Please Sponsor Me in the NAMI Walks for the Mind of America

            

Dear Family, Friends, and Visitors,

Once again, I'm participating in "NAMI Walks for the Mind of America" an awareness/fundraising walkathon for mental illness.

Millions of Americans, including an estimated one in five families are affected by mental illness: severe depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, panic & anxiety disorders and others. Mental illness is a biologically based brain disorder, which disrupts a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning. Just as diabetes or heart disease, mental illness is a medical condition, which often results in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. You may have been diagnosed with mental illness yourself or know someone who has. 1 in 17 Americans suffer from a serious mental illness and it is estimated that mental illness affects 1 in 5 families in America (Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness). These individuals are your neighbors, your fellow church members, and your co-workers, maybe even a family member. For some, an experience with mental illness is short, say Seasonal Affective Disorder. For others, it is a lifelong struggle to understand, overcome, and live with persistent and unpredictable symptoms.

 

I am one of such individuals with a mental illness. My struggle with major depression began during my first year at college. Unable to complete school at this time, I returned home and was fortuant to have wonderful support from my parents, family, boyfriend, and his family. I was started an anti-depressant and worked through the spring and summer. By the fall, I felt my depressive symptoms were under control and I was ready to return to college. I erolled at Vincennes University, a small, two year college which was reputated to have excellent academic support program for those with disabilities. I completed one and a half years of college and was half-way towards earning my associate's degree before returning home again due to worsening symptoms. After returning home, I lost my health isurance coverage, because I was no longer a college student and was unable to obtain private insurance because of the depressive condition was pre-existing. Anti-depressant therapy costs upward of $60-$200 depending on the medications and therapy can cost upwards of $90-150 a session. I gritted my teeth and continued to pay for my medication out of my own pockets, however therapy was out of reach. Fortuantly, in the fall of 2005, I discovered our local community mental health clinic. Clinics such as these are a vital part of our community, offering vital mental health services at low-cost and sliding-fee-scale to the homeless, impoverished, uninsured, and underinsured of our community. Most people with serious mental illness need medication to help control symptoms, but also rely on supportive counseling, self-help groups, assistance with housing, vocational rehabilitation, income assistance and other community services in order to achieve their highest level of recovery. At the clinic, I was able to see a therapist in addition to a nurse practioner for medication. However, like many community mental health clinics, they are under-staffed and poorly funded, which can result in poor quality of care. In additon, persons with a mental illness are often faced with additional challenges in the workplace, in the home, and in the community due to barriers to obtaining treatment and the stigmas surrounding mental illness. This is why I became involved in NAMI.

 

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The common message of NAMI is support, education, advocacy, and research. NAMI helps in many ways:

It provides support to persons with mental illnesses and their families
It advocates for improved opportunities and for non-discriminatory policies for housing, rehabilitation and meaningful jobs
It supports research
It supports public education programs designed to help educate and remove stigma surrounding severe mental illness

On June 7, 2008, I will be participating in the NAMI Indiana Walk, the local "NAMI Walks for the Mind of America" walkathon in Indianapolis to raise awareness about mental illness, reach out to new families, and to raise money for support and education in our local communities. Our team, which is named "Footsteps" is comprised of individuals whose lives have been directly impacted by mental illness, either through a family member or spouse. And we have chosen this team name because we are walking together to take Footsteps towards hope, awareness, and education.  Please visit http://www.nami.org/namiwalks for more information about the Indiana WALK, go to: www.nami.org/namiwalks08/IND/footsteps, to learn more about our team, or follow this direct link: http://www.nami.org/namiwalks08/IND/rcoers to make a donation specifically in my name. (You will be taken to a secure form, as when you pay bills online, and the site will not disclose your personal information for any mailing lists or unauthorized purposes). If you prefer to send a check, please make it out to NAMI Indiana and send it to my home address (please e-mail me for my address). I'll collect and submit all donations. Personally I'm contributing $25, and my goal is to build a team of at least 10 people and raise $1000. Please let me know if I can provide you with any more information about mental health or mental illness, in Indiana or in your own community. Thank you!

Regards,
Rachael C.

