March Round-up!

• March 8, 2006: The birth of this blog.
• NAMI introduces their first "Grading the States" report. Things don't look good.
• Information about Daniel Johnston. By the way, the documentary "The Devil and Daniel Johnston" opens today in New York and LA. So if you live in that area go see it to convince the studios to release it to places like, hmmm… I don't know, Chicago?
• S.A.D. bedding with lights embedded in the fabric.
• Cool stuff by the graphic artist Mibi. In the comments Joel Sax and I were trying to identify all the pills used in the "Perscriptions" piece but we're still missing two. So check it out and help us complete our list.
• Wang Wanxing recently had an independent psych evaluation that confirmed that there was no reason for the Chinese government to keep him in a psychiatric hospital for 13 years.
• I write about mood charting.
• Over 3,500 copper canisters containing the unclaimed cremated remains of Oregon mental patients are being documented by artist David Maisel.
• Fake friendliness is unhealthy.
• Tips for explaining your mental illness to others.
• Zyprexa, Risperdal, and Effexor make Forbes' list of the world's best-selling drugs.

Specialized Mental Health Care for 16-25 Year-Olds

The current understanding of the adolescent brain is pointing to the existence of a developmental period in which there is both increased vulnerability to negative environmental experiences and enhanced receptivity to positive, including therapeutic, life experiences – both of which may carry long- term consequences for adult life.

YoungMinds, a UK-based organization for children and adolescent mental health care has released "A Work in Progress: the Adolescent and Young Adult Brain," (pdf file) a short paper that emphasizes the need for specialized mental health care for people between the ages of 16 – 25.

Given how many of us experienced the first onset of our illness during this time period I am always suprised by the lack of attention given to the subject of mental health care for the young. Hopefully, the work of YoungMinds will provide some much-needed awareness.

 

Thanks to Mental Health Update

A Computer to Tell You if You’re Boring

A device aimed at helping autistics understand the emotional reactions of others is being developed at MIT's Media Lab. A digital camera small enough to connect to eyeglasses hooks up to a handheld computer running facial recognition software programmed to recognize emotions. This is being called an "emotional social intelligence prosthetic" device andwill alert the wearer if the person their talking to is becoming bored or irritated.

Article from NewScientist.com

[via BoingBoing]

Effexor XR: En Español!

Effexor may be holding the #10 spot on the list of the world's most prescribed drugs but it looks like Wyeth is trying to do even better.

Yesterday they announced their "Dialogues: Time to Talk" program for Spanish-speaking patients on Effexor XR. The press release sites reports that Hispanics are more prone to depression and more likely to recieve poor health care in the United States than non-Hispanic whites.

True, but I don't think that's the only thing Wyeth is concerned with.

[via Psychiatry 24X7] 

Wednesday Quote of the Week: BiPolarGuy from “BiPolar Daily”

Beginning his "Easing the Depression" post on March 29 2006:

 I was gonna title this post "Fighting Depression", but somehow that didn't gel because when we're depressed the last thing we're capable of doing is fighting.I was gonna title this post "Fighting Depression", but somehow that didn't gel because when we're depressed the last thing we're capable of doing is fighting.

He follows up his post with 17 relatively painless actions that can help alleviate depression.  Good stuff. 

BiPolar Daily

The World’s Best Selling Drugs

Forbes has compiled a list of the world's best selling drugs. Three of these are psychosomatic medications.

 

• At #7 is Zyprexa, manufactured by Eli Lilly and bringing in $4.7 billion a year.
• The #8 spot is held by Risperdal by Johnson and Johnson with $4.0 billion a year in sales.
• Ending the list at #10 is Effexor manufactured by Wyeth with $3.8 billion in sales.

 

[via Wired News]

Honoring Mental Health Consumers: Nominations Currently Accepted

SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is currently accepting nominations for individuals to be recognized at the 2006 Voice awards.

Info from the press release:

The Voice Awards acknowledge the leadership of mental health consumers — individuals who have received or are receiving mental health services for a mental health problem — in helping to raise awareness and understanding of mental health problems, thus reducing stigma and discrimination nationwide. The awards program also recognizes the writers and producers of television programs and movies that provide accurate portrayals of people with mental health problems.

Mental health consumers throughout the United States have played a vital role in demonstrating that people with mental health problems are valuable, contributing members of their schools, workplaces and communities. Their work to raise awareness and understanding and reduce stigma helps ensure that people are able to access services and supports that assist recovery.

Consumer nominations for the Voice Awards will be accepted through Friday, April 21, 2006, online at www.allmentalhealth.samhsa.gov/voiceawards. Self-nominations are welcome.

Eligible nominees must be mental health consumers who have made outstanding contributions that helped lead efforts to reduce the discrimination and stigma associated with mental health problems; personally demonstrated that recovery is real and possible; and made a positive impact on their communities, workplaces and/or schools. Additional consideration will be given to nominees who have made a positive impact on special populations such as older adults, racially and ethnically diverse groups and rural communities.

The Voice Awards are part of the National Anti-Stigma Campaign, a three-year program sponsored by SAMHSA in conjunction with the Ad Council, to reduce the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems.

