Addiction- The Downward Spiral

As I started to gather the thoughts in my head about what I wanted to share with this article I have to admit, that I had a mini break down. Not that it was stress or an unwillingness to share, but more a fear to revisit my past. I do, however, feel that I can be a lesson or example for people, so I feel it is important to share.
When I was 17 I was introduced to marijuana. Nothing major or anything, but if it was at a party, then I was getting high. I never thought much of anything the first time I tried it. A group of friends had a joint, and I just hit it like I knew what I was doing. I'm not saying marijuana was no big deal, but my alcohol drinking starting at age 15 I feel had more of a grip on me. Of course when I was younger, it was just a party thing. Things sort of took a turn when I got married. My wife just assumed my partying days would fall behind me after we tied the knot, and truthfully, so did I. I still found myself going out to the bars a lot, and leaving my new bride at home so I could be with "the boys." My wife tried talking to me about it, but I just brushed it off. I guess I kind of had the mind set that she would never leave me, so it did not really matter what she thought about it. I continued to go out, and my wife and I continued to argue, but nothing changed. I still would smoke marijuana from time to time, but it was when I was introduced to cocaine that things really started to go down hill for me.
A friend of mine had always been big into drugs. You name it, he did it, but I was always able to resist the hardcore stuff, just never had the urge to try it. Alcohol and weed was enough for me. After the passing of my mother, whom I was very close with, I fell into a depression. I went to my buddy's house to drink and smoke, and he told me that cocaine would take the pain away. At this point I thought, what the hell, I will do it once and that will be that. Well, I wish it would have been that easy. Cocaine quickly became a regular thing for me. I felt untouchable, and free when I was high on cocaine. One night I was passed out drunk on the couch. My wife came out there, and I guess out of curiosity, searched my pants and jacket pockets. She found my coke and another girls number. I remember waking up to her crying, just balling. She never even yelled at me for what she found. I remember her clearly wiping her eyes, sniffling, and saying " I truly loved you Darren, and I only wanted what was best for you and us, but it's over." The crazy thing is, I let her go. I did not try to stop her, or beg for her back, I just let her go. I knew deep down in my heart, she deserved better.
My life continued to spiral out of control. It wasn't until one night I left a party to head over to another friends house to pick up some coke. Already drunk and high, I fell asleep. Swerved off the road and into the ditch. As stupid as I am, I was smart enough to have on my seat belt. I woke up in the hospital the next day with minimal injuries. I am very lucky to be alive. That I did not hit another person, or fly off a bridge, or hit a tree. I probably deserved a lot worse, but I really got lucky. I was given a second chance. I knew my life was miserable. I lost my wife, I was not happy, and I almost lost my life. This was a game changer for me.
11 Years later and I am as sober as the day I was laying in that hospital bed. Well, maybe even more sober if I still had some things in my system, but you know what I mean. I have never felt better. I have been happily married to my second wife for 8 years now. My son, Jesse, is 6. I have apologized to my ex wife face to face for all the pain I have caused her while we were married. She accepted my apology, and claims it has made her a stronger person. She is re-married as well, and has two beautiful children, and a husband that treats her the way she should have always been treated, like a queen.
If I can get clean and sober, so can you. It took a lot of work. I know I said that I haven't had a drink since the accident, but I never said the accident alone saved me. I went to support groups, I had a sponsor, and I took the steps I needed to take to become a better person. Have I been tempted? Of course, but I never gave in. If you think you or someone you know is addicted to drugs or alcohol seek help. There is AA, community support groups, family, and even things online that can help get you started in your recovery. The resources are there, you just have to be willing to look for them. I can tell you from experience, they are not hiding. Do what's best for you and your family, and beat the addiction.

