Mental Illness Help: Stigma, Resources, and Advice

By Analisa L Corral

What exactly is a mental illness? I asked myself this question seriously when my brother and mother were first diagnosed a few years ago with Bipolar I and SchizoAffective Disorder. Shortly after, I was forced to reflect on this question once more after my own diagnoses: Bipolar II.
A lot of times, the first ideas that come to mind for the average person of the mentally ill are various images of "crazy" they have acquired from movies such as, Shutter Island, Donnie Darko, Psycho, Girl Interrupted etc. These movies portray the mentally ill in such exaggerated ways that they create a horrible stigma for them.
The Medical Dictionary defines mental illness as, "Any of various disorders characterized chiefly by abnormal behavior or an inability to function socially, including diseases of the mind and personality and certain diseases of the brain. Also called mental disease, mental disorder."
A definition I find more digestible is from the website of an organization called NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness, "Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life."
The great news is that it is that mental illness help is possible. Many recover and live productive lives once finding the right resources going through the right treatment.
Besides seeking out a psychiatrist or a psychologist (the latter is medication oriented), joining support groups, or finding more resources such as a local NAMI, we must also seek out understanding and compassion for the mentally ill. Knowledge is the key.
People with mental illnesses are suffering from symptoms or experiences beyond their control. Many people get angry at a depressed person who won't get out of bed, but wouldn't feel the same towards a person with a broken leg. These examples may seem like totally different scenarios, when in actuality they are both physical issues. The second scenario is just less apparent.
With depression, for example, the electrical activity (alpha rhythms) in the frontal lobe of the brain is either very low or non-existent, while other areas of the brain are over active. You can find pictures of a depressed brain vs a healthy brain in many books, or through an internet search. The contrast of the colors representing the activity of the neurons is astonishing! You can actually see what a depressed brain looks like! Check out positron emission tomography scans from Mark George, Terence Ketter, and Robert Post, Biological Psychiatry Brand, NIMH, Bethesda, Maryland and see for yourself! New research has been favoring the "yes" answer to the much debated question, "Is there really such thing as a chemical imbalance that causes mood disorders?" I could go on and on about neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine, and how when they are not being properly received by the synapse it causes depression. I could go on about how medication works in the scientific sense, but I'd rather talk about hope. I urge you to look up this information on your own, because you cannot have hope without understanding.
So, what is a mental illness? To a person with the illness fear, guilt and confusion are usually the underlying unconscious answers. These bad feelings dominate their lives. They are dreading and fearing their next episode; they are guilty about how they live their lives and affect the lives of their loved ones, and they are confused about why this is even happening. Why me? Why can I hear voices others can't? Why am I ecstatic one moment, then crying hysterically the next?
I used to get angry at my mom. I used to be disgusted that she couldn't get out of bed and help my dad make the money our family desperately needed, but the more I read and learned, the more I understood that she had a "broken leg" and needed support to heal. She needed understanding with all of her internal chaos, and now I am happy to say that through talk therapy, medication, and a dramatic procedure we had to resort to called ECT (Electro-Convulsive Therapy), she is almost back to herself. She is on her way to recovery. I have my mom back and she is getting better everyday.
Remember, if you or a loved one has a mental illness, you do not have to accept the stigma that these movies, books, and ignorant perceptions have thrust upon your situation. Join groups that fight against stigma, create your own organization or club, raise awareness, research others who have mental illnesses and are leading productive lives. Become inspired by them and learn from them. I can bet you most of these people have accepted their diagnoses and decided to receive help in the form of treatment, even if it means taking medication. I was very apprehensive about medication, but I discovered that just as diabetes must be treated for life, so does my Bipolar II.
I'll leave you with a quote from Nietzsche, "One must harbor chaos within oneself to give birth to a dancing star," and one from Aristotle, "Why is it that all men who are outstanding in philosophy, poetry, or the arts are meloncholic?"
So get out there, and learn. Start on your path to discovery, healing, and greatness!

Check out this mental health advocacy organization for hope and resources: http://www.nami.org/
Here is a link to a song I wrote about the feelings I've had going through my mother's issues, my brother's, and my own: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3fov4pWSgU Thanks!