Update May 12:

Dear Family, Friends, and Visitors,

I have yet to reach my fundraising goal of $1,000 and it's only 3 weeks until the walk.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is a 501(c)3 charity and any donation you make to support my participation in this event is tax deductible.  NAMI has been rated by Worth magazine as among the top 100 charities "most likely to save the world" and has been given an "A" rating by The American Institute of Philanthropy for efficient and effective use of charitable dollars.

The goals of the NAMIWalks program are: to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to build awareness of the fact that the mental health system in this country needs to be improved, and to raise funds for NAMI so that they can continue their mission.

Please re-consider making a donation. Even a minimal donation of $5 will contribute to making a difference in someone's life.

Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Rachael C.

"Condoms Won't Fix This"

Christina at Real Choice nails it in her blog post, "Condoms won't fix this"

10 Million Children Die From Lack of Health Care Each Year, Charity Group Reports

Kids in developing nations are still dying for lack of basic antibiotics and oral rehydration therapy -- not to mention potable water and basic sanitation.

Which is why I want to throttle people whose solution to poverty is to just throw condoms, Pills, and cheap abortions at people. It's adding insult to injury when people are helplessly watching their children die from preventable and treatable diseases, and the rich people "help" them by trying to spay and neuter them like so many stray cats. We don't need Poverty Pimps going in and throwing abortion and contraception at people whose dream is to have a few children who survive to adulthood. They need a chance of survival for their children, not a way to keep them from ever drawing breath in the first place.

You can go to Mercy Ships and underwrite the cost of a well and sanitation so a village can have safe water to drink, or contribute toward a community health clinic that can treat the infections that needlessly end so many young lives. World Vision also provides potable water and basic medical care. Both these organizations get the highest ratings from Charity Navigator, meaning that money given to them is used effectively to reach the target recipients, and isn't sucked up in salaries for administrators, fund-raisers, and so forth

This refers to those who push family planning and birth prevention as a solution to poverty, malnutrition, disease, and poor sanitation. She says it well. However, where we differ is that I believe that condoms are still important in the prevention and reduction of the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Ignorance and Stigma is Still Well and Alive

This afternoon my husband and I went to see a rental house (not the one we decided on). The landlord met us there and showed us the inside. In casual conversation, the small town where we we live was brought up and the landlord replied he left the area because "They were building a nuthouse nearby and I was not ok with that. ...them being dangerous and all" I knew what he was referring to as I've heard that term used all too many times in a degrogatory manner and I was shocked and angered by that statement about anyone with a mental disability or mental illness. Furthermore it dawned on me that he may have been referring to my workplace, a local residential facility for inviduals with developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges, the only one in that area that is known. I tersley told him, I believe he was talking about my employer and the clients we serve. My husband added that they (the clients) might of been like that just a long time ago. I then told the man that they've come a long way with behavior modification and those clients needed a safe place to get the help and treatment they needed and we are careful about keeping them safe. And it was especially hurtful to me too because I have a mental illness, it's hard not to take that personal, you know? At that point, my husband asked where it was and he said a neighborhood that we're not familar with in the town, but still, you just don't talk about individuals with mental disabilities or mental illnesses like that. Ugh, I couldn't wait to leave.


Previous Comments:

Well, every neighborhood has a "nuthouse" or two...usually identified by the folks who still have a blinking musical Santa in July :) In any case, the residents of assisted living homes enjoy a fair amount of supervision and help with day-to-day life skills, right? Unlike, say, the 12 year old drug dealers in my current neighborhood, or the frat boys in my old neighborhood.

Allison
http://itrytobegood.blogspot.com/

My Childhood Hero

Growing up, for many years, we didn't have cable and even when we did, I watched mostly PBS children's shows. Among my favorites were Captain Kangaroo, Zoobilee Zoo,  Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and of course, Mister Rogers Neighborhood and my childhood hero was Fred Rogers. His television series, in addition to the nurturing my parents provided growing up, taugh me compassion and nurtured my imagination and taught me it's ok to be me. In February of 2003, i was very sad to learn of his passing, but grateful for the positive impact he's had on my life and countless others. Thank you, Mr. Rogers!  Now a final tribute to Mr. Rogers....

