Supporting a friend with a mental illness.

The daughter of a Facebook friend of mine posted a fantastic little piece on supporting someone close to you who has a mental illness. While it specifies depression and anxiety, what it says covers so much more. I just thought I would share it here.

Take care, stay safe.

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

Dandelions & Bad Hair Days: Now on Kindle

Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, a collection of poetry and prose edited by Suzie Grogan, has been mentioned here several times in the past. Released in October 2012, the book is finally available on Kindle from Amazon.

For those who don't know, the book is a collection of pieces written by sufferers of various mental illnesses. I am lucky enough to have two contributions in the book, a copy of a guest post I did for Suzie's No More Wriggling Out of Writing site & a poem, 'Loneliness', which Suzie found in my Scribd collection.

The book is a look at the world as seen by those that live each day with mental illness. It's not just a book for other sufferers, but for carers, friends, family & the community. It may help people understand our daily struggles better.

Additionally all profits from the sale of both the paperback & digital versions of the book go to SANE UK & other nominated charities. So by purchasing the book, you not only get a great read, but are supporting mental health charities.

I hope you will take the time to spend a few dollars for a good cause and some enjoyable, insightful reading.

Take care
Mark 

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

NSW Mental Health Services Cut

New South Wales Mental Health minister Kevin Humphries says the federal government has drastically cut new treatment services for the mentally ill in the state.

NSW Mental Health Mister
Kevin Humphries

Funding had been secured to create four Early Psychosis Prevention & Intervention Centres in NSW, which would haven given a large portion of the population better access to treatment if they began to develop a psychotic disorder.

But two years of planning & negotiations were wasted when the now former federal Minister for Mental Health Mark Butler announced in a press release last month that NSW would only get one centre to be run by the charity Headspace - the National Youth Mental Health Foundation.

It is thought that difficulties in negotiating agreements has led to the federal governments decision. This was despite already approving four centres in NSW & opening negotiations for two more.

Source & full article: The Sydney Morning Herald (01 July 2013)

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

Dreams, Nightmares & Screamscapes...

I have dreams & nightmares, everyone does. But 99.9% of the time I can't remember them on waking and the rest fade from memory in minutes. I think often it's a good way to be, you forget the good ones but also no memory of the bad.

But this morning was different. For the first time ever I awoke shaking & physically ill because of a, to me, very distressing dream. And I have to admit I have no idea how to deal with it or what to think of it.

The subject of the dream touched very heavily on my past, something that devastated my life, even as a toddler. It took the event, twisted it & expanded it to a very disturbing degree. And now I just can't shake it.

So I'm opening this up to ideas, thoughts, stories & suggestions. If you have ever had dreams or nightmares that have shaken you to the core, how do you deal with them? How have you coped with the mental anguish they can cause?

I really am all at sea with this one.

Take care until next time.

Mark.

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

Music - To Feel, To Hear, To Learn

As I've said previously, music means a lot to me, something that can touch me when nothing else can. So I'm going to start posting songs that mean something to me in one way or the other.

Every now and then a song comes along that seems to be directed at those suffering depression or feeling life is not worth the effort. Not love songs, but ones that seem to go directly to those feeling lost in the world.

Nickelback is one of my favourite bands and their last album 'Here And Now' contains a song called 'Lullaby' which seems to be one of these songs. Forget the video, just listen to words. Just remember, there is someone there for you, whoever you are.

Take care & enjoy.

Mark

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

Small Irish Poll Shows Depth of Stigma.

An article by Paul Gilligan (CEO, St Patrick's University Hospital) published in the Irish newspaper Sunday Independent has highlighted how bad stigma can be and that it is costing lives. The stigma surrounding mental illness makes people reluctant to discuss their problems and they often feel they cannot seek help.

A small poll of 300 people at St Patrick's University Hospital in Dublin produced some shocking results, even for those used to seeing how bad stigma can be. The poll showed that:

• 20% of people believe that those suffering mental health problems are of below average intelligence.
• Over 40% considered seeking help for mental health problems is a sign of personal failure.
• Two-thirds expressed reluctance to hire someone with a history of mental illness, believing them to be unreliable.
• Over 30% admitted they would not willingly accept someone with a mental illness as a close friend.

Considering that there is a probability that some participants in the research wouldn't want to admit to having a negative view, it is quite possible the true levels of stigma could be much higher.

