Chronic Illness

Hope For Depression Research Foundation, Inspired by the Hope in all of us

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I found out about this exciting group from a fragrance advertisement for Hope, Hope Sport, and Hope Night, all available at Bergdorf Goodman.com. All net profits support Hope For Depression Research Foundation. Learn more at HOPEFORDEPRESSION.ORG Please check out their site, it’s packed full of information and resources. Melinda Our Mission The mission of the Hope for Depression Research Foundation (HDRF) is to fund cutting-edge, scientific research into the origins, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of depression and its related mood and other emotional disorders – bipolar disorder, postpartum depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, anxiety disorder and suicide. In 2010, HDRF launched its Depression Task Force (DTF) – an outstanding collaboration of seven leading scientists, at the frontiers of brain science, from different research institutions across the U.S. and Canada.  These scientists have developed an unprecedented research plan that integrates the most advanced knowledge in genetics, epigenetics, molecular biology, electrophysiology, and brain imaging. To accelerate breakthrough research, they share ongoing results, in real time, at a centralized data bank, the HDRF Data Center. HDRF was founded in April 2006 by Audrey Gruss in memory of her mother, Hope, who suffered from clinical depression. Every dollar raised goes directly to research. Founder’s Message My mother Hope suffered from depression for most of her late adult life. My sisters, father and I witnessed decades of misdiagnosis, trials of medication, troublesome side effects and the psychic pain and life-sapping loss of energy that is a mark […]

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Depression

When college students post about depression on Facebook

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Jan 07,2020 Jeff Grabmeier Ohio State News grabmeier.1@osu.edu Study suggests friends don’t encourage them to seek help When college students post about feelings of depression on Facebook, their friends are unlikely to encourage them to seek help, a small study suggests. In fact, in this study, none of the 33 participating students said their friends told them they should reach out to a mental health professional to discuss their problems. Instead, most friends simply sent supportive or motivating messages.Scottye CashBut that may not be good enough for people who are truly depressed – as some of the people in this study probably were, said Scottye Cash, lead author of the study and professor of social work at The Ohio State University. “It makes me concerned that none of the Facebook friends of students in this study were proactive in helping their friend get help,” Cash said. “We need to figure out why.” The research, published online recently in the journal JMIR Research Protocols, is part of a larger online study of health outcomes of 287 students at four universities in the Midwest and West. This study included the 33 students in the larger study who reported that they had “reached out on Facebook for help when depressed.” The students reported what type of post they made and how their friends responded. They also completed a measure of depression. Results showed that nearly half of the participants reported symptoms consistent with moderate or severe […]

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Depression

New way to think about brain’s link to postpartum depression

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Science News Research in animals shows brain’s immune system is activated by stress during pregnancy October 21, 2019 Source: Ohio State University Chronic stress during pregnancy triggers an immune response in the brain that has potential to alter brain functions in ways that could contribute to postpartum depression, new research in animals suggests. The study is the first to show evidence of this gestational stress response in the brain, which is unexpected because the immune system in both the body and the brain is suppressed during a normal pregnancy. The Ohio State University researchers who made the discovery have been studying the brain biology behind postpartum depression for several years, creating depressive symptoms in pregnant rats by exposing them to chronic stress. Chronic stress during pregnancy is a common predictor of postpartum depression, which is characterized by extreme sadness, anxiety and exhaustion that can interfere with a mother’s ability to care for herself or her baby. Stress is known to lead to inflammation, which prompts an immune response to protect against inflammation’s harmful effects. Based on what they already know about compromised brain signaling in rats stressed during pregnancy, the scientists suspect the immune cells in the brain responding to stress may be involved. If that’s the case, the immune changes may create circumstances in the brain that increase susceptibility to depression. In unstressed pregnant rats, the normal suppression of the immune system in the body and the brain remained […]