Alcoholism - Alcoholism and Genetics

By Larry A Burns

Research shows that your genes may make you more or less likely to develop an alcohol addiction. According to research conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), many genes play a role in shaping a person's risk for alcohol addiction, and alcoholism is a 'genetically complex disease' like heart disease and diabetes.
Genes may account for as much as 50 percent of your chances for alcohol addiction but that does not mean genes determine your fate for alcoholism. Environmental factors and lifestyle choices complete the other half of the equation.
One way genes may play a role in developing alcoholism is the variation of the enzymes ADH and ALDH in the liver that help metabolize alcohol. These enzymes vary from person to person. Some people can easily metabolize alcohol while others metabolize it more slowly creating a buildup of a toxic byproduct in the body.
Early studies with mice have shown that genes may play a role in alcohol sensitivity, alcohol tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms. Later gene studies in humans show a connection between alcoholism and genes affecting serotonin and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) activity in the brain. One study followed the drinking habits of college students. Students with a particular serotonin transporter gene participated in more frequent drinking and heavier drinking episodes than students with a different gene variant.
Studies on the effects of various drugs and their ability to help treat alcoholism also help to take a look at the gene factor in alcoholism. Naltrexone is an example of one such drug that has helped many people stop drinking. It works by blocking the opioid receptors in the brain responsible for the euphoric feelings associated with drinking. People with different variations in the gene receptor respond differently to the drug. Some people it helps; some people it does not.
State of the art advances in medical and technological sciences continue to help researchers and healthcare professionals study the complex gene factor associated with alcoholism. One thing is for certain--neurotransmitter genes and alcohol addiction are inherently related. Continued study can help identify specific genes that increase the risk, and help to provide a platform for awareness and prevention.
If you or someone you know is suffering from alcoholism, seek treatment at an advanced drug and alcohol treatment center specializing in neuroscience technology. An advanced treatment center with imaging technology can help address chemical imbalances caused by alcohol dependency and offer an individualized program for a complete and sustainable recovery.

Learn more information about drug and alcohol rehab centers and treatment for alcoholism at: http://crosbycenter.com/drug-rehab-california/treatment-for-alcoholism/

Meditation, Heart Disease and Depression

By Ellen Lake

Imagine, if you would, a treatment that could reduce the incidence of heart attack and stroke by nearly 50%. Imagine also that this treatment had no documented side-effects and was, after some initial training and education, able to be implemented at no cost. Would you be interested? If you suffered, or had a family history of either of these conditions, the odds are you would be. What is this treatment? The answer is simple. The answer is meditation.
Traditionally associated with spiritual practice, meditation is found within Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism and Sufism and has has been around for thousands of years. It is even postulated that the first meditators were cavemen staring into the fire.
Meditation has long been described as a means of self-realisation and achieving states of higher consciousness but what is exciting now is that science is starting to prove what Yogis have always known to be true. Meditation is not only good for the mind and spirit, it is good for the body too.
A study released in 2009 by researchers from the Medical College of Wisconsin in association with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention in Iowa has found that very result. A group of 20 participants, all who had been diagnosed with heart disease, were divided into 2 groups and followed over 9 years. One group practiced regular meditation and the other group were given classes educating on health and exercise. The group who meditated showed a significant reduction [47%] in incidence of heart attack, stroke and death.
Another study at the University of Oregon has shown a relationship between meditation and decreasing levels of anxiety, depression, anger and fatigue. What is particularly exciting about this study is that scans of the 45 students involved clearly demonstrated structural changes in the brains, after just 11 hours of learning and practicing a meditation technique.The connectivity between neurones, the nerve cells of the brain, in the parts of the brain that are concerned with emotions and dealing with conflict, was enhanced.
It is a sad fact that depression is a disabling condition prevalent in our society. The World Health Organisation describes depression as the world's "leading cause of disability" and predicts that depression will reach second place by 2020 in terms of contribution to the "global burden of disease'. In a National Australian survey 6% of people were found to have had a depressive disorder in the last 12 months and 10% to have had an anxiety disorder.
According to Professor Tony Jorm, Director for the Center For Mental health Research, Australian National University, "Depression costs $2.5 billion per year in absenteeism and $900 million per year in impairment at work. Treating all the depressed employees in a business is estimated to save, on average, $ 1500 - $3000 per employee."
These figures speak for themselves. Stress, depression and heart disease are not just an individual issue, they are also an economic issue. In the words of Professor Harvey Whiteford, "If you treat depression, it has an economic return for the employer, for the individual and for Australia." [The Bulletin, November 12, 2002.]
It's time we thought more expansively and preventatively. Meditation has been clinically substantiated in the management of heart disease and depression. Different practices and styles are available and once learned, it is free and completely portable.
By why wait? Take steps now to learn this simple but incredibly effective technique. You may just find it changes your life!

