Mental Health America

In today’s entry I want to discuss another resource that I have heard about – Mental Health America.  Most of my information can be found at their website, which is https://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/

Mental Health America was founded in 1909, and is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing the needs of those living with mental illness and to promoting overall mental health.  Their work is driven by a commitment to promoting mental health as a critical part of overall wellness, including prevention services for all, early identification and intervention for those at risk, integrated care, services, and supports for those who need it, with recovery as the goal. Much of their current work is guided by the Before Stage 4 (B4Stage4) philosophy – that mental health conditions should be treated long before they reach the most critical points in the disease process.

If you go to the Mental Health America website, you will find lots of great information on programs, finding help, doing more, learning more, donating, policies, news, and events.  What I find particularly interesting about the website is that it currently contains 10 screening tools for the following: depression, anxiety, bipolar, psychosis, PTSD, eating disorder, parents, youth, work health, and addiction.  Although these will not give you definitive diagnosis information, they can be helpful to guide decisions on when to seek help. 

While I currently do not know much about Mental Health America, it seems like another great organization dedicated to addressing and improving mental health for all.  My hope is to spend some more time looking into their activities, and I encourage you to do the same if you are not already familiar with it.

How about you?  Have you heard of Mental Health America before?  If so, what are your thoughts on their organization?  If this group is new to you, are you interested in learning more?

Zulresso

Earlier this year, the FDA approved the first drug for postpartum depression, and I would like to share some information on it today.  The brand name of the drug is called Zulresso, and the generic name is called brexanolone. 

 

Zulresso has many interesting features.  First of all, the drug has a unique mechanism of action, so it can target depression in a way that is different from all of the other current options.  Also, Zulresso is given as a one-time infusion over 60 hours, which is pretty unique as well.  Zulresso can cause excessive sedation, among other side effects, and requires administration and monitoring in a health care facility.  In addition, the drug will be very expensive, running in the tens of thousands of dollars.  One potential benefit from the drug is that depression symptoms can improve within 24 to 48 hours after starting the infusion. 

 

Based on the limited overview I have provided here, I am personally hesitant about how this drug will be utilized.  It is an infusion that requires hospitalization, and it is very expensive to administer.  Also, since it is a newly approved drug, the evidence is limited.  This means that we will probably see more side effects and get a better idea of its efficacy as it is used in a greater number of patients.  Hopefully it will really help women struggling with postpartum depression, but I am a little skeptical at this point.  While I applaud the fact that there is now something indicated for postpartum depression, I do not know how many women it will truly help based on some of the issues I already noted.

 

What do you think?  Are you excited about the first treatment indicated for postpartum depression?  Does its limitations concern you or should that be an issue at all?  I plan to continue to watch to see what happens with this new treatment.

Why I Care

As I write this entry, we are at the beginning of Mental Health Month, which is held in May.  This year, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) has a theme of WhyCare?, and more information can be found here: https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Why-Care 

Of course, this theme has gotten me to thinking about why I care, so I wanted to discuss this in further detail today.  There are so many reasons why I care, but I will highlight the ones that stand out to me on this day.  Here they are:

I care because I lost my dad to suicide, and I wish that no other family has to go through what we did

I care because it breaks my heart to think of the suffering that my dad experienced, and I believe no one should suffer in that way

I care because I lost two cousins to suicide, and I wish that no other family has to experience that kind of loss

I care because I know how hard it was to find people who did care when my dad was sick, and that cannot continue

I care because I worry about the mental health of all of the suicide loss survivors in my family

I care because I worry about the mental health of our children

I care because I worry about the mental health of every human being

I care because I know that as fellow human beings we can do better when it comes to taking care of our mental health

I care because I know we have a lot of education and advocacy that needs to be done around mental health

I care because I know that mental health touches every other issue (homelessness, hunger, literacy, etc.) out there

I have listed 10 reasons that I care, but I could go on and on.  Once you feel the impact of mental illness, it is hard to walk away from caring.

How about you?  Why do you care?  Whether it is May or not, it is important to reflect on why you care about mental health, because it helps guide you on what you can do to help.

Maternal Mental Health

Awhile ago I did a post on postpartum depression, but today I would like to go further and talk about maternal mental health, which can involve more than depression.  As I write this entry, some important events are happening, and even though this will likely be posted after they are done, I think it will be helpful to know what is out there. 