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Advocacy

Ketamine and Future Depression Treatments

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October 16, 2019 Psychiatry Advisor Contributing Writer Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Share by Email Researchers are hailing ketamine as the most significant new development in psychiatry given its high efficacy for treating major depression. Recent evidence has shown that in addition to depression, ketamine may also be a promising treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a number of other treatment-refractory neuropsychiatric disorders. In a recent paper published in Drug Discovery Today, researchers explore ketamine’s role in revolutionizing new mental health treatments and discuss how this drug’s mechanism of action has led to an influx of new research and studies on depression treatment. Ketamine was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1970 as an anesthetic and safe alternative to phencyclidine. The therapeutic benefits of ketamine as an antidepressant were explored years later because of a stigma on from its widespread recreational use during the late 1960s and 1970s, and this agent was initially only administered intravenously. In 2000, researchers found that ketamine had strong, fast-acting, and long-term effects in depression. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover design study, patients with depression received 0.5 mg/kg of ketamine or saline on the first day of testing. Treatments were switched 1 week later. Researchers found that the antidepressant effects of ketamine began within 4 hours, peaked at 72 hours, and lasted for 1 to 2 weeks thereafter.1 In a 2006 study, this finding was […]

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Depression

Billie Eilish opens up about mental health: ‘I didn’t think that I would even make it’ to 17

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Charles Trepany, USA TODAYPublished 10:22 a.m. ET Sept. 5, 2019 Billie Eilish is getting real on her mental health. The “Bury a Friend” songstress confessed in her cover story for Elle magazine that, despite early career success, she hasn’t always been happy.  “Two years ago, I felt like nothing mattered; every single thing was pointless,” she said in the article published Thursday. “Not just in my life, but everything in the whole world. I was fully clinically depressed. It’s insane to look back and not be anymore.” Eilish has been accused by trolls of faking her depression, which she admitted have been painful to read. “It hurt me to see that,” she said. “I was a 16-year-old girl who was really unstable. I’m in the happiest place of my life, and I didn’t think that I would even make it to this age.” More: Billie Eilish, 17, rips Nylon Germany for topless cover: I ‘did not consent in any way’ The 17-year-old said her mental health has since improved, calling happiness a “crazy” feeling. “I haven’t been happy for years,” she said. “I didn’t think I would be happy again. And here I am—I’ve gotten to a point where I’m finally okay. It’s not because I’m famous. It’s not because I have a little more money. It’s so many different things: growing up, people coming into your life, certain people leaving your life.” More: Believe the hype: Billie Eilish proves she’s a once-in-a-generation talent at NYC concert The singer added […]

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Depression

We Don’t Talk Much About Debt and Depression. This Blogger Is Changing That

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Melanie Lockert remembers checking the traffic for her blog, Dear Debt, and feeling shocked at the results. Someone had found her site by searching, “I want to kill myself because of debt.” Lockert started Dear Debt in January 2013 after spending the previous year feeling depressed about her student loans. She posted monthly updates about her efforts to pay off […]

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Depression

Kristen Bell Gets Candid About Mental Health On Instagram

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By David Konow 08/06/19 Bell revealed on Instagram that lately she’s been “feeling very off,” but she is utilizing resources and her support system to help her through it. Kristen Bell, star of Veronica Mars, is one of many celebrities who has been open about her mental health. She recently posted on her Instagram story, “Lately I’ve been feeling very off.” Bell added, “I’m checking in with my support systems and my resources and I hope you are too because we can handle whatever life throws at us if we ask for hope.” Several days earlier, Bell posted a picture of herself in a split image. In one image, she looked happy, in another image, she looked depressed. “Ever feel like this?” she wrote. “Me too. Often. It’s okay to not feel ok. We’ll get through it together.” On Instagram, Bell also suggested ways to battle back against tough mental health days, like going on Google and looking up “workouts near me, mental health resources near me, therapists near me, support groups near me.” In previous interviews, Bell has been very open about her mental health struggles. She learned about her family’s difficulties with mental health when she was 18. Her mother told her that there was “a serotonin imbalance in our family line, and it can often be passed from female to female.” Her grandmother had endured electroshock therapy, and Bell learned how to take care of her own mental health through her mother. When Bell decided to […]

