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support

World Mental Health Day 2016

I talk about the subject of mental health EVERY SINGLE DAY. Therefore, with today being World Mental Health Day, I thought long and hard about how I’m going to say something any different than what I wrote on this day last year and what I say in my job as a psychiatrist on a daily basis. So here’s what I came up with:

NOTHING.

No joke – I literally sat in front of my computer for hours typing idea after idea, sentence after sentence, complaint after complaint about our mental health system when I decided to scratch everything I wrote and opted instead to free write the following thoughts:

Issue 1: Mental health impacts EVERYONE…whether we choose to acknowledge it or not. The topic of mental health is considered taboo in many cultures and remains highly stigmatized in society. However, in order to break the pattern of silence which gets passed along generations, we must acknowledge our own mental health issues and create a sense of safety within our own families to feel open enough to discuss issues as they arise, thus modeling a healthier way of communicating.

Issue 2: We often tell people “don’t be afraid to ask for help,” yet when they finally decide to seek resources, the first place they may end up is on a long waitlist to see a mental health professional, yet mental health professionals are overworked and becoming burned out trying to meet increased demands and make up for the lack of resources. The bigger issue is that more funding and resources are needed to bridge the gap in order to meet the need.

Issue 3: If you Google ‘World Mental Health Day,’ the top articles on your feed likely consists of links that highlight the Duchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Prince Harry’s public appearance today to raise awareness of mental health and support the mission of Heads Together, the mental health organization they helped create. I love their theme for World Mental Health Day, which encourages people to celebrate anyone who has supported them through a difficult time using #ThereForMe. Support is absolutely necessary for everyone, especially those struggling with mental illness.

Personally, through each struggle I’ve experienced, I have always been thankful for the support I received. Often when my patients are struggling, they feel comforted knowing they have at least one person they trust to reach out to. I hope that someday each one of us could feel open enough to be that person to someone because addressing mental health isn’t something we should have to go through alone. Rather than waiting on legislation to create measures that prioritize mental health, we can each act now by identifying ways to address our own mental health and be more present for those close to us who might be in need of support.

By the way, I realize that I posted this blogpost quite late today, but I suppose there was no real sense of urgency because in my mind, World Mental Health Day is EVERY DAY.

October 11, 2016 8 comments

Featured Guest Blogger

How An Advocate With Bipolar Disorder Gained Strength From The Online Community

written by freudandfashion

When I first became active on social media, I was pleasantly surprised to find a number of mental health advocates who were so open about sharing their stories of living with mental illness to the public. Rudy Caseres was one of the first advocates I connected with. What impressed me the most about Rudy was his willingness to share his ups and downs of living with bipolar disorder. Attaining stability hasn’t been easy, and I find myself cheering him on because he is the type of person who pushes forward and embraces each triumph. He is the type of person who will motivate you and lead by example (even if the role might have been awkward at first, I find that to be one of his most endearing qualities). Therefore, I’m excited to have Rudy contribute to my blog as he discusses his motivation to share his story and become a speaker for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

_______________________________

To have a sense of belonging — I used to not know what that felt like for the longest time. I was always the last person to be picked in team sports. I never got the lead role in school plays. I’ve been rejected by more women than I can count. Fun, fun, fun.

So, naturally, I was not too optimistic when I entered the world of mental health advocacy. To begin, I was already apprehensive about discussing my bipolar disorder in public. I had not yet told my dysfunctional family and was dreading having to explain myself to them. But I knew I could not hide the truth any longer. I did not want to feel ashamed.

It just so happened that during this time I began to be consumed by mania. I convinced myself that I was never mentally ill and that I didn’t need anyone’s help to “conquer the world.” Even though I kept telling myself it would never happen, I eventually crashed into a terrible depression. It felt as if the bottom had fallen out inside my brain. I had a real illness.

As debilitating as that experience was, I did not want it to get in the way of telling my story to the world. Well, such a task is easier said than done! My brain had tricked me into believing I was hopeless. Just getting words to appear on my laptop screen felt insurmountable. I was ready to give up on life just days after believing I had complete control over the world. This is bipolar.