First of all, the week of April 29 to May 3 is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week.  The name of the week tells you what you need to know – it is a week to raise awareness about maternal mental health.  Maternal Mental Health Week comes from the Blue Dot Project, and their website can be found here: https://www.thebluedotproject.org/  Another website associated with this week is 2020 Mom, which can be found here: https://www.2020mom.org/

In addition to Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, there is World Maternal Mental Health Day, which is on May 1 this year.  You can find out more information here: https://wmmhday.postpartum.net/

While these events are new to me and they seem to be fairly new in general, I am very excited to hear about them.  All populations face mental health challenges, but I think mothers can be forgotten quite a bit.  I really applaud the work that is being done to help educate, support, and bring awareness to the public about maternal mental health, and I look forward to seeing more of this in the future.

How about you?  Have you personally experienced any struggles with maternal mental health?  Do you know someone who has?  I hope you can spread the word about these various campaigns and websites that promote awareness of moms and mental health.  After all, we all know someone who is a mom, and moms deserve to have their mental health concerns considered.

Birth Control and Depression

In the past few months I have heard and read about some possible link between hormonal contraceptives (a type of birth control) and depression.  Today I would like to explore that in a little more detail. 

I did a quick internet search on the topic, and there are a variety of articles out there that suggest that there is a link between hormonal contraceptives and depression.  However, I can not necessarily vouch for the quality of the information that is being presented, because I am not sure how much of this comes from reputable sources.   That being said, there may be some valid evidence of this link, but we can also think about it from a more theoretical viewpoint.

What are hormonal contraceptives, after all?  Well, they contain some combination of estrogen and/or progesterone hormones.  We also know that hormonal changes may be a cause of depression.  So, from a basic standpoint, it makes sense that taking hormones could lead to hormonal changes.  In turn, these hormonal changes could factor into a depression.  Besides the basic idea of hormonal changes, hormonal contraceptives may also affect the body in other ways that might lead to a depression.  So, regardless of any clinical data, it makes sense to me to at least consider the fact that taking hormonal contraceptives could lead to a depression.  Taking it even further, hormonal contraceptives may also interact with other vitamins, medicines, etc., and that could cause issues as well.  The different possible scenarios really start to add up.

What do you think?  Do you believe there could be a link between hormonal contraceptives and depression?  Do you need to see more hard clinical evidence?  Have you ever experienced someone who seemed to have depression after being on hormonal contraceptives?  Overall, I think it is important to research this topic in more depth.

Something New

As I write this post, I have finished my first week at a new job.  This job is unique for me in that I have joined a company that is literally starting from scratch.  As you can imagine, this provides for some challenges and some exciting opportunities as we start to build and grow. 

Even though this new job has come with the luxury of gradually easing into it so far, starting something new can be overwhelming and exhausting.  For me, it signifies a whole new routine, and that has taken a lot for my brain to process.  Honestly, figuring out what to take for lunch and what to pack have required a lot of energy.  It sounds like these should be relatively simple tasks, but it has shown me how much effort can go into changing routines. 

For someone touched by depression in some way, it is no doubt an overwhelming experience when it happens.  Habits and routines are changed, and it can definitely be exhausting.  And, for the most part, the changes are not welcome.  Change can be tough even if it is a positive change, so the changes that depression brings can be devastating.

I think it is important to realize that like a diagnosis of heart disease or cancer, a diagnosis of depression can be overwhelming to all affected.  This likely can lead to anxiety and exhaustion as everyone tries to figure out their “new normal”.  Overall, no matter what the diagnosis, we need to be empathetic to all people facing these changes.  And, in general, we should be kind to everyone, because we usually do not know the struggles or changes that everyone is facing in their lives.

How about you?  What changes have you experienced as the result of a personal diagnosis or diagnosis of someone you know?  Was it overwhelming at first?  Did it get easier over time?  My hope is that we can always try to be more understanding of how change affects people.

Faith

Today I want to talk about a newer resource that I have heard about related to mental health and the faith community.  It is from NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and it is called NAMI FaithNet.  Today’s information is largely taken from their website, which can be found here: https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/NAMI-FaithNet

NAMI FaithNet is a resource network of NAMI members, friends, clergy and congregations of all faith traditions who wish to encourage faith communities who are welcoming and supportive of anyone affected by mental illness.

NAMI FaithNet encourages welcoming, caring congregations as well as promotes the vital role of spirituality in the recovery journeys of many who live with mental health conditions, those for whom faith is a key component.

NAMI and NAMI Affiliates encourage an exchange of information, tools and other resources which will help educate and inspire faith communities about mental illness and the vital role spirituality plays in recovery for many.

NAMI FaithNet is not a religious network but includes an effort to outreach to all religious organizations.

