Blogs
Co-morbidity is a fancy way of saying "two or more co-occuring diagnoses." Many people with borderline personality disorder also have depression. In this video, More Than Borderline's, Becky Oberg, talks about depression symptoms and causes of depression.
The exposure to media has a detrimental effect on girls’ self-esteem which can begin in her elementary years. Discover ways to raise a media savvy daughter and build self-esteem that will last a lifetime.
“I hate wait.” – Inigo Montoya, The Princess Bride
I hate waiting rooms. I know this hardly makes me unique, but I suspect my hatred is more pronounced due to the amount of time I spend in them. Stale magazines. Old furniture. “Art.” Institutional beige walls.
Ick, ick, ick.
I have had chronically on-time doctors and chronically late doctors but no matter what, somehow, in a waiting room, it feels like your life is wasting away.
When we are first given the diagnosis of mental illness, our lives feel as if they are suddenly taken from us. Ripped from our hands. We are used to leaving our home when we please, eating when we are hungry or picking up the phone and calling someone. Once we have been diagnosed, we quickly find out: Our life is no longer entirely ours! And that, that, is scary.
Co-Dependence is often the silent partner of the addictive relationship. There are several characteristics of addiction including denial, compliance and control. With the proper help, recovery is possible.
Do you look to nature to ease your anxiety? If not, please try it!
Forest Bathing
Recently it has been all over the internet how Japanese scientists have discovered that the scent of trees, the sound of brooks, and the feel of sunshine have a calming effect. Japanese engage in an activity they call shinrin-yoku, "forest bathing." And we can all do this.
It took me a couple of days to get the guts to write this column, both because of my experiences with involuntary commitment and the case of former Marine, Brandon J. Raub.
If you don't know who Raub is, Google him. Raub, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, has a Facebook page. Several of his posts are critical of the government; he believes the government was responsible for 9/11. One post included a lyric from "Bring Me Down" by Swollen Members ("Sharpen my axe, I'm here to sever heads") and another contained a vague line about an upcoming revolution ("The revolution will come for me. Men will be at my door soon to pick me up to lead it.")
Well, men did indeed show up at Raub's door--the FBI and Secret Service, with an order for emergency psychiatric commitment. A cooperative Raub was handcuffed and taken away, without being read his rights (you can see the video on YouTube). The police questioned him about his Facebook posts, which the feds described as "terrorist", then obtained an order for a 30-day commitment at a Veteran's Affairs hospital. He is being evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder. He has not been charged with a crime.
Back in the day, political prognostication was a lot less scientific than it is now. It was said that if it rained on Election Day the Republicans would win, because they had cars. For decades in Chicago it was believed that – the results weren’t official until the cemetery vote was counted. Such cavalier sentiments seem charmingly old-fashioned in an age where spin and opinion are routinely measured to a sub-molecular level.
This year’s Presidential circus, I mean election, which will be ending, mercifully, in a few months, is no exception. Using the very latest in digital resources, pollsters plumb the depths of voter opinion, ever amazed by the complete lack of connection to anything factual. That political sentiment would be based entirely on prejudice, irrational fear, and magical thinking is no surprise to these seasoned professionals; but what did catch them with their drawers drooped was the increasing importance of the mentally ill as a voting block.
Indeed, Chumley Throckmorton, President & CEO of Opinion8, a Bermuda-based consulting firm, think tank, and laundry said, “Mentalators are the ones to watch in ‘12, they could decide the outcome.
As a mental health advocate, author and speaker, I attend many events surrounding posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). All too often, I experience a conversation that goes like this:
“What do you do, exactly?” someone will ask.
“I help trauma survivors learn to cope with, manage and overcome symptoms of PTSD,” I reply.
“Ohhhhh,” their eyes light up. “You work with veterans!”
People often don't realize that the causes of PTSD result from many types of trauma.
I wish I had a dollar for every kid I’ve heard say this week, “I’m tired!” As parents, we have the best of intentions, planning every summer’s end to start the early bedtime long before school starts, get into a routine again. But it is easier said than done. Between the change in sleep and day routines, and the beginning of new classes and new teachers, new friends, new schools, adjustments, rules, homework…it can be a lot to take in (Back to School Bipolar Survival Guide). And while some adjust very well, some don’t at all. Here are some ideas to help with the transition.
Where do we go from here? Most of the family thinks just to let her hit bottom and then if she reaches out to help any we can. Some want to just keep paying her bills and just let her sit in the house with no responsibilities. Never been on medication and impossible to get to her when she refuses to talk to ANYONE.
Help.
On the day we agreed to videochat to make things less awkward IRL she woke up with a migraine so we rescheduled to the day after, I made sure to assure her that it was okay and to take her time. Later that day, in the late evening we had a nice chat but suddenly she stopped replying, even though nothing had happened. The day after I texted her good morning and said I hope she was feeling a little better. she wouldn't open my texts.
A couple days after I sent her a longer text saying that even though I had only known her for a short time I care a lot for her and would like to know how she are doing, telling her I'm there for her, assuring her I'm not going anywhere even though things might not be very easy. She wouldn't open it.
A week later I sent a text saying not to feel bad about not answering and that I will be there when she is able to answer again. It's been two weeks since this and she still hasn't opened my texts. She hasn't been active at all.
I don't know what else I can do. I assumed she might have fallen into a depression. I have tried to just not think about it anymore, and I haven't that much but when I do it sort of kills me inside...