For meditation coaching and training http://www.endresultscoaching.com

Rehab for Depression

Sadness is the normal reaction to unfortunate events. It resolves in time and with new ways of seeing things.
Depression is an involutional melancholia: a sense of inner emptiness that has no external cause. It comes from nowhere. It simply exists and won't go away.
It is important to distinguish between sadness and depression. Sadness does not need treatment; depression does.
Doctors who fail to make this distinction will tend to prescribe antidepressants for everything. How else can we account for 31m prescriptions for Prozac and similar pharmaceutical drugs being given out each year? There may sometimes be an unthinking exchange between doctor and patient:
'I am depressed.'
'You suffer from depression. Here is an antidepressant.'
The intention on both sides is that the patient will feel better and function more effectively. Yet vast numbers of controlled studies reveal that antidepressants are only 20% more effective than placebo - dummy tablets that have no active chemical ingredient. Even so, antidepressants can lead to a dependency, they are dangerous in overdose and they can be used in suicide. Paradoxically, they may even lead to suicide by distorting reality, rather than by helping them to face it appropriately, with non-chemical support. Clinical depression, due to chemical imbalance in neuro-transmission systems in the mood centres of the brain, does not inevitably require chemical treatment. There are many alternatives.
Doctors whose training leads them to believe in pharmaceutical drugs as the solution to many of life's emotional, as well as physical, problems will tend to prescribe even more when told that an initial drug has not helped. They may increase the dose of the first antidepressant, add in another and then consider prescribing a mood-stabiliser as well. The doctor's greatest fear is that the patient will commit suicide and that he or she will be blamed for not providing the appropriate clinical treatment. This tends to be judged on what other doctors generally do. Consequently there is a solid inertia: the status quo continues and is unchallenged, regardless of the mounting evidence of serious risks associated with these drugs.
From the perspective of the patient, the sombre feeling and clouded mind make it very difficult to function effectively when faced with very real challenges such as unemployment, bereavement, inadequate housing, family problems and money worries. The doctor's suggestion is often that an antidepressant will 'take the edge off' or 'put the mind in a splint' and thereby enable the patient to be able to function more effectively and even resolve some of the issues. There is very little evidence that this is what happens in practice. It is more probable that the patient becomes dependent on the drug and the problems persist as before.
Patients will often try to lift their depressed moods on their own by using alcohol, recreational drugs, nicotine, caffeine, sugar and white flour. All these substances have mood-altering effects: they act on the mood centres of the brain. Therefore it is very easy to become habituated to them. People who have addictive natures will then become addicted to them, often to several at the same time.
Withdrawal symptoms occur when the individual tries to stop using these substances by 'going cold turkey'. These symptoms are resolved by taking more of the habit-forming drug - and so the rot sets in. Progressive decay is inevitable in physical, emotional, mental, social and every other aspect of life.
It can be argued that depression and a tendency towards addiction are the same thing. The depression exists before the use of mood-altering substances and processes. The addiction to them occurs afterwards. Some people may be born with an addictive nature. This then becomes activated by traumatic events that set up a craving for mood-alteration. Full blown addiction then occurs when the individual discovers the mood-altering properties of one substance or another - or many.
A responsible rehab will focus on helping the patient to become abstinent from all mood-altering substances and processes. Prescription medications will be used in an effective rehab only to cover short-term withdrawal symptoms. Otherwise a disastrous long-term pharmaceutical drug addiction can follow.
The centrepiece of rehab should be trauma resolution, as well as giving insight into the specific nature of addictive disease and recovery.
The appropriate on-going treatment for the underlying depression is through daily working of the Twelve Step programme, first formulated by Alcoholics Anonymous. This is at times an unpopular suggestion - but the process works and there are no damaging side-effects.
Years of misery can be set aside. Gloom and doom become features of the past, not of the present. A fresh outlook on life opens up new visions and presents new opportunities.
People who resist surrendering to a higher power than self in a spiritual (but non-religious) programme can have their previous wretchedness again - any time they want to return to it.