If You Know Someone with Depression or a Mood Disorder

This is a collection of helpful articles written for those of you out there who know someone with depression, but who may not be sure of what to say or do to help that person. It is most tempting, when you find out someone is depressed, to attempt to fix the "problem." or just sometimes it's hard to think of the right things to say.

Is Someone you Love Depressed?
http://www.hbcprotocols.com/someoneyoulove.html

The pain of seeing a loved one in the depths of clinical depression can be almost as torturous as being depressed oneself. Needless to say, our understanding of the illness and how we relate to the person is paramount to their recovery. Here are some important ways in which you can help their healing process.

1) If a friend or family member's activity and outlook on life starts to descend and stays down not just a few days, but for weeks, depression may be the cause. The first way you can be of support is to help the person to recognize that there is a problem. This is especially crucial, since many people fail to realize that they are depressed. Begin by encouraging your friend to share his or her feelings with you. Contrary to myth, talking about depression makes things better, not worse. Once it becomes clear that something is amiss, you can suggest that he or she seek professional help. (This is critical since only one third of people with mood disorders ever receive treatment.)

You can be of further support by accompanying your friend to his initial doctor's or therapist's appointment and subsequently monitoring his or her medication. In addition, explain that seeking help for depression does not imply a lack of emotional strength or moral character. On the contrary, it takes both courage and wisdom to know when one is in need of assistance.

2) Educate yourself about the illness, whether it is depression, manic depression, anxiety, etc. Learn about symptoms of the illness and how to tell when they are improving. Your feedback to the psychiatrist or therapist about how your friend is faring will help him or her to assess if a particular treatment is working.

3) Provide emotional support. Remember, what a person suffering from depression needs most is compassion and understanding. Exhortations to "snap out of it" or "pull yourself up by your own bootstraps" are counterproductive. The best communication is simply to ask, "How can I be of support?" or "How can I help?"

4) Provide physical support. Often this means participating with your friend in low-stress activities-taking walks, watching movies, going out to eat-that will provide an uplifting focus. In other instances you can ease the depressed person's burden by helping with the daily routines-running errands, doing shopping, taking the kids out for pizza, cooking, vacuuming the carpet, etc.

5) Encourage your friend to make a list of daily self-care activities, and them put them into practice.

6) Monitor possible suicidal gestures or threats. Statements such as "I wish I were dead," "The world would be better off without me," or "I want out" must be taken seriously. The belief that people who talk about suicide are only doing it for the attention is just plain wrong. If the person you care about is suicidal, make sure that his or her primary care doctor is informed. Don't be afraid to talk with the person about his or her suicidal feelings. Meanwhile, hold on to the possibility that your loved one will get better, even if he or she does not believe it.

7) Don't try to talk the depressed person out of their feelings, even if they are irrational. Suppose the depressive says, "My life is a failure," "Life is not worth living," or "All is hopeless." Telling him he is wrong or arguing with him will only add to his demoralized state. Instead, you might want to say, "I'm sorry that you are feeling so bad. What might we do right now to help you feel better?"

8) Maintain a healthy detachment. You may become frustrated when your well-meaning advice and emotional reassurance are met with resistance. Do not take your loved one's pessimism personally-it is a symptom of the illness. When the light you shine is sucked into the black hole of depression, you may become angry or disgusted. Direct your frustration at the illness, not the person. People who suffer from depression complain that their families' resentment over their condition often leads to neglect or outright hostility.

9) If prayer is something that he/she believes in than encourage them to do so. Prayer goes directly to a person's unconscious where it will not meet the negative thinking so commonly found in depression.

10) Establish communication with other people in the person's support network-e.g., family members, friends, physicians, therapists, social workers, clergy, etc. By talking to other caregivers, you will obtain additional information and perspective about the depressed person. If possible, arrange for all of the caregivers to meet together in one room for a brainstorming/support session. In this way, you will be working as part of a team-and not in isolation.

11) Take good care of yourself and your needs. It is easy to get immersed in your friend's care and lose your own sense of self. You may also experience "contagious depression"-i.e., taking on the other person's depressive symptoms-or you may get your own issues triggered. Here are some ideas on how to "inoculate" yourself so that you can stay centered enough to truly help:

- Take good care of your body. Make sure that you are getting adequate food and rest.