Thanks for reading and remember to visit http://www.familyrealities.com/

How to Deal With Social Anxiety

There are some quick tips you can learn that will help you to start to overcome your social anxiety. When you are feeling anxious, the best things to focus on are your emotions, thoughts and behaviors. You can deal with your anxiety by learning to focus on these three areas and soon you'll be able to feel more relaxed in various social settings.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can be useful and you should check into it if you have time. But if you want some quick tips that you can try out right now, continue reading this article.
Step one in dealing with your anxiety is to accept it and know it's there. Understand how it makes you feel. Part of social anxiety is a feeling of inferiority to others. Once you realize that you feel that way, and accept those feelings along with who you are, your anxious thoughts will begin to diminish. It sounds a bit contradictory. But part of any type of anxiety that makes it even worse is an amount of denial, which intensifies the anxiety.
Many people who suffer from social anxiety think too much and are always worried about what others may think of them. Stop thinking so much! You'll be able to greatly diminish your socially anxious thoughts by thinking about other things and not focusing on what others may be thinking about you.
If you suffer from this type of anxiety, it's not uncommon to feel alone and depressed. The manifestation of these emotions usually drive away potential friendships or relationships. It's human nature not to be around people who are constantly depressed. People want to be around fun and happy people. To counteract your social anxiety, try smiling and laughing. Talk with people and be happy. You'll soon notice others being drawn to you. Once you form a few solid friendships, your social anxiety should begin to melt away.
Never be afraid of having anxiety. Most people have a little anxiety in social settings from time to time. The trick is to face your fears and work to overcome them. Remember to try deep breathing and relaxation exercises. They will help to calm you and make facing a social setting a little easier.
Some people find online self-help programs to be useful and others prefer to seek professional counseling. The key is to do whatever feels most comfortable to you. You need to take small steps and win minor victories. Each little victory will give you a little extra confidence. The more confidence you feel, the less socially anxious you will be.

Chad Klass is an author who has suffered from anxiety and social anxiety over the years. He now wants to do what he can to help others deal with the problems of social anxiety. For social anxiety resources, check out Chad's blog.

Depression in Men: Myths Vs Truth

Depression in men occurs less often than depression in women, but it still affects a great portion of the country. Once thought to be a "women's disease," depression actually affects around 6 million men every year in the United States alone. Many experts also feel that those numbers are still too low thanks in part to the large population of men with depression that go undiagnosed every day. Whether they deny their symptoms or don't fully understand them, depression is a very serious illness that can be quite devastating to one's life without treatment. Since May is National Depression Month, we saw it fit to debunk some well-known myths and misconceptions about depression in men.
Myth # 1: Depression in Men Looks the Same as Depression in Women
If you have depression, then regardless of gender you're just really sad for extended periods of time, right? This is a big misconception about depression. While it absolutely affects both sexes and can cause serious disruption in their daily lives, the way men and women express their symptoms of depression is actually very different. While it's fairly well-known that depression in women can cause feelings of sadness and worthlessness, depression in men is actually more likely to cause sufferers to be irritable, aggressive or hostile.
Myth # 2: He Seems So Happy, He's Not Depressed!
If only if were that simple. Someone can seem to be as jovial and happy on the outside as a kid on their birthday, but that in no way means that they're not suffering from severe clinical depression on the inside. We have to remember that on average, depression affects one out of every 10 people in America and the majority of them continue on with their daily activities all the while suffering silently. Depression in men, especially when left untreated, can get so bad that they become unable to function, but most are much harder to identify from the outside.

Myth # 3: People with Depression Can Just Snap Out of It
This is a myth that is due to the extreme lack of understanding the general population has about the mental illness of depression as a whole. If a loved one suffers from clinical depression, as bad as they might want to, they can't just snap out of it or suck it up. Depression in men is caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain and there is no snapping out of that without treatment. Would you expect someone with diabetes to just snap out of it? No, you probably wouldn't and shouldn't for someone with depression either.

Myth # 4: Wealthy People Can't Get Depression
If you were fortunate enough to be born into money or have a high paying job, then you must not be able to suffer from depression as you have everything you need, right? Again, a giant misconception. Depression is a mental disorder that crosses all socio-economic bridges and boundaries. There is no gender, nationality, educational background or amount of wealth to shield you from the possibility of depression.
Depression in men is a serious, but treatable condition that should not be taken lightly. Untreated depression in men has been known to cause reckless and dangerous behavior like substance abuse.

Ben Brafman, LMHC, CAP is the President and CEO of Destination Hope, a licensed dual diagnosis substance abuse treatment center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ben has more than 20 years of experience in the addiction and mental health fields, which led him to develop a combination of innovative treatment protocols at Destination Hope. He has been published on various topics including dual diagnosis and chemical dependency, and gives back to the community by educating other addiction counselors at his Academy for Addiction Professionals.

