Back July 9! posted Jun 26 2008

Dear Friends,

I'm out of the country for nearly two weeks, with little, if any, internet access. I will return to my regular M-F blog routine beginning July 9th.

Kate

FACTS posted Jun 25 2008

YOU OUGHT TO KNOW...

One in four adults--nearly 60 million Americans--experiences a mental health disorder in any given year.

One in seventeen lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar disorder.

Nearly 10% of all American children have a serious mental illness.

Anxiety disorders affect 18% of American adults, and estimated 40 million individuals. They can co-occur with depression or addiction.

Over 5 million Americans have a dual diagnosis--mental illness AND addiction issues. Over one-third of America's homeless population falls into this category.

10 Clues That Mental Illness Might Be The Problem posted Jun 24 2008

Alcohol and/or drug abuse
Withdrawal from normal or previously pleasurable activities
Undue, continuing anxiety or worry
Too much or too little sleep
Extreme high or low feelings or moods
Tension-caused physical problems (backaches, headaches, jaw clenching, stomachaches)
Excessively strong feelings of anger, guilt, or remorse
Persistent negative or overblown positive self-image or outlook
Substantial, rapid weight gain or loss
Self-harm (cutting, burning, head-banging, punching walls)

*A family history of mental illness, alcohol abuse, or addiction is a key indicator.

If you read this list and recognize yourself or someone you love, get help. Release judgement and disregard social mores. Realize these can be symptoms of a biologically based illness and seek treatment. Do not let the pain continue unheeded.

Kindness Leads to Wellness posted Jun 23 2008

If you want others

to be happy,

practice compassion.

If you want

to be happy,

practice compassion.

- The Dalai Lama

We often get caught up in our own moods, worries and challenges, failing to see beyond personal concerns. This focus on self intensifies our perception of our hardships, making the challenges seem all the more challenging.

How do we break out of the cycle of poor-me-thinking?

Practice Kindness. Help Another.

If you feel irritable, angry, sad, paranoid, or worthless, ask these questions:

Have I practiced kindness today?
Was I selfless or generous with my time?
Did I accept responsibility for all I did and said?
Have I thought about the needs and concerns of another?
Was I as kind as I could have been?
Did I provide help when I saw need?

Some of you might say, “I can’t find my own sense of happiness, how can you expect me to impart that to another?”

My answer is simple.

Acts of kindness build self-confidence and create connections between people. They remind us that we have the ability to be kind to others…that we have the ability to be kind to ourselves. By helping others we ultimately help ourselves.

Allan Luks, author of The Healing Power of Doing Good says “Helping contributes to the maintenance of good health, and it can diminish the effect of diseases and disorders both serious and minor, psychological and physical.”

Tap into your own goodness and generosity.

Share kindness.

Offer help.

Your thoughtfulness will help you connect to the world, grow emotionally, and improve the lives of others. You will discover the mighty power of kindness to effect positive change, in those around you, and in you!

Address Depression Early posted Jun 22 2008

Parents concerned about their child's mental health should seek professional help sooner rather than later. According to recent studies, as kids advance in age from 12 to 17, those identified as having depression grew increasingly worse as they got older.

More than 2 million U.S. teenagers have suffered a serious bout of depression in the past year, including nearly 13 percent of girls.

On average, 8.5 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 described having had a major depressive episode in the previous year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported, but there were striking differences by gender, with 12.7 percent of girls and 4.6 percent of boys affected.

Depression is the leading cause of suicide, which in turn is the third-leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds in the United States. These unfortunate facts need to change. Depression is very treatable! No one should suffer so needlessly. with appropriate mental health care, they can feel well and thrive.

More than 67,700 youths aged 12 to 17 answered questions about mood and depression. They were also asked to rate how depression affected them using the Sheehan Disability Scale, which measures impact on family, friends, chores at home, work and school.

They defined a major depressive episode as two weeks or longer of depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms such as problems with sleep, energy, concentration or self-image.

Nearly half of the teenagers who had major depression said it severely impaired their ability to function in at least one of the areas on the disability scale.

The worst cases were unable to carry out normal activities for an average of 58 days in the past year.