- Find a safe place to process your feelings. In the role of being a caregiver, you may feel powerless, helpless, worried and scared (when you hear talk of suicide), or resentful and frustrated (at your inability to heal the pain). Or, you may fear being pushed over the precipice into your own depression. Process your frustrations and fears with a trained therapist or a friend; you will be less likely to dump your negative mood (anger, fear or sadness) on the person who is suffering. Remember, it is okay to have negative thoughts as long as you don't act on them.

- Maintain your routine as much as possible. Although you may need to adjust your work schedule or other routines to accommodate helping a depressed person, keep your life as regular as possible. Don't become so involved that you lose touch with friends and social support.

- Learn to set limits, especially when you are feeling overwhelmed by the depressed person's pain and tales of woe. To avoid burning out or experiencing hostility towards the depressed person, encourage him or her to seek professional help. Your role is that of a friend or family member, not a therapist or a medical doctor.

- Take breaks. When you start to feel emotionally or physically drained, ask other friends and support people to relieve you. Then do things to nurture yourself.

- Continue to pursue activities that bring you pleasure. Having fun will replenish you so that you can keep on giving.

- Give yourself credit for all that you are doing-and realize that you cannot do everything. No matter how much you love another person, you cannot take responsibility for his or her life. Try to distinguish between what you can control (your own responses) and what you cannot (the course of the illness). To this end, you may wish to meditate on AA's "Serenity Prayer."

- Attend support group meetings for families who are dealing with mental illness. See the bottom of the page for organizations can provide you with times and locations of such groups:

12) Finally, encourage the person you are caring for to create a support system of other caring people, or help him or her to do so. It takes a whole village to see someone through a dark night of the soul. You cannot transform the illness of depression by yourself, but you can be an integral part of the healing process

If You Know Someone Who's Depressed
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/depression/living/ifyouknow.htm

Main Problems for Friends and Family

Let me start by saying that I, for one, appreciate your wishing to understand someone else's depression. I commend you for taking an interest in a very difficult subject and for wishing to help. In an indirect way, you're a victim of depression too because this illness impinges on everyone around the people who have it.
Pardon my bluntness, but there are a few things you really need to know, before you get too far into this subject.

1. You cannot cure someone else's clinical depression. It is not just sadness which can be waved off with a few kind words. It goes far deeper than that. If you are going into this with the heroic notion that you can somehow "fix" it for your friend, spouse or relative, then you need to disavow it immediately. Operating on this assumption will only frustrate you and does no one any good.
2. There are ups and downs in depression recovery. It is neither swift, nor steady. Your friend or relative is going to go on the decline, now and then. Don't think it's because you are failing them or they are not trying hard enough. The "roller-coaster" effect is just a part and parcel of depression.
3. Please don't tell a depression patient that "you understand." Unless you, yourself, have experienced clinical depression, you don't. And your friend, spouse or relative knows it. It's not a bad thing; since understanding depression means having it. I'd rather that no one, anywhere, understood it. The point here is to be honest with your friend or relative and don't profess things that aren't so. Sincerity will help him or her a great deal; it will engender trust, which every depression patient has a problem with, at one time or another.
4. No one wants to make your life miserable by being depressed. Try not to view someone else's depression as your own affliction. Rather, be grateful that you don't have clinical depression and try to realize what the other person is going through. Don't take the things your friend, spouse or relative says/does, personally. They aren't meant that way.
5. Recovery from depression is not just a matter of taking anti-depressant medication and going to therapy. Both the depression and recovery from it can totally change a person's life. Treatment involves a lot of fundamental changes in a person. At times, you'll wonder if it's the same person you've known for so long. Believe me, it is--the depression probably hid the "real person" from your view, up to the point that he or she was diagnosed and began treatment.
6. At times, it may seem that the person is actually pushing you away. This is very likely true. Most depression patients believe that they unduly affect those around them and will do anything to prevent that from happening. Thus, they isolate themselves from others. This kind of self-sabotage is actually a symptom of the illness itself. Don't let it overcome your relationship. Try to understand that this is often involuntary and irrational, and act accordingly

The 23 Best Things to Say to Someone Who is Depressed
http://www.hbcprotocols.com/23best.html
Additional Contributions Are From From Individuals at the PASS Support Boards, and are used with permission

1. "I love you!"

