Best Mental Illness Blogs

May 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Friendship 

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Sometimes you just want some quick help, some helpful and lifechanging information. Maybe you want to connect with a fellow traveler, or get some new ideas on how to better improve your life—despite your mental illness.

Blogs are a great source of help for those who need a friend or a shoulder to cry on. Some blogs are written by doctors, others by patients—folks like you just trying to get through the day. Learn what they both do by perusing these great psychiatry related blogs.

“Sandy’s Blog” takes you on a journey from her personal struggle with anxiety and depression to what she is doing about it as now.  Learn about “Therapy and Meds,” “Coping,” and a host of other issues relating to mental illness.

Adrian, a registered clinical psychologist, talks about various mental health issues on his blog, “Improve Mental Health.” Get the grit on depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep disorders; even headaches. Free e-books are provided on this terrific site.

The “Mental Health Blog” gives members an opportunity to share their story. Learn what others are doing, and share what you’ve been learning about your own mental illness. Currently, almost 40 bloggers are a part of Mental Health Blog and the site is looking for more sharing.

Your mental illness; you may think of it as your ball and chain but it doesn’t have to be. You’re not alone. Help is out there online. Puruse the blogs here, and then travel your own journey–you may just find a new friend.

 

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: , ,

After the Move—Finding the Best Mental Health Clinic in your City

May 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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You want the best for your child, but it isn’t always easy or convenient to travel to the hospital for the emergencies you face. Besides, clinics usually have longer hours, and the waiting time at a hospital is often twice as long and doubly expensive. You also like the fact that when a doctor’s office is closed, a clinic is available to help.

How do you choose a mental health clinic that’s right for you when you’ve just moved to a new city?

  • Talk to your new neighbors. Find out where the best clinics are. Your new neighbor might not have an issue with mental health himself, but he may know of someone who does and refer you to them.
  • Check with your insurance company. Make sure the clinic accepts your plan.
  • Take a tour of various clinics you are interested in. Make a surprise visit. Ask questions.
  • Start early. Find a clinic before you need it. There’s nothing worse than having to fumble in the phone directory at the last minute for a place you “hope” will be able to help you.
  • Check your mail box; often, clinics will send discounts to new neighbors to get their business.
  • Try an online directory. Google “mental health clinics” and your “city” and do some research about the clinics in your area.

Know that finding the best clinic for your child’s needs soon after you arrive in your new home will take the stress off your mind later. Follow the above tips to ensure the best possible clinic for you and your child.

 

 

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Zyprexa Drug Recall

May 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Zyprexa, also known as Olanzapine, is a drug used by mental health professionals to treat bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. In the past it was prescribed for dementia. Its use is widespread and someone you know may have even had it prescribed for them. This drug’s goal is to alter the way chemicals in the brain behave.

The drug Zyprexa was approved for use by the FDA in 1992. However, in 1996 the FDA mandated that the manufacturer of this drug, Lilly, issue warnings through the drug information provided to patients that it may cause the onset of diabetes. Many patients have developed diabetes while taking this drug, enough that the FDA deemed it reasonable that Zyprexa caused diabetes.

 

Lilly Manufacturing recently settled a lawsuit and while they admitted no wrongdoing the judge awarded civil litigants $800 million dollars. Lilly marketed Zyprexa as a treatment for dementia, but it was found to unsuccessfully treat dementia. Therefore the FDA said Lilly illegally marketed the drug and initiated the litigation.

 

If you or a loved one developed diabetes after starting to take the drug Zyprexa you may wish to consider contacting an attorney. You can find a class action attorney in Los Angeles that is available to consult with you and protect your rights.

Diabetes is a serious condition that can cause lifelong problems. It can be costly to treat. It has even been known to cause loss of limbs in serious cases. Diabetics often have to purchase insulin supplies not covered by insurance.

Consult an attorney if you feel you have been affected by the Zyprexa drug recall.

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How to get over your Favorite Drug Addiction

May 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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From pain pills to hard drugs and everything inbetween, an addiction does little more than keep you happy for a moment, and struggling to overcome for the rest of your life. How do folks quit smoking, drinking, or taking drugs when it’s all they can do to function during the day?