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Advocacy

Taraji P. Henson Cries While Discussing Mental Health in the Black Community: ‘This Is a National Crisis’

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Variety ByDANIEL NISSEN Taraji P. Henson shed light on the history and stigma of mental health in the black community at Variety’s Power of Women NY presented by Lifetime.  Henson received the honor on Friday for her work with the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation. “Our vision is to eradicate the stigma around mental health in the black community by breaking the silence and breaking a cycle of shame. We were taught to hold our problems close to the vest out of fear of being labeled and further demonized as weak, or inadequate,” said Henson. Breaking down in tears, she called the state of mental health for black people a “national crisis.” “My dad is one of the reasons I started this foundation, and my son, and my neighbor, and my friends, my community, our children is why I keep going,” she said. The actress named the foundation after her father, who experienced mental illness after returning from his tour of duty in Vietnam. She continued, “The history of mental illness for black people in America stretches all the way back 400 years, 15 million people, and an ocean that holds the stories.” Henson reflected on the roles in her career where she has depicted the experiences of black women during Jim Crow segregation. She referenced Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician who helped launch the first man in space, and Catana Starks, the first black woman to coach a college men’s golf team. Finally, […]

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Bipolar Disorder

Overcoming the pain from disappointment — Guest Blogger Shedding Light on Mental Health

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Sometimes the worst part of mental illness are the dreams left behind. The shattered and tattered remnants of a life once filled with promise and opportunity. There is no greater healing than acknowledging the pain, feeling it and then moving forward with what can be. Things can really be difficult. It’s hard to always stay […] via Overcoming the pain from disappointment — Shedding Light on Mental Health

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Abuse

How to change your relationship with food — and stop eating your feelings

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Ideas.Ted.Com Mar 4, 2019 / Daryl Chen   Jenice Kim Here are three common-sense tips to help you feed your hunger and not your emotions, from dietician Eve Lahijani. This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community. To see all the posts, go here. Imagine if eating were as simple as, say, refueling a car. You’d fill up only when an indicator nudged towards E, you couldn’t possibly overdo it or else your tank would overflow, and you’d never, ever dream of using it as a treat. Instead, for many of us, eating is anything but straightforward. What starts out as a biological necessity quickly gets entangled with different emotions, ideas, memories and rituals. Food takes on all kinds of meanings — as solace, punishment, appeasement, celebration, obligation – and depending on the day and our mood, we may end up overeating, undereating or eating unwisely. It’s time for us to rethink our relationship with food, says Eve Lahijani, a Los Angeles-based dietician and a nutrition health educator at UCLA. She offers three common-sense steps to help get there. 1. Reconnect with your hunger. So many things drive us to eat — it’s noon and that means lunchtime, it’s midnight and that means snack time, we’re happy, we’re anxious, we’d rather not bring home leftovers, we’re too polite to say […]

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Depression

Depression Affects 15% of New Moms. A New Guideline Could Help Prevent It

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TIME By JAMIE DUCHARME February 13, 2019 A new recommendation from a group of independent experts convened by the government could help more new and expecting mothers avoid depression, one of the most common complications of pregnancy and childbirth. The recommendation is the first from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) on preventing perinatal depression, which strikes during pregnancy or after childbirth and affects almost 15% of new mothers. The guideline states that clinicians, namely primary care providers, should provide counseling services, or references to them, to all pregnant and postpartum women at increased risk of perinatal depression. The guidance could help prevent mental health issues in this vulnerable population, and prompt more insurance providers to cover counseling services for pregnant and postpartum women. After reviewing the relevant research, the USPSTF specifically recommended that at-risk women try cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on changing a person’s thoughts to change how they feel, or interpersonal therapy, which focuses on building relationship skills. Those at heightened risk of depression include single, young and lower-income mothers, people with a history of depression and women showing depressive symptoms including low energy and mood. The proactive focus of the recommendations is important, says Jeff Temple, a psychologist in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, who was not involved with the task force. Past USPSTF recommendations have focused on screening for existing depression among all adults, including […]