2. "I care"

3. "You're not alone in this"

4. "I'm not going to leave/abandon you"

5. "Do you want a hug?"

6. "I love you (if you mean it)."

7. "It will pass, we can ride it out together."

8. "When all this is over, I'll still be here (if you mean it) and so will you."

9. "Don't say anything, just hold my hand and listen while I cry."

10. "All I want to do know is give you a hug and a shoulder to cry on.."

11. "Hey, you're not crazy!"

12. "May the strength of the past reflect in your future."

13. "God does not play dice with the universe." --A. Einstein

14. "A miracle is simply a do-it-yourself project." --S. Leek

15. "We are not primarily on earth to see through one another, but to see one another through"

16. "If the human brain were simple enough to understand, we'd be too simple to understand it." --a codeveloper of Prozac, quoted from "Listening to Prozac"

17. "You have so many extraordinary gifts; how can you expect to live an ordinary life?" --from the movie "Little Women" (Marmee to Jo)

18. "I understand your pain and I empathize."

19. "I'm sorry you're in so much pain. I am not going to leave you. I am going to take care of myself so you don't need to worry that your pain might hurt me."

20. "I listen to you talk about it, and I can't imagine what it's like for you. I just can't imagine how hard it must be."

21. "I can't really fully understand what you are feeling, but I can offer my compassion."

22. "You are important to me."

23. "If you need a friend..... (and mean it)"

Additional Contributions by Individuals

24. I know I'd much rather here someone say " I may not be able to really understand all of this, but I'm trying to, and I care..." rather than pretend to understand or not even bother to appreciate the real issues...

The 99 Worst Things to Say to Someone Who is Depressed
http://www.hbcprotocols.com/99things.html
Additional Contributions Are From From Individuals at the PASS Support Boards, and are used with permission

Some people trivialize depression (often unintentionally) by dropping a platitude on a depressed person as if that is the one thing they needed to hear or sometimes well meaning intentions can come off the wrong way. While some of these thoughts have been helpful to some people (for example, some find that praying is very helpful), the context in which they are often said takes away any intended benefit to the hearer and could even make them feel worse.

0. "What's your problem?"

1. "Will you stop that constant whining? What makes you think that anyone cares?"

2. "Have you gotten tired yet of all this me-me-me stuff?"

3. "You just need to give yourself a kick in the rear."

4. "But it's all in your mind."

5. "I thought you were stronger than that."

6. "No one ever said life was fair."

7. "As you get stronger you won't have to wallow in it as much."

8. "Pull yourself up by your bootstraps."

9. "Do you feel better now?" (Usually said following a five minute conversation in which the speaker has asked me "what's wrong?" and "would you like to talk about it?" with the best of intentions, but absolutely no understanding of depression as anything but an irrational sadness.)

10. "Why don't you just grow up?"

11. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself."

12. "There are a lot of people worse off than you."

13. "You have it so good, why aren't you happy?"

14. "It's a beautiful day!"

15. "You have so many things to be thankful for, why are you depressed?"

16. "What do you have to be depressed about."

17. "Happiness is a choice."

18. "You think you've got problems..."

19. "Well at least it's not that bad."

20. "Maybe you should take vitamins for your stress."

21. "There is always somebody worse off than you are."

22. "Lighten up!"

23. "You should get off all those pills."

24. "You are what you think."

25. "Cheer up!"

26. "You're always feeling sorry for yourself."

27. "Why can't you just be normal?"

28. "Things aren't *that* bad, are they?"

29. "Have you been praying/reading the Bible?"

30. "You need to get out more."

31. "We have to get together some time." [Yeah, right!]

32. "Get a grip!"

33. "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

34. "Take a hot bath. That's what I always do when I'm upset."

35. "Well, everyone gets depressed sometimes!"

36. "Get a job!"

37. "Smile and the world smiles with you, cry and you cry alone."

38. "You don't look depressed!"

39. "You're so selfish!"

40. "You never think of anyone but yourself."

41. "You're just looking for attention."

42. "Have you got PMS?"

43. "You'll be a better person because of it!"

44. "Everybody has a bad day now and then."

45. "You should buy nicer clothes to wear."