Gilligan goes on to discuss factors that go into creating (and maintaining) the stigma. These include human factors such as fear and a lack of understanding/knowledge. Then there is denial, both by the sufferer refusing to believe they could have a mental illness, and those who don't even believe there is such a thing as mental illness.

Weathering The Weather: is it SAD?

Over the last few weeks we've been having some fantastic spring weather here on the east coast of Australia. Brilliant sunny days and crisp clear nights. It really has been wonderful. At the same time I've been feeling a little more alive, things seeming a little easier. I suppose that many people feel like this, with warm summer days making it easier to get going than cold, wet winter days.  But is it all a little SAD?

Seasonal affectiive disorder (SAD) is now widely recognised as a common disorder, despite initial skepticism. But what a lot of people don't realize is it is NOT a stand-alone diagnosis. In fact it is associated with a major depressive episode for people with major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.

It is also commonly believed that the depressive feelings of SAD are associated only with winter, but in fact can occur at any time of the year, regardless of season. While winter is the most common season for the symptoms to show, all SAD really needs is repeated periods of depression at around the same time each year - winter, spring, summer or autumn, it doesn't matter which.

UQ Law Students Raise Awareness of Mental Health Issues

The University of Queensland Law Student Society (UQLS) will delve into the reasons for a high rate of depression, stress and anxiety among law students at a mental health forum this month. 

UQ and law firm Allens will host ‘Mental Health in the Australian Legal Profession,' forum at the University on September 12. 

The program has a line-up of expert speakers including psychologist David Whittingham, Legal Services Commissioner (QLD) John Briton, Annette Bradfield, Deputy President of the Queensland Law Society and special guest Kate Carnell, CEO of Beyond Blue. 

The forum is part of The University of Queensland's Law Student Society's strategy to stem the unusually high rate of mental health issues among law students.

The full article and forum details are available on the University of Queensland website. 

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

The Cost of Mental Health: More Than Money

Sunday September 2nd is Fathers Day here in Australia and, as normal for me around special occasions, it has had me thinking about what my mental health problems have cost me over the years. Not in terms of money, but in other ways. My conclusion: it has cost me plenty.

Dealing with mental health costs everyone financially; sufferers, families, friends & the entire community. But for those dealing with the illnesses it usually costs far more in the way of family, friends & living standards. So much of our lives can be affected both directly & indirectly by the illness and its treatments - and the stigma that surrounds it.

Left untreated, mental illness can make life hell for everyone around the sufferer. Even when you get a diagnosis it can be just as hard. A lot of times it's hard to get a correct diagnosis and then it is usually a lot of trial & error to find a treatment plan that works or helps the patient. It can take years to get things anywhere near right.

Dandelions and Bad Hair Days: Cover released.

Suzie Grogan, the driving force behind the upcoming release Dandelions and Bad Hair Days, has made public an image of the cover for the anthology. The cover artwork is by Ingrid Eva Creative and is a brilliant pictorial representation of the title.

The book is a collection of articles, stories & creative writing from sufferers of mental illness (including me!). Due out early October, all profits from the sale of Dandelions and Bad Hair Days will go to mental health charities such as SANE UK. A great book for a great cause.

Cheers

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

Depression: The Global Problem

For a long time, due to cultural & religious differences, it has often been thought that depression & anxiety was mainly a Western problem with Eastern cultures being little affected. A recent study published by researchers from The University of Queensland seems to debunk this theory.

In the worlds most comprehensive study of anxiety & depression to date, researchers in two separate studies into anxiety disorders & major depression disorder (clinical depression) found that surveys of clinical anxiety & depression have been conducted across 91 countries involving more than 480,000 people.

These studies show that anxiety & depression are major problems across the globe, regardless of culture, race or religion.

Bipolar 1 & 2, What's the difference?

Bipolar Disorder (formerly called manic depression) is an illness that at times even the sufferer doesn't fully understand. Most people don't even realize there are couple of forms of bipolar, or if they do, they don't understand the differences. So here I will attempt to detail the differences between bipolar 1 & bipolar 2.

Both forms of the disorder have 2 things in common which helps with the initial diagnosis of bipolar. First, you must have suffered episodes of clinical depression, which is often the only thing you will be treated for initially. I found that getting a new diagnosis after being diagnosed & treated for depression (which didn't help at all) to be very difficult. Secondly, you must have had periods of feeling 'high' (mania). Everybody feels happy or sad at times, but bipolar sufferers feel these emotions far more deeply, and the swings between the highs & lows are usually extreme & can occur quite suddenly.