Am I Bipolar

Is this a question you have been asking yourself? It must be or you wouldn't be here. Right? Maybe you took a bipolar test online, and the results have you wondering. Maybe you have just learned about some of the symptoms of bipolar disorder and you are thinking that "this could be me" Maybe you have been labeled as "bipolar" by someone other than a professional and it has you wondering. Or maybe you have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder by a psychiatrist or another expert in this field.
Sometimes we find ourselves identifying with one of the many famous people we hear about who have bipolar disorder and this once again has us asking ourselves "am I bipolar"? If you are seeing a professional and have been given another diagnosis such as borderline personality disorder or any one of the other psychiatric disorders and you find that your medication is not working, this may also have you asking yourself, "am I bipolar."
Whatever the reason you are asking yourself this question, you obviously want answers and that is the best place to be. People who are in denial and don't want to know the truth are the ones who suffer needlessly. Consider yourself ahead of the crowd, because you are making your mental health a priority. If you have for instance taken an online bipolar checklist test, it is just that, a checklist. It is just a guideline.
At this point you need to start a journal and record the symptoms you have noticed and that match the symptoms available online. This is a list you need to take with you when you speak to a professional, a skilled clinician who has plenty of experience with these disorders. You want the best help you can find. An expert who has spent time treating other clients with these disorders and who can help you sift through all of the feelings and symptoms you have noticed. But being honest with the professional is essential.
If possible take along another person who knows you, and who has spent a lot of time with you who might be helpful both in helping you remember things about you or your history and also who can be an extra set of ears when the Dr. or therapist provides answers or suggestions to you. I know from experience that anytime a person goes to a Dr. or another important appointment, when you get home and attempt to relay the information that was shared with you, it is sometimes hard to remember all that you were told.
This is where it is helpful to have another set of ears that can help you sort the information out once your appointment is over. In order to have a reliable diagnosis, you must share a number of things which include your feelings, your thoughts and any bipolar behavior you have experienced. This helps to avoid misdiagnosis. Misdiagnosis sometimes happens because bipolar behavior can also resemble other mental health disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, ADHD bipolar disorder connection or bipolar depression symptoms.
One final thought on the question "am I bipolar"? Always remember that it is your mental health at stake here, you must do due diligence and educate yourself as much as possible. No one cares about your health more than you.

For more information about Bipolar Disorder, I invite you to visit us here http://www.am-i-bipolar.com/

Young People A Priority...

UPDATED at 5:28 a.m. Thursday
Mental health clinicians will work out of some schools in Nova Scotia to identify troubled children and teenagers, treat mild to moderate problems, and make referrals.

This is one of 33 actions the provincial Health and Wellness Department is taking as part of its five-year mental health and addictions strategy announced Wednesday.

“If we place clinicians in schools and we’re able to work with kids who have mild and moderate anxieties, depressions, behavioural problems at that level, then those wait times (for mental health services) will drop,” Health Minister Maureen MacDonald said at a news conference in Halifax.
“(They) won’t need to go to a hospital for service. That will allow the hospital to deal with really serious, chronic or acute cases. That is the whole purpose of what we are doing.”
Other highlights include the screening of every child in the province at the age of 18 months to pick up problems like autism, and expanding a toll-free crisis line across the province for those with mental health issues who need to speak with someone immediately.
“Research tells us that one in five Nova Scotians will be impacted by a mental illness and one in seven will experience a problem with alcohol and drug use,” MacDonald said.
“This (strategy) takes a broad, government-wide approach to ensure that Nova Scotians living with mental illness and addictions have the care, the services and supports they need to live healthier lives and get on the road to recovery.”
About $5.2 million in new funding has been set aside in the 2012-13 budget toward implementing the strategy called Together We Can: The Plan to Improve Mental Health Care and Addictions Care for Nova Scotians, MacDonald said.
The provincial budget for mental health and addictions is $246 million for 2012-13, she said.
Reducing wait times for mental health services to meet standards is part of the strategy, said Patricia Murray, a special adviser on mental health issues with the Health and Wellness Department.
Some initiatives contained in the plan for 2012-13 include $1.4 million toward placing mental health clinicians in schools with an Education Department SchoolsPlus designation (the exact number of clinicians has not yet been determined), $500,000 toward a certified peer support program, $500,000 to expand opiate substitute (methadone) programs, $500,000 toward community agency projects for people with a mental illness or substance abuse, $350,000
toward a telephone coaching program for families who have children with behavourial or anxiety difficulties, $300,000 to improve mental health and addictions services for First Nations Communities, and $190,000 toward a mental health crisis line.
MacDonald said the government has recently put some funds into the opiate substitution (methadone) program in the Annapolis Valley area, and will target other areas with large wait lists.
“We will be looking at other parts of the province, including the Capital district health authority, where there have been wait lists”
The advisory committee charged with making recommendations to the province was made up of 14 health experts, researchers, mental health clinicians and people living with or affected by mental illness. The committee was co-chaired by Michael Unger, a professor of social work at Dalhousie University, and Joyce MacDonald of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia.
Paul d’Entremont, a member of the advisory committee, said Wednesday the government plan contains all the committee’s recommendations.
“We are very pleased,” he said.
“The number of recommendations that we had are basically all reflected in the action plan that (MacDonald) has for the next five years.”
However, Liberal health critic Leo Glavine said Wednesday that he has concerns mental health care is still not a priority for the province.
“We are just getting around this September (to having) 20 per cent of the schools covered in the province with some level of mental health expertise. That is an area that could have been acted on many years ago,” Glavine said
“We are talking a $5.2-million injection. It is still only about four per cent of the health budget.”
Under the new plan, more mental health problems will be identified at an early stage, but Nova Scotia doesn’t have a sufficient number of mental health experts to treat people, Glavine said.
“Outside of Capital Health, right across from Sydney to Yarmouth, we do not have enough mental health experts to work with other supportive people in the mental health system.”
Progressive Conservative health critic Chris d’Entremont said the overall strategy “looks OK.”
He said he wonders what the funding will look like after the first year and thought there could be more attention to addictions services.
“We need to be looking at methods in providing services to these individuals to truly get them healthy, get them back in the community,” he said.
“These are marvelous people, I think, that fall into certain issues.”
Stephen Ayer, executive director of the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia, said he is pleased with the government’s plan and especially “overjoyed” with the $500,000 toward peer support programming and other funding for families.
The peer support program provides help to people living with a mental illness who are making the transition from a hospital to the community.
“This is a day of celebration. We have been waiting so long for this,” Ayer said.
“There is no negative story (in this). I think the minister has done a great job and the advisory committee has done a great job and we are moving forward with mental health care in this province and hopefully taking a leading role in the rest of the country.”
The move to revamp the mental health system was sparked by concerns about long waiting lists for treatment and how mentally ill people are treated in the justice system, as highlighted by Judge Anne Derrick’s report in December 2010. Hyde died in 2007 after a violent conflict at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.
With David Jackson, provincial reporter