Dr Robert Lefever is regarded as the pioneer of addiction treatment methods and depression rehab centres in the UK and is the leading expert in rehab for depression.
He established the very first rehabilitation centre that treated patients with eating disorders, alongside those with drug and alcohol problems. He was also the first to treat compulsive gambling, and workaholism.
In the last 26 years, he has worked with over 5000 people suffering with stress, depression, and various forms of addictive behaviors, (principally problems with alcohol, drugs and food), as well as running a busy private medical practice.

How Can I Fight Facebook Addiction?

You have come to find that when you wake up, the first thing that comes to mind is Facebook. When you walk out of the house, you can't even manage to move a long distance without updating your Facebook status or checking up the recent posts from your friends and contacts. Are you a victim of Facebook addiction? Is your situation beyond correction?
Serious signs of Facebook addiction
If you are a victim of Facebook addiction, there are some sure signs that can show you that you need to do something quickly. The commonest ones include the following:
1. Spending long hours on Facebook: You can even spend a full day on Facebook without caring about other important activities which might suffer in the process.
2. Failure to accept Facebook absence: When there is no Facebook, you just feel a sickening yearning that motivates you to go to any lengths just to have access to Facebook.
3. Updating your status at awkward times: You don't seem to care that much about where you are when you want to update your status. Even when you are in class, church, attending some serious gathering, you still want to have access to this social network.
4. Endless glances at your Facebook wall: This is normal when it strictly monitored. But the problem comes in when it is too often to allow you to focus on important activities.
5. Attempting to comment or like every status: You get involved in almost every conversation you come across. In the end, you are also forced to constantly check up on what others are posting.
Dangers of Facebook addiction
The word addiction usually indicates that there is a problem that needs immediate attention. Therefore, the famous dangers of Facebook addiction include the following:

• Failure to concentrate: You will find it very difficult to focus because you are always involved in multi-tasking. Even studying or concentrating in class becomes a real challenge and your performance gets affected.
• Fatal accidents on the road: Some of the deadliest road accidents occur because of people on social networks while driving. This is almost the same as drinking and driving because your attention gets divided.
• Loss of real friends: Unfortunately, if you are always on a social network, people around you find it difficult to communicate with you. This easily leads to strained relationships and loss of friends.
• Taking matters casually: Even when a matter is serious, as long as it comes when you are on Facebook, you won't give it the needed attention. This means that even your assignments will suffer because of Facebook.
• Loss of reliability: If your boss comes to find that you are always on Facebook, that might give him enough reason to avoid giving you a post. Unless your work deals with social networking, your employer can easily lose confidence and trust in you because your efficiency reduces.

Get over the addiction today
There are no mysteries when it comes to fighting Facebook addition. First, you need to adjust your mindset by opening other physical avenues of socializing which are not even related to the internet. This includes activities like, walking, exercising, reading interesting books and many other activities. To do this, you need to give a specific time frame specifically for Facebook. Then the rest of it goes to other more critical activities which can keep you occupied and excited. Improve on your relationships with people you meet physically and organise activities that will keep you focused all the time. There are no pills that should cure this addiction. The whole remedy lies in your hands and right in your mental status or attitude.

Ernest Mwaba has written many articles about academic issues, relationships, general knowledge and consumer related issues. You can read more of his articles at http://wwwmwabaernest.blogspot.com/

