When I was at church yesterday, I struck up a conversation with a visitor. She mentioned she had a son with mental illness - Asperger's syndrome and bipolar disorder. I said I was a mental health consumer who also had Asperger's Syndrome, and we began to talk about life with a severe mental illness. She said several things which stood out to me, all of which could help mentally ill children. Here are three ideas that could help mentally ill kids, through the eyes of a mom.

It's hard enough to decide to seek mental health treatment, but when you factor in delays, it's even more daunting. When I was discharged from the Army, they gave me a 30-day supply of my psychiatric medications and a list of mental health providers in my area (I am not eligible for Veteran's Administration (VA) benefits because I wasn't in long enough.) It took me three months to get in to see a psychiatrist in private practice--I was lucky. It can take up to a year to see a psychiatrist at the VA.

This past week brought a lesson in how vital self-care is to mental health and mental health recovery. Self-care can be overlooked when we are suffering from depression or experiencing other mental illness symptoms. I have a dear old friend who many consider the sweetest person they’ve ever known or may ever know. This dear woman has always been the type who will go to the ends of the earth to help people, and not just friends and family.

Recently I had an upper endoscopy to find out why I was having stomach pain and nausea. The study basically confirmed what I already knew--there is inflammation in my stomach. Someone remarked to me "It must be good to know it's not all in your head!" That made me think about what often happens when psychiatric patients need medical treatment.

I'm anxious about tomorrow. Tomorrow, I have an upper endoscopy scheduled so we can hopefully find out why I'm having abdominal pain and why I recently had pancreatitis. I have a little of what a friend calls "scan-xiety"--nervousness over what the test results may be. I'm guilty of some catastrophic thinking - what if it's pancreatic cancer? - but I've got three coping skills that are helpful. Here's how to handle catastrophic thinking and anxiety.

Recently TheAtlantic.com published an article titled, Should the US Bring Back Psychiatric Asylums? The article talks about the cynicism surrounding long-term psychiatric facilities, the consequences of de-institutionalization (homelessness and incarceration), as well as the need for such psychiatric facilities. So the question is, should we open more long-term psychiatric facilities?

Feeling misunderstood is one of the most difficult and painful things for people with mental illness. It’s difficult for most everyone, but sometimes our mental illness can make the misunderstanding even more complicated and can even contribute to mental health stigma. Has it ever happened to you? Some event transpires and you are clearly misunderstood by another person, or a group of people? Have you experienced a misunderstanding that has contributed to mental health stigma?

One book every person with a trauma-related mental illness should have is, I Can't Get Over It by Dr. Aphrodite Matsakis. In the book, Matsakis talks about "victim thinking," a common reaction for trauma survivors. "Victim thinking reflects the feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, defilement, and betrayal often experienced during trauma and afterwards," she writes. "It can include the low self-esteem that often results from self-blame, survivor guilt, and societal stigmatization."

Dear Senator Paul: I understand that you think I and people like me are "gaming the system" because we're receiving disability benefits for mental illness. I also understand that you claim you were quoted out of context and that some people do deserve disability, but the able-bodied don't. I've seen both videos, and you didn't say anything about mental illness. Logically, that means you think people with severe mental illness should not receive disability. Let me inform you about the realities of mental illness and disability benefits.

When my COBRA expired, I sought insurance (particularly to pay for mental health services), only to be denied because my mental illness was considered a pre-existing condition. Desperate, I turned to a Christian health pool, and asked if they covered mental illness. I was told that everyone has a bad day and that I should use herbs. I bit my tongue to avoid saying, "On my bad days I hallucinate." Mental illness is not a "bad day."