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Bipolar Disorder

Darkness Overcomes Me

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I stand watching the darkness settle in. The black dog comes to torture me. Emotions, negative feelings left behind are brought out like dolls in a toy box.  I fight, fight hard not to fall in the abyss. Mask are taken out of their resting place, the mask are for me, which one will I need today. Lies and hurtful […]

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Caregiver

Netflix Original Series “Afflicted” Looks Deep At Chronic Illnesses

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Netflix original series “Afflicted” season one has started and you can look at latest trailer at http://www.netflix.com/title/80188953 The Netflix promo grabbed me by the neck and said watch me. “Afflicted” is a show with the people who have baffling long-term chronic illnesses telling their story. Talking with medical professionals, most are clueless what is causing the illnesses. M  

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Depression

We Don’t Talk Much About Debt and Depression. This Blogger Is Changing That

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Melanie Lockert remembers checking the traffic for her blog, Dear Debt, and feeling shocked at the results. Someone had found her site by searching, “I want to kill myself because of debt.” Lockert started Dear Debt in January 2013 after spending the previous year feeling depressed about her student loans. She posted monthly updates about her efforts to pay off […]

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Abuse

Why do men have so many eating disorders?

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MEN”S HEALTH Chris Marvin had a secret morning ritual that he practiced in college. Sunlight creeping through drawn shades, he’d roll out of bed around 7 a.m. with a pounding head. After making sure his door was locked, he’d rummage through drawers and the depths of his mini fridge. Then, on a white marble desk that would have been pristine […]

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Depression

Feel like your workplace is depressing?

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Published: May 17, 2018 5:58 p.m. ET Feel like your workplace is especially depressing? Scientists found out why. A stressful job can lead to serious mental health consequences. Some 14% of common mental illnesses could be prevented by reducing job strain, a study published Tuesday in the journal Lancet Psychiatry found. The study, conducted by Australian mental health nonprofit the […]

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Advocacy

I Have Bipolar And I Am Not Violent

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Reblogged from our friend Amy Gamble at http://www.amygamble.wordpress.com I had an opportunity to teach a group of school teachers about mental illness. After last weeks Florida school shooting I was prepared for questions about mental illness and violence. It’s beyond sad this is an ever occurring topic. But what happens to those of us who live with a mental illness […]

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Alcohol

What It All Means

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This video floored me, it’s real for me, he spoke works to come from my mouth, Jim was able to show the guts, inside, raw communication and how struggles are battled. I ran across this last week, I don’t know who to give credit to. I’ve watched over and over and each time I see one of my dark times, suicidal journeys and crawling back from hell. I hope you will watch and reblog on. Everyone can learn from the inside look of depression.  M

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Advocacy

Charitable Organization: Men’s Movement 

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I’m honored to join the community at Men’s Movement. Being apart of the men’s community, sharing to help others always fills me with sunshine. There is another important aspect to joining the community, expanding my knowledge. I can’t speak for men and how they process mental illness or other trauma. I urge you to check out the site, http://www.mensmovement.com Exciting […]

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Depression

Department of Health & Human Services Grants 17 Colleges $4.9 million

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The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) awarded $4.9 million in grants to a total of 17 colleges and universities across the United States. The grants, varying in amount from $47,494 to $102,000 annually, will be funded over three years by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) through its Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Program. The awards support a range of activities for the promotion of mental health, suicide prevention, substance abuse prevention, and more. This includes training faculty, students, and staff to recognize a student at risk for suicide and to intervene. The awardees include community colleges, small and large campuses, and state and private institutions. More… https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/201706200200

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Advocacy

Howard school staff, mental health experts weigh in on suicide depiction in Netflix series