Food, Mood & Mindful Eating posted Jun 20 2008

Any of you an emotional eater?

Oh My, Am I!

At 48, I think I've finally managed to understand why I eat what I eat, and to change those patterns to match my personal health and wellness goals.

48!

Again, remedial, but committed.

So here are some important things I've learned, and with which the American Dietic Association and DBSA agree...

Nutrition affects your health, energy and mood. Good nutrition helps everyone, but people with chronic illnesses (including depression, bipolar disorder, GAD, etc.) can be more profoundly affected.

Being aware of what, when, how much, how often, and why you eat might be more helpful than you ever imagined.

Too much (and for some, any amount is too much) sugar, caffeine, alcohol, or chocolate is likely to cause a mood disturbance. It's pure physiology, guys! These things dramatically alter our brain chemistry. Remember that fact! consider it before you take the next bite...the next drink...

Fresh vegetables (the darker the color the better), fruit, oil-rich fish, soy products, flaxseed, wheat germ & whole grains and nuts contain Omega-3 fatty acids and high levels of necessary vitamins and minerals. They're like money in the bank. Eating them regularly builds physical and emotional stores, enabling you to manage daily life stressors as well as the additional challenges of chronic illness.

Crash diets literally starve your body. When your body is starved, your brain goes into survival mode. Not wellness mode. Survival mode. Thinking is cloudy, problem-solving skills diminish, fatigue sets in, motivation to move disappears. Sounds a lot like depression, doesn't it? Does this seem like a wise and comfortable thing to do by choice? Crash diets cause more harm than good, no matter how much weight you lose.

Okay...what can you do?

--Keep a journal of everything you eat and drink, your activites and your moods for a week. Look for correlations and connections.

--Find out what you crave and eat when you're stressed. Anticipate the cravings and have a healthy replacement at hand. DO NOT KEEP THE GUILTY PLEASURES IN YOUR HOUSE.

--If you have cravings, distract yourself with a physical activity for at leat 15 minutes before giving in to them.

--If your journaling indicates that certain foods and drinks alter your moods, completely eliminate them for a week and note any changes.

--If you experience drastic changes in weight, severely restrict your diet at times, binge, purge, or exercise excessively, talk to your doctor about treatment for a possible eating disorder. Click here for more information.

Mindful eating is the simplest way to improve overall health, and is sometimes the most difficult thing to do; but give it a try. You might be amazed by what you learn and how much better you feel.

Kate

<a href="http://technorati.com/claim/3dvtdg37jt" rel="me">Technorati Profile</a>

Childrens Mental Health Bill of Rights posted Jun 19 2008

If you or someone you care for is under eighteen, read the Bill of Rights for Families Living with Mental Illnesses, a mandate for improvement in care throughout the country that was introduced by The Children's Mental Health Coalition*.

THE BILL OF RIGHTS...

1. Treatment must be family-driven and child-focused. Families and youth must have a primary decision-making role in their treatment.

2. Children should receive care in home and community-based settings as close to home as possible.

3. Mental health services are an integral part of a child's overall healthcare. Insurance companies must not discriminate against children with mental illnesses by imposing financial burdens and barriers to treatment, such a differential deductibles, co-pays, annual or lifetime caps, or abitrary limits on access to medically necessary inpatient and/or outpatient services.

4. Children should receive care from highly-qualified professionals who are acting in the best interest of the child and family, with appropriate informed consent.

5. Parents and children are entitled to as much information as possible about the risks and benefits of all treatment options, including anticipated outcomes.

6. Children receiving medications for mental disorders should be monitored appropriately to optimize the benefit and reduce any risks or potential side effects which may be associated with such treatments.

7. Children and their families should have access to a comprehensive continuum of care, based on their needs, including a full range of psychosocial, behavioral, pharmacological, and educational services, regardless of cost.

8. Children should receive treatment within a coordinated system of care where all agencies (i.e., health, mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice, and schools, etc.) delivering services work together to support recovery and optimize treatment outcome.

9. Children and families are entitled to an increased investment in high-quality research on the origin, diagnosis, and treatment of childhood disorders.

