The Insanity Virus | Mental Health | DISCOVER Magazine

The Insanity Virus | Mental Health | DISCOVER Magazine

Patient Voices: Schizophrenia - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

Patient Voices: Schizophrenia - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

I love to hear people speak in their own voices. Click the link for some stories of life with schizophrenia.

Feminist Mormon Housewives » Hitting close to home

Feminist Mormon Housewives » Hitting close to home

A great conversation about mental illness. Be sure to read the comments.

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome - LoveToKnow Sleep

Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome - LoveToKnow Sleep

This is so how I sleep. It turns out that it is common in those on the autistic spectrum.

Bipolar Disorder Not Linked to Violence | Bipolar Disorder For Dummies | Bipolar Beat

Bipolar Disorder Not Linked to Violence | Bipolar Disorder For Dummies | Bipolar Beat

Closed for the Day

morning glory flower, unopened, originally uploaded by Martin LaBar.

I am able to get out now much more than I have in a long time, but I still have a toll to pay afterwards.

Yesterday I had a root canal performed in my mouth in the morning and in the afternoon I attended a memorial service and saw many dear old friends.

Today I am like our backyard Morning Glories on a cloudy day: simply closed up for a while.

Still His Lamb

365/106 Lamb, originally uploaded by justmakeit.

This picture illustrates how I am feeling of late. I am still His lamb, but in a pen, waiting for a wider pasture. I know that I am loved and that nourishment is coming. But all is not well.

I have loved ones who talk with me from outside the wire, but I am longing to have a friend who can fellowship with me from the inside. Is it you? Do you understand what I am going through? Will you visit with me?

Let's discuss how to be friends from both sides of this barrier of mental dis-ease, shall we? I would sure appreciate it.

Why Know?

No Going Back, originally uploaded by Mariano Kamp.

I found this list on the Internet today, and it really resonated for me. The article is called "Top Ten Reasons for Adults to Seek an Asperger Syndrome Diagnosis."

Do you see yourself in this list, too?

More from Stomp the Stigma

God is Love

This little video expresses my feelings about God better than anything I've found for a long time. Thank you, Kate, for sharing it. (Moms beware: there is a little cursing here.)

This will make you cry.

Last Minutes with ODEN from phos pictures on Vimeo.

A New View of Oz

"Well, one day I went up in a balloon and the ropes got twisted, so that I couldn't come down again. It went way up above the clouds, so far that a current of air struck it and carried it many, many miles away. For a day and a night I traveled through the air, and on the morning of the second day I awoke and found the balloon floating over a strange and beautiful country.

"It came down gradually, and I was not hurt a bit. But I found myself in the midst of a strange people, who, seeing me come from the clouds, thought I was a great Wizard. Of course I let them think so, because they were afraid of me, and promised to do anything I wished them to.

"Just to amuse myself, and keep the good people busy, I ordered them to build this City, and my palace; and they did it all willingly and well. Then I thought, as the country was so green and beautiful, I would call it the Emerald City, and to make the name fit better I put green spectacles on all the people, so that everything they saw was green."

"But isn't everything here green?" asked Dorothy.

"No more than in any other city," replied Oz; "but when you wear green spectacles, why of course everything you see looks green to you. The Emerald City was built a great many years ago, for I was a young man when the balloon brought me here, and I am a very old man now. But my people have worn green glasses on their eyes so long that most of them think it really is an Emerald City . . . "(--The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Signet Classic, 1984, 157-58.)

I have been unwell for so long and not getting better. So, in some desperation, I finally dared to take off my green glasses and see things through pre-spectacled eyes. I was surprised at how immediately my recovery began. I feel happier than I have in a long, long time.

No offense to the wizard or hard-feelings towards the citizens of Oz, but--as much as I love green-- I'm liking the view much better now.

Photograph by D Sharon Pruitt at flickr.com.

Autism? Really?

Maybe you will roll your eyes and say, "Oh really. What's next with this screwball?"

The thing is, I took this test today and got a score of forty.

I also started on medication for my recently discovered hypothyroidism. New thinks to think.

A thank you to kevindooley for sharing this photo on flickr.

Feeling the Fool

Why are clowns so depressing?, originally uploaded by RobertFrancis.