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Andrew Michaels Contact Reporter Howard County Times The Netflix hit series “13 Reasons Why” has the Howard County school system, and schools in neighboring counties, warning parents about the show’s graphic depictions of teen suicide, rape and bullying. At the same time, many are saying the show opens a doorway into conversations on suicide and other “uncomfortable” topics. The streaming service’s show caught viewer attention nationwide after its debut in March. The show follows the story of high school student Hannah Baker, who commits suicide and leaves behind 13 cassette tape recordings for her peers, who she said contributed to her decision to end her life. Based on a 2007 novel with the same title, the graphic depictions in the 13-episode show – rated TV-MA for mature audiences only – raised concerns among mental health experts, educators, parents and youth. Efforts against the show include that of Oxford High School students in Michigan, who started their “13 reasons why not” project, discussing their uplifting stories about getting help during tough times every day throughout May. Three episodes feature explicit material, such as rape and suicide, and have “viewer discretion advised” warnings. In a statement earlier this month, Netflix said that they added more warnings before the first episode, following critic response. Original messages before the graphic episodes also reemphasized its content. After becoming the “most tweeted show of 2017,” according to Variety, “13 Reasons Why” was renewed for a second season, to […]

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Advocacy

Friday Psychotic Break

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Tom Petty incapsulates everything Rock & Roll. I hadn’t seen this version, WOW.  Feel his rage, drugs, possibilities are endless.   Breakdown  Tom Petty & Heartbreakers  12/30/1978-Winterland, San Francisco.  I’m feeling front stage today.  Like version? How about suggestions. I always enjoy you’re thoughts & feedback.  😎M https://youtu.be/G1cmOq9MSo

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Advocacy

Story of my Life: Guest Margie Lakefield

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Guest Margie Lakefield shares the trauma of Postpartum Psychosis in a multi series post. I read Margie’s post in tears, feeling empathy, above all I knew she was a strong woman. A woman who made tough decisions for the better of her children’s future.  Her story touched me deeply, I had to meet her. We worked together on the series. Unfortunately Margie had a family emergency and can’t be with us. She is dedicated to sharing her story at the cost of lingering pain. Margie takes us thru the arrival at hospital until the moment she reached out for help. The Series will post starting next Monday and consecutive Mondays. Margie’s participation in the app is dear to her heart. She encourages everyone to download the app, get familiar with the resources available and the DNA initiative.  Hope for the Helpless suffering from Post Postpartum Depression. The pactforthecure app is a new initiative. Available at App Store. Giving Hope for the Helpless Suffering PPD • March 28, 2016 • Thank you to the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill , for this initiative. I will forever be indebted to your servitude. This past week I noticed a story on CNN of an upcoming app that was to be released. I am submitting this after receiving an email today giving me permission to submit my article to the organization responsible for this International Study of Women Suffering/or have suffered from Postpartum  Depression, and/or, Psychosis. It […]

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Abuse

Everyone Suffers in Abusive Household

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Original post 3/2014 Everyone suffers in an abusive environment. Our house was always in chaos. An alcoholic stepfather who abused my mother and a mother who abused her daughter. There were three other children in the house who saw the abuse, heard the screams and threats. I used to think the victim was the only person with scars. At 9 years old I survived almost daily beatings by taking drugs, plenty of alcohol and trying to kill myself. It never occurred to me my brother suffered from witnessing the abuse. My brother’s scars are from seeing our stepfather beat our mother. Dragging her down the hall beating her head from side to side. Putting a knife to her throat saying he would kill her. Most of their fights ending in front of our bedrooms. We had front row seats to hell. My mother abused me, the methods escalated as I aged. I heard stories of abuse as early as six months old. I don’t think my mother was trying to kill me. She’s like the women on the news who allow their kids to die. She didn’t push my head under the water but would have crocodile tears if I drowned accidentally. One weekend driving back from Houston we passed the exit to my mother’s house. I had strong emotions about my brother not me. I didn’t understand the emotions. It hit me like a train, my brother was not […]