A little bit up, a little bit down

Haven't really been writing much the last few weeks, probably because I have been having periods of feeling a little down & the energy/desire to write much has been seriously lacking. The past few weeks haven't been bad compared to the past but the lack of motivation & energy has been there. A lot of time all I've wanted to do is sleep with no drive to do anything else.

It hasn't been all bad, I've had periods where I've felt a little up, even if they are in the minority. The best thing about this, despite how up & down things have been, is that I feel that right now I can cope, rather than just giving in to the depression. It's a nice change from the past.

Guest Post: No more wriggling out of writing ……

Social networking sites can be a great place to meet people & find information about subjects that interest or have relevance to you. It was through Twitter that I met Suzie Grogan, the author of No more wriggling out of writing......, a site dedicated to writing, Keats, and, a little strangely perhaps, mental health issues. Suzie is a freelance professional researcher & writer on a diverse range of subjects.

Each month or so Suzie invites someone to do a guest post for the mental health section of her site & I was surprised & honored when she asked if I would be interested in doing this months. When she asked I had no idea what I would write about but what finally arrived was "One year on: a new life". This short article looks at the last year or so of my life and the amazing changes that have taken place.

So take a stroll over to Suzies great site and see what a difference a year can make once you start getting things right!

Cheers.

 

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

Going loony: the moon & mental illness

I frequently visit the forums at SANE UK and today there was a post about the moon. The original post was just a comment on how the moon looked but it wasn't long before the relationship between the moon & mental illness popped up. So the question is, does the moon have any effect on those with a mental illness?

The simple answer is no, there is no relationship at all. Hundreds of studies over the years have come up with absolutely no evidence that changes in moon phases has any effect on mental illness or any number of other issues like violence & the behavior of dogs.

Despite this, a study by the University of New Orleans has shown that up to 81% of mental health professionals believe there is a relationship between the moon & human behavior. Why, in the 21st century, would someone with years of training still accept a fallacy like this to be true?

Back to school - it's never too late

Returning to the halls of learning is something I've considered on & off for years but never followed through with. Over the years I've even signed on for a few courses but the steam quickly ran out and they fell by the wayside. It's pretty hard to keep going with depression continually pulling you down. I would get a lot done in the first few weeks while the energy was up, but when it was gone, nothing.

I think a lot of the problem was I was trying to do it all by distance education so I wouldn't have to face sitting in a classroom situation with a whole lot of strangers. The problem for me was that there was no structured learning. What I was doing was easy for me but I couldn't keep myself grounded with the need to get things completed & sent in for assessment. I also had no-one around to encourage & support me

So this time I'm biting the bullet & trying a return to the classroom if possible. In my mind I'm a lot better now than at any time I've tried studying previously and I also have some great support close at hand. I'm also hoping the more structured environment will assist in keeping me motivated, or at least to get things done for fear of failing!

Talk yourself up: Self Affirmation

A couple of weeks ago I posted Mind Over Matter, about a press release suggesting what a person thinks about an illness plays an important role in their health outcomes. With mental illness, could this be even more important? What is self affirmation and how can it be used by a sufferer to help improve their life?

Self affirmation is nothing new, it's been around for decades and is a major part of many self-help books. Dr Norman Vincent Peale called it 'The Power of Positive Thinking', one of the most famous books on the subject. It's not a complicated procedure & you don't really need a book to tell you how to do it. All that's involved is telling yourself, usually at least once a day (the more the better), something good & positive about yourself. It's something anyone can do.

Computers to identify the at risk?

The other day I posted an article about the possibility that a blood test could help identify those with depression, a great step forward. Now it looks like the researchers are getting computers involved in identifying those at risk of mental illness.

A press release by the Welcome Trust suggests that a computer programme may be able to identify those at risk of mood disorders & anxiety. According to research published in PLoS ONE, an open access journal, computers can be 'taught' to differentiate between brain scans of adolescents to identify those most at risk of psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety.

With most mental illnesses typically manifesting themselves during the adolescent years & early adulthood, the earlier that those at risk can be identified the better. Early intervention could result in a delay or even prevent the illness appearing in those at risk.

Mental Illness: How Prepared is Your GP?

A tweet from Black Dog Tribe today led me to this video by Professor Lewis Wolpert where he mentions that he doesn't think most GP's are prepared enough to deal with patients with mental illness. Additionally, he voices something that I totally agree with - that unless you have experienced a mental illness you can never really understand what it's all about.

