Archives for October, 2011
Mental Health First Aid for Partners and Families
What if rendering help to others in a mental health crisis was as widely accepted as giving CPR to someone in cardiac arrest or doing the Heimlich maneuver when someone is choking?
Mental Health First Aid USA envisions that what they call "Mental Health First Aid" will become as common as CPR and first aid training during the next decade.
According to their website, through their 12-hour course, participants learn:
The potential risk...
Mental Health First Aid USA envisions that what they call "Mental Health First Aid" will become as common as CPR and first aid training during the next decade.
According to their website, through their 12-hour course, participants learn:
The potential risk...
When Your Partner Is On Suboxone
The good news: your partner is getting help for their drug addiction to opioids (vicodin, oxycontin, oxycodone, percocet, morphine, fentanyl, dilaudid, heroin, opium, or any other opiate).
The not-so-good news: this is a long process, and is not easy. You and your partner have likely been through many rough times to get to the point where they were willing to seek treatment, but getting help doesn't mean the addiction is resolved immediately.
If your partner...
The not-so-good news: this is a long process, and is not easy. You and your partner have likely been through many rough times to get to the point where they were willing to seek treatment, but getting help doesn't mean the addiction is resolved immediately.
If your partner...
After Partner Suicide: Healing the Heart
A friend of mine and I were talking at dinner the other night about a recent Grand Rounds lecture at Duke. The speaker was an expert on suicide, also known as a "suicidologist." My friend and I both agreed that that title was not one either of us wanted on our business cards, but that there is such a need for a better understanding of what leads people to suicide. It is...
This Emotional Life: Info for Partners
A client recently introduced me to the PBS series This Emotional Life, which she had watched and shared with her husband. She said he found it helpful in understanding more about her depression. As you know, I'm all about helping the well partners better understand what's happening with their ill partners, so I wanted to share.
The website for the series explains their work this way:
In these difficult times, we are...
The website for the series explains their work this way:
In these difficult times, we are...
Post-Partum Depression: What’s Happening to My Partner?
Having a baby is supposed to be exciting and bring joy to your life. Sure, everyone knows the first few weeks of having a newborn at home brings sleep deprivation and trying to figure out how to handle this little person you've got now, but most people don't associate having a baby with severe depression and anxiety for the new mother.
Unfortunately, that's a huge problem.
Having "baby blues" immediately after giving birth is very common...
Unfortunately, that's a huge problem.
Having "baby blues" immediately after giving birth is very common...
Is Your Partner Anxious or Depressed?
On Monday, I talked about how depression in men can look more like "grumpiness," masking what's really going on inside. Today, we'll discuss how anxiety and depression can often look similar, but there are some pretty clear distinctions that can help you figure out which problem your partner is having, and seek appropriate treatment for it.
Anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand. It is very common for someone to be...
Anxiety and depression often go hand-in-hand. It is very common for someone to be...
Is Your Man Grumpy or Depressed?
Men get the short end of the stick when it comes to being diagnosed with depression.
The current DSM criteria for depression can be manipulated 1,099 different ways in order to get a diagnosis, but some typical male symptoms of depression, such as irritability, angry outbursts, substance abuse, and risk-taking behavior are not listed.
Add in the fact that men in general seek mental health treatment in far fewer numbers than women, and even if...
The current DSM criteria for depression can be manipulated 1,099 different ways in order to get a diagnosis, but some typical male symptoms of depression, such as irritability, angry outbursts, substance abuse, and risk-taking behavior are not listed.
Add in the fact that men in general seek mental health treatment in far fewer numbers than women, and even if...
Six Self-Care Steps for Partners
A common theme for this blog is how important it is for well partners to practice self-care in order to survive the ups and downs of having a partner with mental illness.
How's that going for you?
Developing new habits and being deliberate about making healthy choices that support your well being is an ongoing effort. It's not a one-shot deal. No one else is going to wave the magic wand and make life easy,...
How's that going for you?
Developing new habits and being deliberate about making healthy choices that support your well being is an ongoing effort. It's not a one-shot deal. No one else is going to wave the magic wand and make life easy,...
Employment and Your Partner with ADHD
I wasn't terribly surprised this morning when my client with ADHD, whom I've been working with on and off since last spring, told me that her job search had lapsed since I last met with her in June. Given the state of the economy and the particular competitive field she is in, it's not exactly fun and motivating to look for employment right now. She has the best of intentions, but it...
World Mental Health Day: Partners in Wellness
Today is World Mental Health Day, and as you may have noticed, there are a lot of people discussing the broken mental health system in our country. It's a sad state of affairs from a large systems level, but it's also not great on the personal level, either.
As the partner of someone with mental illness, you probably found your way to this blog because you were looking for resources about how...
As the partner of someone with mental illness, you probably found your way to this blog because you were looking for resources about how...