Learn how from real people. Begin here:

  • Travel with Tony as he shares the ups and downs of quitting smoking. Get some tips on how to quit and discover how he did it. Begin with Tony in 2005, when he was a smoker, and graduate with him to 2009, when he quit.
  • Do you feel like you have a drinking problem? Chris did, and he decided to stop. Chris shares information about alcohol and why you should be concerned; he also shares his story. Get some helpful “quit drinking tips” and assistance on getting some help.
  • Dealing with hard drugs like cocaine is no laughing matter. There’s a reason cocaine is labeled “hard.” Fortunately, “Drug Addiction Stories & Info” provides the answers. Read the true stories, learn about Oxycontin and rehab. See for yourself the various treatments available to you.
  • Addiction to pain pills is on the rise. What can you do? The Internet is a great place to do some continued research. Type in some key words and see what you discover.

In the long run, overcoming your favorite addiction is more about you than you might think. With all of the help out there, it still takes “you” to make the change and allow the change to stick.

 

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Living with an Autistic Child

April 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

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It can be very challenging for the parents of children with learning disabilities to lead a normal life. Having a person with disabilities in the family can place a lot of emotional, mental as well as physical stress on other members of the family. Especially if the disability is something severe like autism. Providing round the clock care for the autistic child is a requirement that asks for a lot of sacrifices on the part of the parents. However, it is important that parents learn how to cope with their child’s disability if they want to give the child a good shot at leading a normal life.

In order to overcome the psychological stress associated with caring for an autistic child, it is important to understand the condition first. To begin with, parents always need to keep in mind that their child doesn’t have complete control over his or her behavior. Autistic children can get very aggressive around strangers. They can also be very stubborn when it comes to doing tasks that they are not comfortable with. They tend to react to certain triggers like particular sounds or being touched and can become very difficult to control. It is important that parents of an autistic child deal with their child’s learning disability with a great deal of patience.

An autistic child needs to trust the people around him or her and this trust needs to be built over time. Most of the time, they are naturally comfortable around their parents but usually are closer to one of the parents. The other partner needs to work hard to build the child’s trust.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: , ,

Managing Healthcare Has Evolved

April 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The days of doctors and nurses charting every aspect of a patient’s care by hand are almost gone. There are still some handwritten notes and documents in a patient’s chart, but the majority of them are now computer-generated.  Similarly, healthcare management technology has entered offices and clinics. With the advent of healthcare information systems, these systems can handle just about anything from practice management to implementing and maintaining electronic health records.

What does this mean? The evolution of healthcare information systems, such as the two mentioned above, makes it possible for patient information to be accessed by healthcare professionals and practitioners easier and faster. The new systems allow staff to transfer information without compromising document security or patient privacy.

Technology also makes it faster to enter the information, as doctors, nurses, and even medical assistants can carry laptops with them. Some facilities have in-room computers to update treatment protocols and findings. This allows others to see what has been done and what is being done so that treatment can be coordinated, which results in better patient care.

Practice management is streamlined by the use of healthcare management programs. Everything is in one or two places, instead of spread out over a number of offices or even buildings. This makes it easier for billing and coding to be done, as well as for the transmittal of information between clinic or facility locations.

All the advances in healthcare information systems add up to one thing: higher-quality patient care that is delivered faster and more efficiently.

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Some of the Symptoms of Anxiety Attacks

March 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Some of the Symptoms of Anxiety Attacks

Panic attacks and anxiety attacks are two names for the same thing. These are essentially just episodes of intense fear and intense panic. Anxiety attacks, when they do occur, tend to do so suddenly and with very little warning if any at all. For many people there is some kind of an obvious trigger, and yet for other people they simply launch into the panic attack without actually understanding why. Most anxiety attacks are going to peak within ten minutes or less.

Most anxiety attacks do not actually last longer than thirty minutes, but for some people they can last significantly longer or be significantly more intense. Even when the period of time of the anxiety attack is short, the level of fear and terror that exists can be so ridiculously high and severe that the sufferer may actually feel as if they are going to die or simply lose complete control over themselves until the panic attack manages to subside.