46. "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar."

47. "Why don't you smile more?"

48. "A person your age should be having the time of your life."

49. "The only one you're hurting is yourself."

50. "You can do anything you want if you just set your mind to it."

51. "This is a place of business, not a hospital." (after confiding to supervisor about my depression)

52. "Depression is a symptom of your sin against God."

53. "You brought it on yourself"

54. "You can make the choice for depression and its effects, or against depression, it's all in your hands."

55. "Get off your rear and do something." -or- "Just do it!"

56. "Why should I care?"

57. "Snap out of it, will you?"

58. "You want to feel this way."

59. "You have no reason to feel this way."

60. "Its your own fault."

61. "That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

62. "You're always worried about *your* problems."

63. "Your problems aren't that big."

64. "What are you worried about? You should be fine."

65. "Just don't think about it."

66. "Go Away."

67. "You don't have the ability to do it."

68. "Just wait a few weeks, it'll be over soon."

69. "Go out and have some fun!"

70. "You're making me depressed as well..."

71. "I just want to help you."

72. "The world out there is not that bad..."

73. "Just try a little harder!"

74. "Believe me, I know how you feel. I was depressed once for several days."

75. "You need a boy/girl-friend."

76. "You need a hobby."

77. "Just pull yourself together"

78. "You'd feel better if you went to church"

79. "I think your depression is a way of punishing us." - My mother
80. "Sh_t or get off the pot."

81. "So, you're depressed. Aren't you always?"

82. "What you need is some real tragedy in your life to give you perspective."

83. "You're a writer, aren't you? Just think of all the good material you're getting out of this."

84. This one is best executed with an evangelical-style handshake, i.e., one of my hands is imprisoned by two belonging to a beefy person who thinks he has a lot more charisma than I do: "Our thoughts and prayers are with you." This has actually happened to me. Bitten-back response: "Who are 'our'? And don't do me any favors, schmuck."

85. "Have you tried chamomile tea?"

86. "So, you're depressed. Aren't you always?"

87. "You will be ok, just hang in there, it will pass." "This too shall pass." --Ann Landers

88. "Oh, perk up!"

89. "Try not being so depressed."

90. "Quit whining. Go out and help people and you won't have time to brood..."

91. "Go out and get some fresh air... that always makes me feel better."

92. "You have to take up your bed and carry on."

93. "Why don't you give up going to these quacks (i.e., doctors) and throw out those pills, then you'll feel better."

94. "Well, we all have our cross to bear."

95. "You should join band or chorus or something. That way you won't be thinking about yourself so much."

96. "You change your mind."

97. "You're useless."

98. "Nobody is responsible for your depression."

99. "You don't like feeling that way? So, change it."

Additional Contributions from Individuals

100. "Is this your way of telling me you're depressed?" (My own mother after sharing this list with her)

101. "You can't let stressors bother you" - as if stress is the only thing contributing to my depression

102. Or ex-bf's from tuesday night - "c'mon, we ALL could use a pill or two...."

103. Turn that frown upside down (first time i ever wanted to backhand my mother)

104. Life is as only as hard as we make it

105. Life really isnt all that bad

106. If i listened to such depressing music i would be depressed too (my aunt commenting on my rock music)

107. The worst thing anyone could say (in my opinion) is "Right, are you done sobbing? I need to get laid." Closely followed by "Could you come off the Prozac because I just don't see the point in ******* you if you're gonna be like that".

108. If you just were a stronger person....


Additional Resources for Friends and Family Members

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill
1 (800) 950-NAMI
http://www.nami.org/

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
http://www.dbsalliance.org/

Depression and Related Affective Disorder Association
http://www.drada.org/

Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation
http://www.bpkids.org/

Families for Depression Awareness
http://www.familyaware.org/

DBSA Educational Materials
Free online brochures with information on a number of mood disorder-related topics. Note: Some come in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader
http://www.dbsalliance.org/bookstore/brochures.html

Healthy Minds (American Psychiatric Association) Psychiatric Disorder and Topic Information
http://healthyminds.org/disorderandtopicinfo.cfm