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Advocacy

Postpartum Psychosis by Guest Margie Lackfield

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Postpartum depression accompanied by Psychosis This is not a war to win. It cages a soul and will not allow reason of any kind. I prayed, I begged and I pleaded. You can have me, but you cannot have my daughter. On this particular morning I thought I’d heard a knock at my front door, or was that coming from the back door? I trusted nothing. I sat in the nursery until the pounding stopped, and the sound of what I thought was my name being called, ended. Rocking my angel. I sobbed so violently. I wanted the voices and the visions to go away. I wanted nothing more than to save my baby from myself. Something made me pause. Was that the front lock-set being opened, the door flinging open, where those real voices? They found me. Jo and Prescilla. They found me, and they did not let go of me. One took the baby, the other took the phone directory. And every chance I get, I tell them, “Thank you.” I spent the following three and a half months in a locked Psych ward. … Each one of us has a story that shames us, it can trap us in a sort of hell, but sometimes to escape hell, we must find words to express its grievance. I used to think this would be one that I could not share for fear of losing someone whom I love(d). […]

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Advocacy

He Named The Posts: Let’s Stop Calling It Mental Illness

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 In 11 years of Blogging, I can’t recall a time going flip out, full rant on anyone. Today changed everything. We are all due our opinion, we live in the great country of America. People have the same right to voice an opposing view. It’s important my friends and followers know what I will fight for and what my true passions are. Mental Health is on top of the list, I advocate, help anyone who ask, manage my own mental health on a daily basis. I returned home late last night from D.C. and pretty tired today, I could have read the post wrong. Here are a few comments by someone who knows nothing about mental illness. Xx  M *So why then are we still calling these very physical and real illnesses “mental illness”?* *So why when someone has an illness in their brain, do we call it a mental illness?*  My thoughts on post While I agree on some points, you are way off base speaking on mental illness. No longer saying someone has a mental illness? WOW!! Mental illness is a serious illness the same as cancer, losing a limb or going blind. First Cancer has no cure, you want to just say oh, there sick? Instead of calling someone an amputee, oh they lost their leg, this person sufferers from endless pain battling their brain, the good and the worst. When someone is in a dark depression […]

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Advocacy

ILADS Response To Centers of Medicare/Medicaid Services of Health & Human Services

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The International Lyme Disease Association (ILADS) http://ilads.org, knows Chronic Lyme Disease exists, requiring extensive treatment currently restricted by the Center of Disease Control. The letter is a proactive communication advocating for longer treatment options. Taken From ILADS letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Department of Health and Human Services. RE: Proposed Rule concerning antibiotic stewardship in Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals and Nursing Homes  Additionally, the proposed rule emphasizes measures to eliminate discrimination directed at certain groups. The ILADS comment pointed out that persons with Lyme disease and tick-borne infections constitute a large and growing class of individuals subjected to severe and unjust discrimination which requires recognition and correction. Specifically, although many individuals in this group of patients often require longer courses of antimicrobials than are commonly prescribed, many are denied appropriate care based on arbitrary protocols that do not consider the specifics of their case. While ILADS recognizes that there are differences of opinion in the literature, after a thorough review of the evidence regarding Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, ILADS concluded that here is substantial scientific support for persistent infection. For this reason, ILADS promotes the selective and judicious use of extended antimicrobial therapy in patients with Lyme disease rather than the arbitrarily proscribed treatment durations championed by others. http://www.ilads.org/ilads_news/2016/ilads-statement-on-cms-proposed-rule-concerning-antibiotic-stewardship/ To read the entire response, click on link above. You will see the organizations fundamental beliefs, commitment to improving treatment for Lyme and other tick […]