Can you think of someone deserving?  Then go and nominate! 

Explaining Your Mental Illness to Others

This post was inspired by Joel Sax's "How to Talk to a Bipolar" and "More Tips for Talking to a Bipolar" at his blog Pax Nortona. He wrote about how people should interact with him, as a bipolar. I'd like to write about how "we" (those with psychological problems) should interact with others. As a minority group it is unrealistic to expect the general population to understand our experiences and know how to be sympathetic. So unless you're content with people in your life making ignorant and hurtful comments, you will have to do some explaining and educating. Here are some tips for discussing your psychological problems with others.

1. Understand yourself. Research your disorder, go to therapy, keep a mood chart or journal to understand what triggers your symptoms; the more you know about your own brain the easier it will be to explain what's going on in your head to others. Find your comfort zone when discussing your problems. Some people aren't comfortable with anyone knowing that they have any kind of psychological problem and some are comfortable revealing the diagnoses but not details or history. And of course there are those who don't care who knows all their dirty secrets and their life story. Figure out what you are comfortable revealing and to whom.
2. Know your audience. Explaining the sexual side effects of your medication is appropriate and relevant when explaining your mental illness to a sexual partner. But that's probably one aspect of your illness that your Mom doesn't need to know. You should also think about the potential consequences that could happen to you if someone does not handle the information you're giving them well. If you're talking to a person who could get you fired choose your words carefully. Here are some resources for how to explain your mental illness in specific environments or to specific groups.
   • On the Job: Mental Health Works has a page on explaining your illness in a work environment. This is a Canadian site so remember that the legal obligations of employer and employee may differ based on your own national laws but this page provides some general tips that are applicable anywhere.
   • College: The Canadian Mental Health Association provides tips for talking about your illness in a college or university setting. Again, these tips are broad enough to be useful to students around the world.
   • Talking to Children: The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry has information about explaining mental illness to children. Though it is not about telling a child about your own mental illness, it does provide good examples of analogies to use and a run-down of what information is appropriate for different age groups
3. So what about explaining your disorder to family, friends, and other adults that are close to you?
   • Your diagnoses is only a label: Terms like "schizophrenic" and "bipolar" have strong (mostly negative) associations for most people. I prefer explaining the details of my illness, how it affects me, and how it makes me feel and then mentioning what my clinical diagnoses is.
   • Be descriptive: Use comparisons that your listener will be familiar with and use stories about your past behaviors that will illustrate your point. Cover mental, physical, and behavior manifestations of your illness.
   • Be patient: High school teachers I had were fond of saying "there's no such thing as a stupid question." Whether you really agree with that statement or not, adopt that attitude when talking to someone about your psychological problems. And be sure to ask if they have any questions at some point in the conversation.
   • A support person? If you're talking to someone who lives with
     you, is especially close to you, or that you really trust you might
     want to tell them the about the behaviors that precipitate a crisis for
     you. Having someone that knows when you've gotten to the point where
     you need intensive intervention (hospitalization, etc.) might save your
     life one day.
4. 
   Be prepared: Figure out what you want to say in this type of
   conversation. Do it now. Because if you're asked to explain your mental
   illness on the spot and you get flustered, emotional, and incoherent
   you might come across as, well… crazy.

What else have you found useful? Leave a comment!

About.com has pages on explaining bipolar disorder to others and telling someone about your anxiety disorder. Both pages would be useful for someone with any disorder to read as examples.

Lawsuits Over Walgreens’ Inappropriate Pharmacy Comments Continue

About a month ago 53 year old Janey Karp picked up her Ambien prescription from her local Walgreens. Printed on the Drug Utilization Review – or DUR stapled to her prescription bag were notes from the store’s pharmacists: “CrAzY!! She’s really a psycho!!! Do not say her name too loud, never mention her meds by names…”

Karp initiated a lawsuit against Walgreens. Now two other women, 64 year old grandmother Elizabeth Noah and 30 year old Erin Cutler (comments were “WATCH CONTROLS SHE SEEMS SHADY” and “bitch”, respectively) have filed similar lawsuits.

These notes were accessible to all pharmacy workers at each of the 5,000+ Walgreens in the United States.

Attorney Cathy Lively represents all three plantiffs. Since taking on these cases her office has been flooded with calls and emails from Walgreens customers across the country who have had similar experiences. Lively says that, like her clients, most people contacting her were filling prescriptions for medications treating depression or anxiety.

Article in the Sun-Sentinel

Thanks to the Consumerist

Be a Jerk. It’s Healthy.

According to psychologists at Frankfurt University “enforced jolliness” on the job are more likely to suffer from depression and stress which can lower the immune system.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

“Every time a person is forced to repress his true feelings there are negative consequences for his health,” said Professor Dieter Zapf, a researcher into human emotions.

The study tested students working in an imaginary call centre who were subject to abuse from clients. Some of the participants were allowed to answer back, while others had to be polite and friendly all the time.

Those who stood up to clients had a rapid heartbeat for a brief period, but for those who had to remain friendly their heart was still racing long after the client had hung up.

The conclusion reached by the psychologists was that “being friendly against one’s will causes nothing but stress”.

Thanks to LifeHacker