Friends, people I've worked with & even anonymous posters on a number of forums I frequent have all said the same thing. A lot complain about GP's who try & look at other causes, or don't have an understanding how bad it really is. Or those that give a prescription for some form of mild anti-depressant with absolutely no follow-up at a later date. Sadly a lot of people with mental illness find, after working up the courage to initially mention their problem, that doing anything more themselves is just too hard. They just won't go back and seek further assistance.

I know for myself it was talking to other sufferers that started making it easier for me to deal with my illness. Doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists & other mental health workers just didn't seem to understand just what it's like. No offence at all to those working in the mental health field, they do what their training & experience tells them to do. But sometimes this just isn't enough, and the sufferer feels let down by the system or just fall through the cracks.

My old family GP was a good doctor, I liked going to him & he was the first one I opened up to about my problem. He tried to help, arranged anti-depressants, got me to see a psychiatrist and try and get me going in the right direction. Only problem was that I really didn't enjoy my sessions with my psychiatrist (for some reason he thought going for a walk or getting a job to occupy my mind was the solution - for someone who couldn't leave the house!). Additionally, my initial (and incorrect) diagnosis of severe depression was the one that stuck for the next 11 years.

After I was diagnosed I did a lot of research on the subject and it wasn't long before I realised I wasn't just depressed, I was more likely bipolar. But no-one seemed to listen. Everything was directed at trying to fix my depression and it wasn't working. They seemed to go deaf when I mentioned my periods of mania - they were very short compared to my long periods of depression - and it just slipped by. And some of the medications I tried during this period are great for treating depression, but were some of the worst for treating bipolar, making things even drastic.

It was only after moving to another area a couple of years ago that anything really changed, and even that took a more than a year of seeing my new GP. But eventually I had a few things go badly wrong for me and early last year I went to my doctor hell bent on getting help. I booked a long appointment and we spent the time really going through everything & at last he really listened, He seemed to understand. My diagnosis was changed & added to, booked in with a new counsellor and, probably most importantly, was changed to more suitable medications.

The last 12 months have been totally different for me, after an initial period of switching meds and tweaking them to meet my needs. Probably still some changes to be made there, but it has been a much better year than I had experienced in a long time. Still a long way to go, just heading in the right direction. But it was my actions that brought about this change. I was still being treated as just suffering depression until the time I just about forced my GP to listen. I was lucky & he did really try to understand & for that I'm grateful. Sadly a lot of sufferers just can't bring themselves to make the sort of stand I did.

With up to 10% of the population suffering from a mental illness at some stage it is probably something that needs to be looked into. This feeling of not being listened to or understood by others is a big reason why only about 1 in 5 sufferers will seek professional help, and it's very likely there are many more who don't follow through after an initial treatment or two.

So what is your experience with GP's and mental health workers? Good? Bad? Indifferent? What can be done to improve the situation? I have no idea myself, though if I think about it during my next manic period I'm sure I'll find a solution, I just need to be able to hold onto it. ;)

Let me know your thoughts.

Cheers.

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.

Current Happenings: I'm Keeping it All Together

A few of you may have noticed that lately I've been posting mainly news & information rather than anything about what's been going on in my own world. Part of this is because of the new direction the blog has taken, almost on it's own, to report happenings from around the world in regards to mostly mental health issues & to help raise awareness of the subject, hoping to help ease the stigma surrounding mental illness.

The other reason is that I've been going through a really good period lately, including a short run of mania, that has made it hard to get my own thoughts in any real order. But right now things are quite good so hopefully I'll be able to get a bit more done. I have a few more articles of my own in the works, as well as doing a guest post on another blog in the near future - more on that later.

So while I haven't been overly active, emotionally I'm in a good place right now & have been interacting better with those in my life. Maybe it's the fact it's summer here & the extra sunlight is doing me good, or perhaps it's good things happening in my personal life that has me feeling this way. I don't really care what the cause is, I'm just going to ride this wave while it lasts. Everyone deserves some happiness in their lives so I will not be denying mine!

So here are my ratings which covers the last couple of weeks, it's looking good:

Emotional: 8.0

Interactions: 7.0

Activity: 5.0 (need more exercise, think I'm putting on weight again....)

Cheers

The information contained in this blog can not be considered medical advice. These are only my own thoughts, feelings & ideas. If you or someone you know are having problems with mental illness please seek qualified medical advice.