It is not a pleasant thing to have a brain that can't be trusted.

How much walking would you do if you knew that at any moment your legs would buckle under you and you would crash to the ground? You would probably avoid walking in public at all. Of course, there are walkers and wheelchairs for that sort of an impairment.

Not so with mental illness.

So I think that I have some great new insights!
So I think that I am uber capable and creative!
So I think that I am headed into a permanent state of good health!

And then a dear one alerts me that I am--once again--manic.

Is it any wonder that I am afraid to use my mind, when it is so shaky and capable of sending me crashing at any time?

So I am retreating again to what I know:
Jesus loves me and died for me.
I love my family and I am loved in return.
I can make quilts.

These are about all the things I feel I can trust to be true right now. Right now, I think that they are enough.

Thanks for listening.

Cana Island Lighthouse

Cana Island Lighthouse, originally uploaded by James Jordan.

Succor

I did a Google search this morning of "Jesus and the Mentally Ill." It was disappointing. This passage from lds.org was much better than anything else I found. You can see the entire page at http://disabilities.lds.org/disabilities/eng/disability-list/mental-illness. I have highlighted some of the phrases which have particular meaning to me.

Understanding Mental Illness

Mental illness is often poorly understood. This keeps many people from seeking help and receiving treatment. It may be difficult for people with mental illness to talk about it and get support and understanding from others. When others respond with compassion, it can help the person feel more comfortable. The causes of these illnesses are complex. They are usually the result of problems in brain functioning, genetic vulnerability, trauma, chronic thinking patterns, or other emotionally difficult experiences. Sometimes people with mental illness may develop an addiction. People with mental illnesses cannot just will themselves to get better. Blaming the person or others for the illness is harmful.

Most people with mental illnesses are neither violent nor dangerous. Recent advances in treatment have made it possible to manage or treat most mental illnesses. Most people are helped by treatment from a trained mental health professional. Other people can help by providing loving concern, support, and spiritual strength.

Recognizing Mental Illness

Common symptoms include the following:

• Prolonged sadness, extreme feelings of unwarranted guilt, hopelessness, and despair
• Changes in appetite, sleeping, energy, and the ability to concentrate
• Severe anxiety; irrational fears; panic; or recurring, unwanted thoughts
• Confused, disorganized thinking; delusions or hallucinations; extremely poor judgment
• Speech that does not make sense or is very rapid and rambling
• Difficulty doing normal daily activities; withdrawal from family, friends, and normal activities

The person may not recognize that he or she is ill. Many people try to feel better through addictions or substance abuse, but this makes the mental illness worse. Thoughts of suicide or self-harm should be taken seriously.

Ways to Help

• Learn about mental illness from professional sources, LDS Family Services, and mental health professionals. A bishop may give a referral to a licensed therapist through LDS Family Services.
• Treat the person with understanding and compassion. Reassure the person that Heavenly Father loves him or her.
• Remember that mental illness is not a punishment from God.
• Realize that a mental illness cannot be overcome by willpower alone. It does not indicate that a person lacks faith, character, or worthiness.
• Help the person develop confidence through knowing God supports his or her efforts to cope and build strengths.
• Do not take problems that are a result of the illness personally. People with mental illness may feel frustrated and upset because of the illness.
• Include the person in Church activities and appropriate service opportunities. Consult with the person, family members, and others who know the person well to identify limitations as well as strengths.
• Do not argue with delusional ideas or pursue topics that increase agitation. Be aware that stress can make the illness worse.
• Mental illness may require a person to make major life changes. Where appropriate, prayerfully consult with priesthood leaders, family members and caregivers, professionals, and the individual concerning a need for change.

Awake

Sleepless in Brussels..., originally uploaded by stttijn.

My husband says a prayer, lays down, and within five minutes falls fast asleep. Every night. No matter what.

How. Is. That. Possible?

I have ordered yet another antidepressant through our mail-order prescription service. Should be here any day now. My doctor is hoping it will help me sleep.

Sigh.

Me, too.

No Vitality

, originally uploaded by Katherine Squier.

This is just a reminder that the opposite of depression is not happiness. The opposite of depression is vitality.

Everything is just so, so hard to do.