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Depression

FDA Admits Generic Wellbutrin Isn’t An Equivalent After Years Of Complaints

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For years patients have said the generic Wellbutrin doesn’t work as well as brand name. The FDA finally took action against manufactures of the generics, admitting Clinical Trials were not performed on 300 mg Extended Release tablets. Follow up test found discrepancies in Bioeqivalence. The FDA holds responsibility as well, they are accountable to the public. The FDA requires all companies who manufacture medication to prove medication is safe, effective…equivalent or not for generics.  This process can take years. The over looked, the lack of testing on higher mg caused many patients to take ineffective medicine suffering higher levels of depression. Update: Bupropion Hydrochloride Extended-Release 300 mg Bioequivalence Studies FDA has approved five generic versions of Wellbutrin XL 300 mg. Each of these generics was approved based on bioequivalence studies comparing the 150 mg strength of the products to Wellbutrin XL 150 mg. Studies were not performed directly on the 300 mg strength of the products. Rather, the bioequivalence studies were performed using the 150 mg strength, and the results were extrapolated to establish bioequivalence of the 300 mg product. This methodology was based on FDA’s guidance at the time the products were approved. FDA has determined that this approach is no longer appropriate to establish bioequivalence of 300 mg bupropion hydrochloride extended-release tablets to Wellbutrin XL 300 mg, and the Agency is revising its guidance to industry for how to conduct premarket bioequivalence studies in generic bupropion products. http://www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/postmarketdrugsafetyinformationforpatientsandproviders/ucm322161.htm I […]

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Celebrate Life

Do You Want to take Free online courses from Top Universities? Take your Pick.

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Do you want to expand your knowledge, travel without leaving home or a number of classes that grab your interest. iTunes U offers an extensive selection of free non credit courses from top rated universities. No stress, go at your own pace, courses are complete flexibility. iTunes U also offers hundreds of free Podcast on any subject you can imagine. Take a trip around the world. I love Podcast, reading done for you. The system can configure automatic downloads, has bookmarks, and keeps track of what you’ve listened to or not. Courseca.org offers over hundreds of free on-line courses from top universities. No stress, work at your own pace. Drop a course as I’ve done several time. They also offer for fee courses  Corsica.org range of subject matter is impressive. Berkley School of Music offers a limited number of free on-line courses. I hope you find something interesting, maybe even something you can do with the kids. Xx  M

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Bipolar Disorder

How to participate once diagnosed with a Mental Illness

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Years after my diagnoses with Bipolar Disease. I thought it was time to participate in my medical care. To understand layman’s terms, what to expect and when to call doctor. Getting on the same page as you learn doctor speak and how they hear. A proficient Psychiatrist with a background helping Mentally Ill patients. Please save your time and money going to General Doctor. Most are not versed in how drugs work together or not. Psychiatrist understand drugs, spend more time to make diagnoses and discuss the drugs to help. A Therapist, my foundation in healing. The key to healing is understanding yourself. They can help take the weight you’re carrying around. Don’t stop taking your medication. Medications cause side effects, the drugs you buy at CVS have side effects. Every drug has side effects. It may take 6-8 weeks for the medicine to level off. If you want to change a drug in a week, please understand, there are no short cuts. Short cuts not only prolong the treatment and can be dangerous. If you’re determined to stop medicine, Call your doctor first! If you become delusional, psychotic or determined to hurt yourself go to local hospital. Keep a journal to document the changes in mood. Keeping a log helped my doctor see my mood was cycling. A medication change was needed. There are many ideas on how people were helped or not by medicine. I will admit a couple […]

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Bipolar Disorder

Throw Back Thursday *Wild Child Days*

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Reading a post earlier brought back memories of my drug addicted wild child days. My boyfriend was a dealer so I did everything but a needle. Many scary times living with my father. I ran away, he pointing a 357 magnum at the friends he could find. Threatening to kill them if lying. Good thing he didn’t know I was crouched in the front passenger floorboard. I never forgot the music we were getting stoned to. LET’S ROCK AND ROLL   Xx  M

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Depression

American Crime *The story lines shine light on abuse and violence*

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American Crime prompts conversation with story lines about abuse and violence. The show starts 1/16/16 on ABC. One story line is a boy being raped. I believe sexual abuse and violence towards men needs a spotlight and resources. The topics may be disturbing or freeing. Without resources men/boys have no safe to turn for help. The series deals with topics ripped from current headlines. Audiences see story lines dealing with issues teenagers face, discrimination and transgender, are a few topics. http://abc.go.com/shows/american-crime Their site has several options to find more about the program. I look forward to the conversation from WP Bloggers after watching. Xx  M

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