Breaking News: We’re a FAT & Increasingly Mentally Ill Country
Depression, mental illness, mood changes… (more…)
Posts tagged ‘depression’
The Stigma of Mental Illness…
Why is it we hear so much about drinking and drugs when there’s mention of the tragic death of Amy Winehouse and so little about her long-time battle with severe depression? She certainly admitted her suffering with depression in her Grammy award-winning song REHAB. Yet, the public and the media continue to treat drinking and drugs as her DUAL DIAGNOSIS, rather than recognizing her dual problems might have been mental illness and substance abuse.
The end result is that we’re missing a golden opportunity to de-stigmatize mental illness. You see, the public is getting very little discourse about which came first, Amy’s addiction or her major depression. Ignoring the symptoms of Bipolar disorders or the highs and lows of manic depression is not unusual for those struggling with the problem. What’s often not revealed is that those around such people can be either in denial or just not educated enough to recognize the sometimes life-threatening seriousness of mental disorders.
Either way, the silence is sending mixed messages, especially for young people who often look the other way for celebrities. Amy Winehouse, for example, told a British TV interviewer with The Album Chart Show that she was manic depressive and not alcoholic. Then, of course, perhpas, she quickly admitted that that comment made her sound like “an alcoholic in denial”
Because of her death on July 23, 2011, Amy Winehouse will be “forever young.” What is equally tragic, however, is that the ongoing silence ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS covers up a well-researched finding: treatment for mental illness works and works even better… the earlier it is started.
The conspicuous media absence of Amy’s self-admissions about her own mental disorders – serious depression (manic depression or bipolar episodes), anxiety, post traumatic stress, cutting and other self-destructive behavior) – perpetuates an extremely serious health issue in society at large. In fact, it’s readily apparent that our policymakers and elected officials don’t seem to get it, yet: We really are one MENTALLY sick world!
Instead of cutting mental health services, reducing beds in psychiatric facilities, under-staffing mental health personnel in prisons, jails, and detention centers, and turning over once hospitalized mental patients to communities… politicians need to hear more from the paid and unpaid caregivers of the mentally ill. More advocates are needed for the voiceless who are struggling with addictions AND mental illness. At a time when our jails have become pseudo mental institutions, we need to stop celebrating and tolerating celebrities who obviously need treatment. It’s time to stop glorifying celebrities who set poor examples with their behavior. It’s time to speak out about mental illness, share our stories, and take our demands to the State House and other elected officials.
Ironically, three years earlier on the same day as her death this month – July 23 – we saw a far different Amy. Her father’s presence at the unveiling of her waxwork at Madame Tussauds in London is a testament to his devotion. Let’s hope that when Mitch Winehouse starts up The Amy Winehouse Foundation, as he promised at her funeral, that he will also recognize the mental health component in addiction rehabilitation. His voice and determination to honor his exceptionally talented daughter via her foundation, would thus become a welcomed effort to address the STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS. Amy Winehouse said about her depression “…yeah, I know I’m black.” But rehab for her was always about getting help for her alcoholic addiction. Perhaps, her dad, Mitch can bring attention to dual diagnoses involving mental illness and substance abuse.
(unveiling of Amy in wax)
After all, it takes an awful lot of denial to see that it may have been more than drugs and alcohol, when the five-time Grammy winner was booed off the stage by paying customers in Belgrade on June 20, 2011.
For more information go to http://www.nami.org
Mental Illnesses Treatment Support & Programs How You Can HelpFind Your Local NAMI NAMIWalks
What is Depression?
Major depression is a serious medical illness affecting 15 million American adults, or approximately 5-8 percent of the adult population in a given year. Unlike normal emotional experiences of sadness, loss or passing mood states, major depression is persistent and can significantly interfere with an individual’s thoughts, behavior, mood, activity and physical health. continue
True Life Story
Person-First by Clarence JordanAs a 15-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, I know how combat situations, as well as other more basic aspects of military life, put unique stressors on those of us who serve as well as our families.
I can say now that I struggled for many years with mental illness … (more)
Women & Depression
Women experience twice the rate of depression as men, regardless of race or ethnic background. Researchers suspect that many factors unique to women’s lives play a role.