OCD Schizophrenia - The Fact Behind Differences and Similarities

By Sigmond Powell

Schizophrenia and Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are not alike. Yes, you've read it right. They are two different things but often co-occur with one another. Statistics show that approximately 15 out of 100 people who suffer from OCD also have schizophrenia.
What really is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is a grave mental sickness characterized by a gradual breakdown in a man's process of thinking and emotional awareness. This is believed to be influenced by risk factors such as heredity, depression, environment, drug addiction and a remarkable increase of dopamine levels in the brain. Signs and symptoms are typically manifested during childhood and young adulthood which include hallucinations, paranoid delusions, disorganized speech and catatonia. These in turn result in a person's both social and occupational dysfunction. Schizophrenia is being classified by health professionals into paranoid type, disorganized type, catatonic type, undifferentiated type, residual type, according to the individual's existing and presenting signs and symptoms. People who suffer from schizophrenia often have big troubles in establishing and maintaining both personal and public relationships. If the situation happens to get worse, hospitalization is often necessary.
OCD and Schizophrenia: Compared
While these two disorders equally affect both males and females they are often mistaken and interchanged, OCD as schizophrenia or schizophrenia as OCD. This is because obsessive compulsive disorder and schizophrenia have a lot of things in common and their manifesting signs and symptoms often overlap, same as with the concerned pharmacotherapy and the brain area being affected by both disorder. It is important to note, however, that many clinical studies show that those who suffer from OCD are less likely to develop schizophrenia, although those with schizophrenia are more likely to develop OCD.
In some cases, symptoms of OCD and schizophrenia may overlap adding to the difficulty of exploring and finding out the clear relationship between these two disorders. However, one significant manifestation of schizophrenia is the presence of delusions. Delusions are truly false irrational thoughts or beliefs contained by the sufferer even with the presence of strong evidences that suggests those are incorrect. While obsessions in OCD are usually associated with ideas of contamination, sexual impulses, symmetry or asymmetry, and hoarding things, delusions on the other hand are typically related to illogical thoughts of being a super hero with special powers and ideology associated with persecution wherein the individual with schizophrenia believes that whatever is happening around has always have something to do with him or her.
As it is difficult to diagnose the illness ourselves, it is much advisable to consult experts. Seeking help from a respected psychologist or psychiatrist would be better. They are the ones most eligible in finding natural, traditional, and modern techniques in the course treatment of OCD Schizophrenia.

The author is a psychology teacher for 15 long years and have had taught many about this field. She believes that despite technological advancements, we should not set aside natural ways of healing. To know more about natural and safe alternatives for addressing OCD SCHIZOPHRENIA, CLICK HERE.

Depressed or Lazy?

By Anna Brown

Anyone with a teen knows the constant battle to motivate them. The constant struggle with the laziness and un-cooperation of the teen years. As parents, we have to stay vigilante to be sure whether they are depressed or lazy.
Teenage depression rates are very high. It really is no wonder with all the added stress of hormones, peer pressure, chores, and homework along with any extra curricular activities. Add to that the fear of failure and the pressure of deciding what to do with the rest of your life.
The signs of teenage depression are actually different from adult or childhood depression. These signs often make them appear as if they have become very lazy.
Unfortunately, they may not even realize that they are depressed. The idea of needing help for it will not occur to them if they do not understand how serious an illness it is.
Most often, it is up to the adults in their lives to figure out whether they really are depressed or lazy. To do this, we must watch for and recognize the symptoms of depression in teenagers.
These signs may vary between the sexes, but there are some symptoms that are common to both male and female teens.
Signs of Depression That Are Usually Common to Both Sexes:

1. Excessively negative
2. Antisocial behavior
3. Retreating to their rooms constantly, or wanting to leave home
4. Carelessness about their appearance.
5. Disinterest in family get-togethers and activities.

Signs of Depression That Are Usually More Common in Males:

1. Unusual aggression and agitation.
2. Getting into trouble at school or with the law
3. Reckless behavior including misusing illegal substances

Signs of Depression That Are Usually More Common in Females:

1. Becoming sloppy in their appearance.
2. A new or unusual preoccupation with death or suicide.
3. Extreme behavior with the opposite sex (either promiscuous or isolated from them)

Some Other Signs That Might Appear:

1. A lower self-esteem than normal
2. References to suicide (in some extreme cases)
3. A general negative outlook on life.

Although teens are struggling to be independent, a teenager that is dealing with depression will need your help. It will likely be up to you to push them to open up about their feelings. At least enough that you can decide what type of help to offer them.
Some ideas for discovering and coping with depression in your teen

• Be upfront. Tell them that you are concerned about their recent behavior. Talk about depression, make sure they understand that it is a treatable illness.
• If their depression is severe, or they talk about suicide, wanting to die, etc. - seek professional help.
• If your teen will not talk to you, talk with their friends or their parents. They may have opened up to them about their problems.
• Suggest some one-on-one time by offering a favorite activity or outing.
• Ask them straight out if there is anything they need to talk about.
• Don't put on an act for them, just let them know you are concerned.
• Be vigilant. Watch for signs of suicide and take extreme measures if you see them.
• If they are reaching out, take the time to be there for them and listen.

The only way to be sure if your teen is depressed or lazy is to be observant. Watch carefully for changes in their behavior. Even though they are usually good at hiding depression from us, this should help you to catch it at an early stage.

Anna Brown is an independent writer that enjoys writing on a variety of topics that provide useful information to the reader. To read more about teenage depression or to see the variety of information that is available, visit her blog at http://bartbecks.com