Pop Culture and Christianity

Christians have taken a new approach to appeal to the younger generations by applying Christian messages to pop culture, widely found in brands, on clothing, and on posters. Do you recognize any of the brands, media, or organizations they resemble? (the answers can be found at the bottom of the page)

Images Curtesy of CoolMySpaceComments

Answers:
1. Hershey's Chocolate logo
2. National Basketball Association (NBA)
3. Mountain Dew logo (a Pepsi-Cola Softdrink)
4. Reese's Peanutbutter Cups
5. The Matrix
6. The DaVinci Code
7. Coca-Cola Classic (A Coca-Cola Bottling Company Softdrink)
8. Crest toothpaste
9. "Vote for Pedro" t-shirt for the movie Napolian Dynamite
10. T-shirt with John Deer logo
11. U.S. Army ad
12. We Need Your Help with This Answer
13. Seven-Eleven convience stores
14. American Red Cross blood drives
15. We Need Your Help with This Answer
16. GAP clothing stores
17. We Need Your Help with This Answer
18. We Need Your Help with This Answer
19. We Need Your Help with This Answer

Thrill of the Chaste: Meeting Dawn Eden

Last night I had the privledge of meeting Dawn Eden, well-known journalist, blog mistress of The Dawn Patrol, & new book author when she came to Holy Name Catholic Church in Beech Grove, Indiana on January 24 to give a presentation on her new book, The Thrill of the Chaste: Finding Fullfillment While Keeping Your Clothes On. You can find an auditory recording of her presentation linked atop the right-hand side of their parish web page (right above "Father Stan's Homilies"). Also, Sean Gallagher of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis' Criterion has a great write up on her presentation, "Rebel with a cause: In Beech Grove, Dawn Eden shares her journey to chastity"
Upon arriving at the church, I was pleasantly surprised to see long-time Dawn Patrol commentor and long-time family friends, Uncle Jim and his wife, Roseanne. It was wonderful to see them again and to catch up with what is going on in our lives. Unfortuantly the evening of Ms. Eden's visit turned out to be on one of the coldiest nights of the year with temperatures dropping below zero last night, no doubt a shock. But take heart Ms. Eden & other visitors, the temperatures are milder, ranging from thirty to sixty degrees, in the Spring. I enjoyed her presentation & visit and hopes she returns soon.

Ms. Eden and Rachael

New Beginnings and a Happy New Years

Wow, this has been quite a busy year with much personal happenings in my and my family's life and this is why my blogging has been sporatic and light. But now we face a new year with new beginnings. Happy New Years!

Confronting the Stigma of Mental Health Issues

I found this informative article on the myths surrounding mental illness through a message board I'm a member of:

Top 10 Myths About Mental Illness Based on Nationwide Survey

(Great Neck, NY- September 05, 2007) — Misconceptions about mental illness are pervasive, and the lack of understanding can have serious consequences for millions of people who have a psychiatric illness, according to the NARSAD. The largest not-for-profit organization raising and distributing funds for psychiatric research, NARSAD surveyed mental health professionals nationwide to determine the most common myths about mental illness. NARSAD received 102 responses from the experts, who included members of NARSAD's Scientific Council and psychiatrists around the country.

"Misconceptions about mental illness contribute to the stigma, which leads many people to be ashamed and prevents them from seeking help," said Constance Lieber, President Emeritus. "Dispelling these myths is a powerful step toward eradicating the stigma and allaying the fears surrounding brain disorders."

Top Ten Myths about Mental Illness

Myth #1: Psychiatric disorders are not true medical illnesses like heart disease and diabetes. People who have a mental illness are just "crazy."

Fact: Brain disorders, like heart disease and diabetes, are legitimate medical illnesses. Research shows there are genetic and biological causes for psychiatric disorders, and they can be treated effectively.

Myth #2: People with a severe mental illness, such as schizophrenia, are usually dangerous and violent.

Fact: Statistics show that the incidence of violence in people who have a brain disorder is not much higher than it is in the general population. Those suffering from a psychosis such as schizophrenia are more often frightened, confused and despairing than violent.

Myth #3: Mental illness is the result of bad parenting.

Fact: Most experts agree that a genetic susceptibility, combined with other risk factors, leads to a psychiatric disorder. In other words, mental illnesses have a physical cause.