For more, visit Women and Depression, NAMI’s collection of resources just for women.
Living with Depression
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When you become a member of NAMI, you become part of America’s largest grassroots organization dedicated to improving the lives of persons living with serious mental illness. And now you can join online.
HELP END THE SILENCE ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS
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“REHAB” Lyrics (Amy Winehouse)
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I ain’t got the time and if my daddy thinks I’m fine
He’s tried to make me go to rehab but I won’t go go go
I’d rather be at home with ray
I ain’t got seventy days
Cause there’s nothing
There’s nothing you can teach me
That I can’t learn from Mr Hathaway
I didn’t get a lot in class
But I know it don’t come in a shot glass
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I ain’t got the time and if my daddy thinks I’m fine
He’s tried to make me go to rehab but I won’t go go go
The man said ‘why do you think you here’
I said ‘I got no idea
I’m gonna, I’m gonna lose my baby
so I always keep a bottle near’
He said ‘I just think you’re depressed,
this me, yeah baby, and the rest’
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I don’t ever wanna drink again
I just ooh I just need a friend
I’m not gonna spend ten weeks
have everyone think I’m on the mend
It’s not just my pride
It’s just ’til these tears have dried
They tried to make me go to rehab but I said ‘no, no, no’
Yes I’ve been black but when I come back you’ll know know know
I ain’t got the time and if my daddy thinks I’m fine
He’s tried to make me go to rehab but I won’t go go go
Hello world!
Welcome… Family2Family4MD is a Blog for those who have taken or are taking NAMI’s free 12-week Family2Family Education course in AA Co.
AS ONE OF your Co-Teachers for F2F, I am so proud of you for wanting to know more about brain disorders. Please do not underestimate your courage. I applaud your willingness to be an UNPAID CAREGIVER for your loved ones when mental health issues arise. AND… I also encourage you to hug yourself often and spend some time just doing nothing but listening to the sounds around you.
BY THE TIME we do start to seek education about the mental behavior of our loved ones (biological problems in the brain), most of us are already exhausted, confused, frustrated, and sad. We were not prepared for this. Our solutions for coping are based on “normal,” rational behavior. In Family2Family classes we learned, however, that mental illness rarely appears suddenly. Even though we probably didn’t recognize the symptoms as they appeared over time, think about what our loved ones have been going through, as they struggle with changing realities.
Because medical care in this country is typically focused on physical ailments, families are forced to fight for adequate care for those with sound bodies, but injured minds. The stigma of mental illness among legislators, professionals, employers, employees, and others often translates into inferior services for and the criminalization of the mentally ill. In essence, the budget cuts for mental health services indicate that the public and policy makers are okay with afflicted families and loved ones providing free mental health care. BUT we are the PUBLIC… so we must not be silent. We must raise our voices and march to our State Houses and legislators to say – it is not okay for us (family members of the mentally affected) to subsidize the national health care system; it is NOT okay for the mental health needs of our loved ones to be met with insufficient services. We have a voice because of NAMI!
SO WELCOME! I’m glad you are here. My intention for this F2F BLOG is to allow you to educate others about what it is like to be around mental illness; we must destigmatize brain disorders. Telling our stories is a way to do that.
Remember our Family2Family motto – YOU CAN”T KNOW WHAT NO ONE HAS TOLD YOU!
Pass the word! AND… let’s get the word out that treatment works and that, in most cases… mental illness is treatable! We need to remind others that the refusal of treatment by those with mental disorders, is itself a sign of the disease itself. It’s neurological, not DENIAL! Who doesn’t want treatment when hit by a car or physically injured in other ways?
As Family Members… we have a lot of educating to do. From the evaluations we get after each F2F class, it’s obvious that you appreciate the FREE education and support programs provided by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). It’s healthy to give to others… so let the dialogue begin.
Be sure to check out all of the pages at the top of the F2F Blog and the links on the side. And, of course, feel free to leave your suggestions and comments (anonymously, if you prefer). Just click on COMMENTS.
Here are a few questions to get us started.
QUESTION #1: What prompted to you to take F2F; how did you find out about it?
QUESTION #2: How has you life or attitude changed or not changed since F2F?
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