10. Children and families need and deserve access to mental health professionals with appropriate training and experience. Primary care profesionals providing mental health services must have access to consultation and referral resources from qualified mental health professionals.

These goals are far from being met, but if all of us advocate for these rights, they will become our reality.

Blessings,

Kate

(*The children's mental health coalition has created a Bill of Rights for Children with Mental Health Disorders and their Families. The coalition includes the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), the Autism Society of America (ASA), the Child and Adolescent Bipolar Foundation (CABF), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), the Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health (FFCMH), Mental Health America (MHA), and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

3 Simple Things To Improve The Life of a Child posted Jun 18 2008

Want to make a profound, positive and permanent difference in the life of a child?

Easy.

1.- Read to that child every day from the time he is born until he refuses to allow it. Cuddle up and create a ritual that he will remember forever; and he will continue with his own kids.

In the beginning, while cradling that tiny creature in your arms (Yes! That early!) read rhymes and poems and books whose sounds delight the ears.

When your baby can sit up a bit, move on to picture books, whose images you point to and sounds you elaborate.

Then jump into early readers with simple language and colorful illustrations. Choose topics your child prefers.

Over the years, add age appropriate books and topics, until you're reading novels aloud while driving cross-country.

You will love it. Your child will love it. Do it.

2.- Eat meals together. Doesn't matter what you're eating, just eat it together. Meals are rituals of loving kindness. Food prepared and consumed with love nourishes body and soul.

Sit at the same table. Talk about your day. Include every family member in the conversation.

This gets harder as kids become more involved in after school activities and sports. Doesn't matter. Make it happen.

You'll establish relationships and healthy patterns of eating and communicating to fall back on when the going gets tough.

3.- Create a regular schedule & routine. Kids need this, they thrive on it. A regular routine teaches children that they can count on you and make assumptions about their world.

Your routine should include:

Mealtimes

Time for rest

Play and social opportunities

Quiet reading and / or study hours

Age-appropriate bedtimes

Healthy, happy children develop in a regular, predictable routine.

Predictability adds a degree of comfort and control to a child's life. It frees her up to learn new skills, explore the world, and build confidence and self esteem.

A lack of routine, an inability to count on simple things, creates anxiety, distrust, and fear.

A normally-developing, happy child functions better in the world with a regular routine. I cannot stress how incredibly important this is for a child with challenges!

These 3 Simple Things: Reading to your child every day. Eating meals together. Creating a regular schedule and routine create harmony in your home, build confidence in your children, and nurture positive relationships to last a lifetime.

Try it. It works

I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK posted Jun 17 2008

When you read this, PLEASE click on the icon below and send me an email. I'm testing my site and prepping for a new application.

While you're at it, suggest topics for future posts.

CLICK HERE TO HELP ME OUT!

Anger Can make You Sick posted Jun 16 2008

When you get angry, your body reacts. In the long run, those reactions can wreak havoc on you well-being.

Here are 6 examples:

YOUR BRAIN--Anger triggers the release of high levels of cortisol and other stress hormones, which are known to shrink memory centers.

YOUR EYES--High levels of stress hormones constrict blood bessels in the brain, causing optics anomalies. Anger may leave you seeing light flashes or wiggly lines, or in the griops of an ocular migraine.

YOUR GUT--When your ticked off, the brain releases the neurotransmitters acetylcholine and serotonin, which reduce blood flow to the gut. The result: Stomach pain, diarrhea, and even IBS.

YOUR HEART--Hostililty releases adrenaline, which then increases your blood pressure. A persistent flow of adrenaline is linked to stroke and heart disease.

YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM--When you're angry your body pumps the fight-or-flight hormone epinephrine. Chronically high levels depress the immune system, leaving you more susceptible to illness.

YOUR TEETH--Most of us hold anger and tension in our jaws, which leads to clenching and tooth grinding. Over time, facial pain and broken teeth are real possibilities.

So what can you do?

Incorporate yoga, meditation, a workout routine, or exercise regime into your daily life.

For immediate relief, tune into your breath. Breathe slowly and deeply. Clear your mind of active thought. Do this for five minutes. You'll be amazed at the clarity and release a simple thing like the breath can provide.