lesson, especially as she becomes more open to learning hope to cope better with them. When she was only in grade school, she became so severely panicked that she was unable and unwilling to leave the house.
As she has matured, she has had to learn how to cope not just with hormonal changes, but with bullying, peer pressure and pressure to feel like she fits in. Some teenagers seem to take all these facts of middle school and high school in stride. Some hide it inside. Some verbalize it and some do not.
As a parent who is blessed to have an open dialog with my child, she has come to me with her fears, anxieties and feelings of sadness. She is feeling much better than she was in the past. Therapy has helped, medication has helped to ease some symptoms and maturity is helping also.
Children, adolescents and teens can be affected by stress in life. We need to remember that as adults, many of us have developed our own coping skills. With a child, these skills are not developed. We need to acknowledge that fears can be very real to a child. The monster under the bed seems real and if a parent ignores their child's fear, the child will lose trust in them. They won't go to the parent to talk about it and they will keep it inside.
There are normal fears of childhood that many experience. When these fears build and interfere with your child's functioning a parent needs to take action. I am not saying that your child must be medicated- medication isn't always the answer. You cannot just tell your child that there is no monster under the bed. You need to find out why they think that there is and then address it!
Just because a child may experience anxiety or depression doesn't mean that they will grow up to still have these same disorders. The sooner you address them, the sooner your child will be back to feeling like their normal self.
Child psychiatrists are not easy to come by in my area of the country. I don't know much about how others fare but I literally made many phone calls before I secured an appointment with the one we saw today. Finding someone who wasn't too far away, who took the insurance and who was accepting new patients is not an easy feat but after months of trying- SUCCESS!!!
So what actually happens during a mental health evaluation? Here is how it went. (this isn't the first one I have experienced and from what I know - this is "normal")
Since my daughter has been treated before, I came prepared. I had copies of her latest school report card, the IEP (individualized education program) and psychological evaluation and test results from the school's child study team, a typed record of her treatment history including all medications she has taken, who she has seen and a copy from the latest doctor of his diagnosis.
I wanted this doctor to have all the information she could possibly have in order to ensure that my daughter gets a correct diagnosis. I realize that one evaluation does not give parents a diagnosis; the doctor needs more time.
The three of us (mom,dad and teen) sat with the doctor while she asked questions about what brought us there. My daughter answered most questions; I was there to give family history.
In the past I often felt a bit under a microscope but I now know enough about mental illness that I no longer need to "place blame". We aren't perfect parents- show me someone who is. Genetics count but there are several other factors for why mental illnesses happen. We came to help her and placing blame doesn't help.
After going through the family history we left the doctor alone with my daughter so they could talk one on one. after about 25 minutes, she called us back in and we discussed a treatment plan. My daughter is scheduled to have some blood work done, routine when you take antidepressants in order to check liver function. The doctor is also concerned that her poor eating habits (she is EXTREMELY picky) could be to blame for her depression, something I have been trying to fix on my own by giving her B complex and Magnesium.
We need to return in 6 weeks and in that time, I hope to have seen a difference in how she feels. We were all satisfied with the new doctor and my secret wish is that it is all due to a vitamin deficiency. That is easily fixed.
With maturity I believe that her anxiety issues will lesson, especially as she becomes more open to learning hope to cope better with them. When she was only in grade school, she became so severely panicked that she was unable and unwilling to leave the house.
As she has matured, she has had to learn how to cope not just with hormonal changes, but with bullying, peer pressure and pressure to feel like she fits in. Some teenagers seem to take all these facts of middle school and high school in stride. Some hide it inside. Some verbalize it and some do not.
As a parent who is blessed to have an open dialog with my child, she has come to me with her fears, anxieties and feelings of sadness. She is feeling much better than she was in the past. Therapy has helped, medication has helped to ease some symptoms and maturity is helping also.
Children, adolescents and teens can be affected by stress in life. We need to remember that as adults, many of us have developed our own coping skills. With a child, these skills are not developed. We need to acknowledge that fears can be very real to a child. The monster under the bed seems real and if a parent ignores their child's fear, the child will lose trust in them. They won't go to the parent to talk about it and they will keep it inside.
There are normal fears of childhood that many experience. When these fears build and interfere with your child's functioning a parent needs to take action. I am not saying that your child must be medicated- medication isn't always the answer. You cannot just tell your child that there is no monster under the bed. You need to find out why they think that there is and then address it!
Just because a child may experience anxiety or depression doesn't mean that they will grow up to still have these same disorders. The sooner you address them, the sooner your child will be back to feeling like their normal self.
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