Psych Central Blog Party for Mental Health Day – What a Success!

With this year’s Mental Illness Awareness Week [also known as: Mental Health Week] (October 2-8, 2011) and World Mental Health Day (October 10th) behind us. We can take a few minutes to reflect on some of the “AWESOME and WONDERFUL” blogs posted on Psych Central and around the web for Mental Health Day Blog Party.  I added the public service announcement (PSA) video I did last year for Mental Health Week…You may get a laugh watching it… Tune in Friday for a new cartoon. 

*********************** UPDATE I was having an issue the the links below {sorry} I just went to the code and fix all of them one by one, if their is any problems please let me know in the comments.  thx.

From Psych Central Blogs
Mental Health Day: Lessons Learned from a Bipolar Dad – (Mental Health Humor) – I cannot help thinking “what IF’ my Father had access to information about Bipolar and Depression and Mental Health Disorders like we do today.

The Today Show and Atlantic Magazine: Featuring Single Life – (Single at Heart)

Body Image Booster: Cultivating Your Spirituality – (Weightless)

Are You Finding Adventure In Everything? – (Therapy Soup)

Mental Health Day: Should It Be Spiritual Health Day? – (Guideposts to Happiness)

Scatterbrained – I Can’t Get My House Together! – (Adventures of a Bipolar Mom)

World Mental Health Day: Human Nature and the Power of Our Stories – (Neuroscience and Relationships)

World Mental Health Day: Hah! – (Coming Out Crazy)…

Today, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day.  Interestingly enough…it is also the day my Father was born in 1933.  My Dad lived with Bipolar Disorder (Manic Depression) that was not entirely diagnosed till about a year before he died in 1996.  It was out of control most of his life and growing up in the unstable, toxic environment lead to many problems.

When my father was balanced, he was the most loving and caring person, but that time was short-lived.  I grew up in a divided home between extremes of sanity and insanity.  My siblings were not spared the toxicity of home life.  Yes at times, far too often then now, we turned on each other like ravenous dogs at the kill.

I am able to look back at that time and reflect on many different twists and turns that led me, my brother and my sisters to survive.  One thing that saved us was finding faith in a real hope for a better future.  It was that new-found faith that helped take my proverbial “demons” away. 

Caption: Are your Sleeping Meds Asleep on The Job?

Sleep, it was the one thing I did not need when I was younger.  I could be up for days on end just getting a quick nap here and there.  Now, I’m 40 and I can only sleep when I’m medicated.  The only sleep I get is when I pass out.  It’s not refreshing nor helpful and I wake up 3 or 4 times and that is on a good night.

Michael Bengston, M.D. says,

Sleep disorders affect a lot more people than you may realize — up to 20% of Americans in any given year according to the National Institutes of Health. These disorders and the resulting sleep deprivation interfere with work, driving, and social activities. The most common sleep disorders include insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, and narcolepsy.

Yes, sleep disorders and insomnia are very common in general, but among people living with mental illnesses and mood disorders, there is a much higher percentage.  Dr. Bengston says we should learn our”Circadian Rhythms,” this is the “regular changes in mental and physical characteristics that occur in the course of a day (circadian is Latin for ‘around a day’)”.

Caption: Dementia: You may take my mind but you can have my humor therapy!

Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s disease, is there a difference between the two conditions? Yes.  While “Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia marked by memory loss in older people. Dementia is the gradual loss of intellectual function.“  With Alzheimer’s the disease can develop in a person as early as 45, while dementia generally starts showing up later in life, on average at the age of 70.  The mental degradation of Dementia and Alzheimer’s is a common symptom characteristic of the diseases.

Caption: The The Etymology of Globophobia – Fear of Balloons

This being Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) (also known as Mental Health Awareness Week), I thought I would make you aware of something about yours truly, Chato Stewart! A while back, I revealed my personal fear/phobia I’ve had since the age of 6… BALLOONS! In the post titled: “Name That Phobia: Fear Of Balloons = Globophobia” I touched on this “funny fear.” You’ll see me at 19  blowing up some balloons for my pre-wedding party (Engagement Party).  My face says it all!