Myth #4: Depression results from a personality weakness or character flaw, and people who are depressed could just snap out of it if they tried hard enough.

Fact: Depression has nothing to do with being lazy or weak. It results from changes in brain chemistry or brain function, and medication and/or psychotherapy often help people to recover.

Myth #5: Schizophrenia means split personality, and there is no way to control it.

Fact: Schizophrenia is often confused with multiple personality disorder. Actually, schizophrenia is a brain disorder that robs people of their ability to think clearly and logically. The estimated 2.5 million Americans with schizophrenia have symptoms ranging from social withdrawal to hallucinations and delusions. Medication has helped many of these individuals to lead fulfilling, productive lives.

Myth #6: Depression is a normal part of the aging process.

Fact: It is not normal for older adults to be depressed. Signs of depression in older people
include a loss of interest in activities, sleep disturbances and lethargy. Depression in the elderly is often undiagnosed, and it is important for seniors and their family members to recognize the problem and seek professional help.

Myth #7: Depression and other illnesses, such as anxiety disorders, do not affect children or adolescents. Any problems they have are just a part of growing up.

Fact: Children and adolescents can develop severe mental illnesses. In the United States, one in ten children and adolescents has a mental disorder severe enough to cause impairment. However, only about 20 percent of these children receive needed treatment. Left untreated, these problems can get worse. Anyone talking about suicide should be taken very seriously.

Myth #8: If you have a mental illness, you can will it away. Being treated for a psychiatric disorder means an individual has in some way "failed" or is weak.

Fact: A serious mental illness cannot be willed away. Ignoring the problem does not make it go away, either. It takes courage to seek professional help.

Myth #9: Addiction is a lifestyle choice and shows a lack of willpower. People with a substance abuse problem are morally weak or "bad".

Fact: Addiction is a disease that generally results from changes in brain chemistry. It has nothing to do with being a "bad" person.

Myth #10: Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), formerly known as "shock treatment," is painful and barbaric.

Fact: ECT has given a new lease on life to many people who suffer from severe and debilitating depression. It is used when other treatments such as psychotherapy or medication fail or cannot be used. Patients who receive ECT are asleep and under anesthesia, so they do not feel anything.

"These misconceptions can do irreparable harm to people with legitimate illnesses who should and can be treated," said Herbert Pardes, M.D., President of NARSAD's Scientific Council.

"Research in brain disorders is flourishing, and we expect to see new and better treatments that will have the power to change lives and bring hope to many," said Lieber.

The Toll of Mental Illness
One in five Americans suffers from a diagnosable mental illness in a given year. But statistics show that only one-third of these individuals seek treatment.

Four of the 10 leading causes of disability worldwide are mental disorders. Among developed nations, including the United States, major depression is the leading cause of disability. Also near the top of these rankings are bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The direct cost of mental health services, which includes spending for treatment and rehabilitation, is over $69 billion in the United States. Indirect costs, which refer to lost productivity at the workplace, school, and home, are estimated at almost $80 billion.

Source: http://www.narsad.org/news/press/pr_2001/pr2003-07-01d.html

Loosing a Loved One to Cancer

My Grandmother, at age 71, was diagnosed with a Glioblastoma multiforme (a stage 4 malignant astrocytoma brain tumor) in the right hemosphere of her brain in February of this year. Despite immediate surgery to remove the most of tumor and chemo/radiation treatment, she sucombed to the tumor at the end of May. She was a wonderful caring women and was loved by her family and losing her to the cancer was difficult.
Pictures of our beloved "Granny" can be found in my Myspace Photo Album

Another family has shared similiar trials and tribulations. Little Mila was just 2yrs old when on September 6, 2006 she was diagnosed with a terminal glioma astrocytoma. The tumor was located on her brain stem and because of her age, the tumor was inoperable and she was unable to undergo treatment. Mila's mother and their friend, Gavin Booth share the joys of having Mila in their lives as well as their challenges in the following videos:
Andi & Mila: In the Arms of the Angel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m58-Oj1SehE
Advetures In Mila-Land Parts 1-5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaUy0haVAiM
Mila Forever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RlF2ZVBFUA
Sadly, I just found out Mila succombed to the tumor this afternoon. May she rest in peace among the angels. My thoughts are with their family.