NAMI FaithNet includes several sections, including blogs, articles, advice on how to be inclusive and welcoming, tips for how to help a person with mental illness, sample services and sermons, inspirational and healing prayers, a faith and spirituality discussion group, faith support groups, and resources.  As you can see, this website can be a great start to looking for information on spirituality and mental illness.

Although I have not spent much time on the NAMI FaithNet website yet, it looks to contain a lot of great information and assistance.  As I continue to incorporate mental health activities into my church, I am planning to use this as a resource.  I hope that no matter what your spiritual beliefs are, you take a look at this website and see how your beliefs can be a key component in a mental illness recovery.

Wilderness

Currently in my church we have been talking about the “wilderness” in our lives.   Each week, a story from the Bible is used to illustrate a different wilderness that people faced and how they went through it.  Today I want to touch on both the wilderness in my life and how depression could be considered a wilderness.

Depending on who you ask, wilderness can mean many things to many people.  Basically, I have thought about wilderness mostly as something that happens outdoors.  But, there is a deeper meaning, one that can involve a range of emotions and experiences.  Wilderness can be a time of great uncertainty and anxiety.  It can also be a time of confusion.  On the other hand, wilderness can represent a time of great opportunity and positive change.  It can also be a time of growth.  Overall, what sticks out to me is how uncertain the wilderness can be – it’s getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, and I think for most of us that is a big challenge.

In my own life, wilderness is definitely happening.  I have some uncertainty about my career, my finances, and my health, and that is only the first three that I thought of while writing this.  And, I wonder – has there ever been a time in my life that was completely certain?  Is wilderness always present in our lives?

I also think that depression must be a particular type of wilderness.  I can only imagine how uncertain and anxious a depression must be, and it almost has to be uncomfortable.  I think that the wilderness of depression has to be tougher than the wilderness that many of us face, and it comes with even more challenges that I would not know how to describe here.

Have you ever thought about the “wilderness” in your life?  What uncertainties are you currently facing?  Have you always had times of uncertainty in your life?   

Exhibit

Today I had the opportunity to visit a mental health exhibit at a nearby science center, and I wanted to highlight some key takeaways and reminders that came up for me.  Here you go:

1.The exhibit had an interactive display about trying to have a conversation when you are also hearing voices in your head – I have done this exercise before, but every time it still gets to me.  This is a very vivid example of how mental illness can make even basic situations extremely challenging.  A simple and yet powerful way to help you understand what it might be like to live with a serious mental illness.

2.People visiting the exhibit where given the opportunity to write on a card about their own personal story, and reading some of the cards created a range of emotions.  Some were hopeful, others were sad, but all of them shared a real slice of humanity.

3.The history of how mental illness and treatment were viewed was appalling.  Not only was some of the physical treatments absolutely barbaric, but one of the things that truly disgusted me was that mentally ill people were put on display as entertainment for people.  Revolting.  We have come a long way, but there is still a very long way to go.

4.The exhibit had stories of resilience and hope and recovery.  Even though mental illness has been associated with many negative things, it is important to understand that there is always hope and a brighter future ahead.

As the mental health momentum continues, I suspect we will see more public exhibitions, conversations, forums, etc. available to discuss this important topic.  I hope that everyone will get the chance to take part in these activities as they continue to grow, because they all help to educate and advocate for positive mental health for all.

This is My Brave

Today I want to highlight another organization that is tied to mental health – This is My Brave.  Most of today’s information comes from their website, www.thisismybrave.org

This Is My Brave shares that storytelling saves lives.  Their mission is the following: to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues by sharing personal stories of individuals living successful, full lives despite mental illness through poetry, essay, and original music, on stage in front of a live audience, through stories submitted and published to our blog, and via our YouTube channel. 

This Is My Brave was started in 2013 and 2014, so it has not been around all that long, but it has already produced over 50 unique shows in the United States.  In 2017, This Is My Brave went international, with shows in Australia as well.  Although the number of shows has increased, This Is My Brave notes that they are doing this one person and one story at a time.

Personally, I have been to a This Is My Brave show, and it was amazing.  The stories are so personal, and the performances are moving.  I support This Is My Brave and the work they are doing to end the stigma surrounding mental health issues, and I encourage you to catch a live show and check out their online content.  The more stories the better in my opinion, and the more we talk about mental health the less stigma there will be.  I look forward to seeing this organization continue to grow.

How about you?  Have you heard of This Is My Brave?  If not, are you interested in learning more?  If you have heard of them, have you seen or viewed any of the performances?  What did you think?  Have you considered being a performer yourself?  What story could you share with others?