(cmellor@herald.ca)

About the Author

By CLARE MELLOR Staff Reporter

Clare Mellor is a general news reporter with more than 20 years experience. She has reported from Bosnia, covered health, business, courts, the Canadian military and politics.

Removing mental health stigma bigger priority than funding: health minister

Heather Scoffield, The Canadian Press  May 22, 2012 – 4:10 PM ET

Chris Wattie / The Canadian Press

Canada needs to deal with the stigma surrounding mental health issues before it can go on to tackle funding questions, says federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.

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OTTAWA — Canada needs to deal with the stigma surrounding mental health issues before it can go on to tackle funding questions, says federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.
Now that the country has a new, national, mental health strategy, all levels of government, businesses and health-care professionals need to confront the prejudices that prevent many people from seeking help, Aglukkaq told The Canadian Press in an interview on Tuesday.
Then, authorities should restructure their services accordingly, to make sure people struggling with mental health issues feel confident enough to seek help and receive the appropriate attention, the minister said.

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“The first step is to get past the stigma and get people talking about mental health to determine better what kinds of services we can provide,” she said in an interview from Geneva, where she led a round table on mental health during a global discussion on improving health care.
The Mental Health Commission of Canada released its much-anticipated national strategy earlier this month, recommending billions of dollars more in investment — along with a radical overhaul in the way Canadians interact with mental health professionals.
The commission’s work shows that everyone involved in the mental health system needs to do things differently, but confronting damaging stereotypes comes first, Aglukkaq said.
“These are different models that can only be developed as we get past the stigma.”
While the commission’s recommendations for change have been well received, its calls for more money are contentious.
That’s because provincial governments are already dealing with rising health-care costs. At the same time, the federal government has announced plans to significantly scale back its annual increases in health care spending over the coming decade — even as some provinces struggle with debt.
As a result, provinces are expected to increase pressure on Ottawa to add a new mental health funding stream to its transfer payment package. The premiers meet in July in Halifax and appeals for specific and increased mental health funding will likely be front and centre, several Ottawa sources say.
But in the interview, Aglukkaq deflected every question about increased federal funding.
Instead, she said the federal role is to fund research into depression, dementia, homelessness and efficient delivery of care.
“We are taking the leadership role by creating the Mental Health Commission of Canada,” she said.
Providing better mental health care does not necessarily mean more money, she added. It could also mean that provinces take existing funding and make mental health care more of a priority, as Nova Scotia has done recently, she said.
The head of the Canadian Psychological Association says there’s no doubt that the stigma over mental health needs to be a central focus for everyone involved in the delivery of services — but not to the exclusion of funding and access to proper care.
Karen Cohen says stigma is only one challenge people face as they struggle to confront mental health issues. The other big problem is that the country has a well-established, two-tier system of mental health care that desperately needs a change.
“It’s a minority of people with mental health problems who seek help,” she said in an interview. “Part of that is related to stigma. People think you should just get over it, they’re ashamed to admit it to themselves, they feel people won’t be accepting — and often they’re not.
“The other piece is access. Even when people come out and ask for services, there are great barriers.”
Psychologists are the largest group of specialized mental health care providers, she said, but they are often only available to people who can afford to pay them more than $100 an hour, or work for a company that includes extended health care benefits.
That’s because psychological services are not covered by medicare unless the psychologist in question is on the payroll at a public institution such as a hospital, school or correctional centre, Cohen said.
And in those cases, the waiting lists are often so long that the will power it took for someone to actually seek help evaporates, she said.
She agreed that existing funding can be put to much better use. But she thinks governments will see the case for more investment too.
Since research shows that early intervention in mental illness can prevent serious developments over the long term, governments will see the wisdom and economy of setting up teams that can address mental health issues thoroughly, Cohen said.
“It really is going to take a village. We have a collaborative responsibility.”

