Depression is quite complicated. It entails a host of symptoms that perplex even the savviest therapist. Depression is even more complicated in children and men because the expression of symptoms is not as clear-cut for them as it is for others. Nonetheless, depression is one of those “diseases” that requires a compassionate, caring, knowledgeable, and understanding individual to identify it. Families, caregivers, and friends who suspect a loved one experiencing depression ought to know that depression can entail lots of symptoms. Sadly, many people believe depression is a sad mood, bad mood, or negative thinking that can be overcome through will power. This is not always the case. Depression often requires treatment.

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Good mothers are always mothers to be treasured. As many Mother’s Day cards, plaques, teddy bears, and other wonderful gifts often say around this time of year, mothers are everything we need and more. My mother has been one of the strongest assets in my life and has given (and still gives) every aspect of herself. Her love is all I need many days to remind me of the beauty of life. We have come a long way together. So I say it again, good mothers are to be treasured and even many days after Mother’s Day.

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We’ve been talking a lot about delusions and hallucinations lately,so lets end our discussion with the differences and ways to cope.

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Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is coming up May 9, 2013 and this is a time to focus exclusively on the issues that plague our children today. Issues that dominate the media are also of importance such as:

• poverty
• homelessness
• gun control laws
• bullying prevention and development of consequences
• preventing mass violence
• suicide prevention
• providing resources for kids within the educational system to receive mental health services
• better services for children with autism spectrum disorders
• insurance-related concerns
• juvenile delinquency and criminalizing the mentally ill
• understanding the adolescent brain and its inability to make mature decisions

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What a cute baby in this photo. Can you imagine a mother taking her life? No. Most people could not even wrap an inch of their mind around this tragic reality. But for some families with a loved one with a severe or untreated mental illness, homicide or violence is far too common a reality.

One of the most shocking incidents in life is when a child is murdered. The most unfathomable is when a mother (maternal filicide) or father (paternal filicide) kills their own child. When a parent kills their own child it is referred to as filicide. Filicide is a form of homicide that can be committed by a mother or a father, despite media attention often on mothers. Unfortunately, most media outlets do not cover incidents involving filicide so many are uninformed about its existence and prevalence around the world.

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It’s always difficult to put ourselves in the shoes of others who are experiencing very complicated and emotionally draining life events. Unless we have been in some “dark valleys” ourselves, we have no idea of how families of mentally ill loved ones perceive the world. It’s also quite difficult to comprehend the mental world of the individual experiencing the illness. The most we can do as “outsiders” is offer our compassion, support, concern, and guidance.

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Have you noticed that the most compassionate, understanding, modest, and intuitive people seem to be those who have suffered, been oppressed, or are in constant search for life’s ultimate meaning? I have and I find that it is an interesting phenomenon. As stated in a previous article, it was not until rain and “dark-valleys” appeared in my life that I grew and could see my potential.

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I was reading an article and came across a blog post that discussed what isn’t necessarily a psychiatric disorder, yet has features similar to delusions. It can get very complicated when psychiatric illnesses clash with medical illnesses. Symptoms coincide so much that both mental health professionals and medical doctors often have to consult before making a diagnosis.

Pseudo-cyesis, or “false pregnancy,” is currently defined as a rare medical condition in which an individual (a woman) has similar symptoms to that of an expectant mother such as:

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Hallucinations often involve a profound disturbance in perception(s) which can influence not only behavior, but connection with reality. Hallucinations are different from delusions:

1. Delusions: Delusions are false beliefs held to be true, despite evidence to the contrary. They can be bizarre (the government is after me) or non-bizarre (someone is stalking me).
2. Hallucinations: Hallucinations includes disturbance or difficulty with our senses (hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting, smelling).

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According to the National Alliance To End Homelessness (2013), at least 250,000 families are homeless. The National Center On Family Homelessness reports that 1 in 45 kids, or 1.6 million, are homeless in America. Homelessness is a serious epidemic and the issue is not just about the individual living with homelessness, but society in general.

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