Panic attacks can be so severe for people that many people stop leaving the house. They are afraid that they will go into a panic attack in a public place and they will become trapped or otherwise unable to get out. This fear can be so intense that many people become agoraphobic where they prefer to stay only in places where they feel safe like their own home, where they are familiar with all of the exists and always feel like there is a way out. Agoraphobia and anxiety often go hand in hand for this very reason. When anxiety disorders turn into agoraphobia, the situation only really becomes worse because the agoraphobia triggers more anxiety attacks, which worsens the agoraphobia, and on and on.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: , ,

The Signs and the Symptoms of Depression

March 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Signs and the Symptoms of Depression

From one person to another, the signs and the symptoms that are associated with depression can really vary quite significantly. There are some symptoms that are more common than others when it comes to this particular mental illness however. It is essential that you consider the fact that these symptoms can come and go normally as part of life. If these symptoms begin to hang around for longer periods of time, or they begin to come on more seriously than before, then it might be time for you to talk to a physician  about what you are experiencing. If you are dealing with clinical depression, your physician will be able to help you find the most appropriate treatment options.

- Are you experiencing feelings of helplessness or hopelessness? You may be experiencing a bleak outlook regarding your life, or you may feel as if nothing will ever change or improve.

- Have you experienced a sudden loss of interest in activities and things that you were previously interested in? Are hobbies suddenly no longer interesting to you? Are you having trouble deriving fulfillment from things that were once your favorites?

- Have you experienced any changes in your weight or in your appetite?

- Have you experienced any changes in your sleep such as suddenly oversleeping, as in hypersomnia, or suddenly having great difficulty sleeping?

- Are you feeling irritable or restless? Do you feel agitated, on edge or restless? Are you having difficulty coping with everyday life?

These are just some of the symptoms that are associated with having clinical depression, and there are numerous others that you are going to want to consider as well. If you think that you might be depressed then you are going to need to ask for help sooner rather than later in order to get some assistance.

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What You Need to Know About Depression and Suicide

March 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What You Need to Know About Depression and Suicide

Depression is a huge risk favor for thoughts of suicide, and many people that are suffering from depression go through periods where they want to die, however brief. These deep feelings of despair and helplessness can go hand in hand with clinical depression. Thoughts of dying or killing one’s self should definitely be perceived as a serious deal, and if you know someone who is exhibiting suicidal thoughts or behaviors, you need to help them get support and help now. It may just be a cry for help, love or attention, but these behaviors may also be indicators that something is seriously wrong.

Someone who has depression may talk about subjects relating to death or suicide.

Someone who has depression may express feelings as if they are hopeless or feeling trapped.

Someone who has depression may seem preoccupied with death or dying on a general level.

Someone who has depression may act in a manner that is perceived to be reckless.

Someone who has depression may phone people up or visit them in an attempt to say goodbye.

Someone who has depression may alternate between extremes, feeling very calm and then feeling very depressed.

Someone who has depression may make comments about being better off dead.

Someone who has depression may seem to be getting his or her affairs in order by giving away property or money.

Someone who has depression may indicate that they would not mind dying or becoming seriously harmed.

If you genuinely believe that someone you know is in danger of attempting or committing suicide, then the ball is in your court to get them the help that they need. Help your friend or loved one seek out the professional assistance that they need now while the thoughts are just thoughts, before they become actions.

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Self Help for Issues Pertaining to Anxiety Disorders

March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Self Help for Issues Pertaining to Anxiety Disorders

If you feel that you might have an anxiety disorder, it would be a wise idea for you to work with a therapist or a psychologist to get yourself some help. Not everyone experiencing some worry is actually suffering from an anxiety disorder, however. Even when you seem as if you are worrying a lot, some anxiousness and worry is actually normal. For example, if you are experiencing a lack of sleep, if you are not exercising enough, if you are experiencing pressure at home, if work is pressuring you, or if your schedule is currently demanding too much out of you, then you may be experiencing a completely normal level of stress. If you are feeling stressed out, the best thing that you can do is exercise some self help and self care and find ways to overcome your stress.

Are you taking good enough care of yourself? Consider the following questions:

Are you giving yourself enough time every single day to have some fun and relaxation time?

Are you making sure that you are getting as much emotional support and care as you need?

Are you ensuring that you are taking care of your entire body in the right ways?

Do you feel as if your current responsibilities or tasks are overwhelming you?

Are there tasks or responsibilities that you can outsource or delegate to take some of the load off?

Are you going to be willing to ask for support or help in situations where you need it?

If your stress level is going through the roof, then you really need to bring your life back down into a sense of balance again. Find out what you can eliminate from your life to calm things down, and then find some time for yourself. Finding time to take care of yourself is really important in making sure that you do not actually develop an anxiety or panic disorder over time.

Filed Under: Mental Health Guidance Tagged With: , ,
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