Knowing Causes Can Help in Curing Schizophrenia

Knowing Causes Can Help in Curing Schizophrenia
Factors responsible for Schizophrenia and steps to cure it
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder involving a distorted or abnormal perception of reality. These distortions could involve any of the five senses but are most often auditory hallucinations, paranoia, disorganized speech and thinking, or bizarre delusions. The disorder impairs cognition and in turn impacts emotional or behavioral problems. It can coincide with anxiety disorders and major depression.
Patients often have a difficulty telling inner speech from what is actually said to them, and have impaired reasoning about social situations.
At present, there is no clinical test for schizophrenia. Diagnoses are usually from reported experiences of the patient. However, increased dopamine activity in the brain is usually found. Imaging scans have also been able to find differences in the brains of schizophrenic people, which do not indicate the disease itself, but the memory and problem-solving issues associated with it.
Patients sometimes think they are being controlled, their thoughts are being transmitted to other people, or that thoughts are inserted or withdrawn from their minds. The delusions can be different from those described.
The causes of schizophrenia could be both genetic and environmental, but the specific combination of factors is not yet known.
1. Genetic factors would involve more than one type of gene working in tandem to cause the problem, but these same genes may develop bipolar disorder or another problem instead. Since known patients seem to have fewer children than average, it is not known how the condition could continue to exist if it has a strong genetic component.
2. The early development of the brain while in the womb is considered a possible factor. Prenatal exposure to infections can increase the risk of developing schizophrenia later in life.
3. Living in an urban setting is a risk factor, as is poverty, poor housing conditions, or migration due to racism or family dysfunction.
4. A childhood of trauma or abuse may be a factor, but parenting style is not the definite cause.
5. Drug abuse is not a proven cause, but may be related.
Currently, there is no existing cure for schizophrenia, but there are antipsychotic medications with varied effects. Some cases will resist more than one medication.
1. Typical antipsychotics can reduce psychosis and take 7 to 14 days to start working.
2. Atypical antipsychotics are now preferred for initial treatment but can induce weight gain.
Both types of medication are considered equally effective. The former type can, in rare cases, lead to potentially fatal neurological problems, and it is not yet known if the latter type does the same.
Two countries, the United States and Australia, are legally allowed to administer medications to uncooperative patients who are otherwise stable and living within the community.
Some patients may in the long term do better by not taking antipsychotics.
There are also therapies to alleviate symptoms which may have a greater appeal than medications and their side-effects.
1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, available since the mid 1990s, can increase self-esteem and insight. Brain scans have shown significant improvements in cognition when patients use this therapy.
2. Family therapy is used to help patients socialize better in the context of a family system. The burden on the family is recognized.
3. Creative therapies such as music therapy have some benefit.
4. The Soteria method is a community therapy that creates a stable, quiet space for people recovering from mental crises, with minimal medication. It is just as effective as full medication in some cases.
5. Electroconvulsive Therapy still exists for patients who do not respond to other treatments, but it is not generally recommended.
In addition to these methods, the Hearing Voices and Paranoia networks provide a self-help approach outside the mainstream medical model. As large support groups, they attempt to encourage responsibility and a positive self-image. Hospitals are increasingly working with these groups to help patients integrate back into society.

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