I struggled at first to find peers I could be myself with. I felt insignificant amidst all of the established and well connected advocates. At first I tried to fit in like the new kid on the playground. But, like I experienced during middle school, I felt left out. Rather than giving up like I had with so many goals, I began reaching out to people online with similar stories who were also struggling and feeling lost. I was amazed by how many wonderful people were out there speaking up about mental illness in their own little corners of the world. We accepted each other and they encouraged me to also speak up and not settle for pessimistic fatalism. It was as if none of us were lost as long as we had each other’s back. So, speak up I did. Not only do I continue sharing my story online (like this wonderful blog ran by one of my many allies in the mental health world!), but I am also a speaker for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) where I share my story across the Greater Los Angeles area.* And, someday across the world!

My friends and I don’t always get along and, for sure, mental illness can make one do and say very regrettable things. But we’re all one great big, very interesting family. We have to live with our terrible, terrible illnesses, but we’re still eager to make our mark.

Despite our minor differences, we all want to live in a world that possesses the following: no one is ashamed of their mental illness, no one is discriminated based solely on their mental illness, and the word ‘mental illness’ does not have such a negative connotation. It is possible. I believe this. They do, too.

I never used to consider myself an ‘advocate.’ But, now that I know what ‘advocate’ truly means, I own the title proudly. This world is constantly revolving. People fall off while others are getting on. Some even get back on. I’m still new to this. But, I’m not the only one. I brought my family with me and together, we’re ready. We are the new advocates and we have found our place.

*Opinions expressed in this story are solely my own and may not necessarily reflect those held by NAMI. I’m only speaking for myself.

Bio: Rudy Caseres is a public speaker and writer sharing his story of living with bipolar disorder. He loves engaging with people far and wide, both online and off. You can follow him on Facebook and find the rest of his social media presence at RudyCaseres.com. Mr. Caseres was born in San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA and currently resides there today.

May 7, 2016 4 comments

Medicine Psychiatry

Reach Out And Connect With Someone

written by freudandfashion

{Rancho Cucamonga, California}

I’m approaching a new phase in my life by moving on to a new practice, which will be my second job out of residency. As excited and hurried as I was to leave my first job and move on to the next, with this being the last week in clinic, I’d have to say that I’m quite sad. I’ve had several friends tell me that they don’t get along with their coworkers, that they haven’t developed friendships with anyone on staff, that they mostly are “in and out” of clinic to see their patients and get all the documentation done while minimally interacting with their peers. How fortunate am I to have developed a sense of family and strong teamwork with those whom I work with?

I hear that one of the drawbacks of going into private practice is a sense of isolation not having a team of professionals to bounce ideas off of or interact with on a daily basis. However, I do know that the practice I’m joining will provide valuable experience learning what it’s like to practice psychiatry in a different clinical setting. And even cooler is that the actions and morale of the group I’m joining have given me enough confirmation to prove that I’ve made the best choice for myself and my career.

If you notice a theme in several of my posts, it’s the concept of “family” and teamwork. I have several patients whose stress levels and depression gets triggered or exacerbated by a sense of loneliness and isolation due to lacking the friendship, camaraderie, sense of belonging, and the support we as humans need. Numerous studies have found that social relationships provide emotional support and contribute to stress relief and better quality of life. The following are some examples of how social support enhances mental and physical health:

Addiction
- Recovery from substance use often leads to the dissolution of former friendships that were associated with an individual’s propensity to use drugs or alcohol. Therefore, recovery-oriented support (such as 12-step programs) are critical early in treatment as someone begins to build and develop a healthier network of support. Higher levels of social support are linked to decrease in substance use whereas lower levels of social support prospectively predicted relapse.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- for childhood sexual abuse survivors, a combination of self-esteem and appraisal support (an individual’s perception of being valued by others and that he or she is capable of getting advice when coping with difficulties) was useful in preventing the development of adult PTSD.
Cancer
- Supportive group intervention for women with metastatic breast cancer has been associated with lower mood disturbances and less maladaptive ways of coping with terminal illness.
Work Stress
- Social support at work has been shown to have direct benefit on workers’ psychological well-being and productivity.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Identifying and building your own support network can take quite some time and effort, but the enhancement on your quality of life will make it well worth it. Which supports do you identify as being most integral in your day to day life?

October 22, 2015 21 comments

Psychiatry

Go Green!

written by freudandfashion

I spent this Sunday partaking in what practically 50% of Americans are fans of: watching pro football. I looked in awe at the stylishly bright, slick, and sporty pink athletic gear that each team member wore in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I wished that Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 5-11, 2014) received just as much media and support.

For me, Mental Illness Awareness Week means promoting empathy rather than sympathy. With empathy comes understanding and lessening of stigma. Even as a psychiatrist, there are times when I feel awkward asking friends about depression, so I can imagine how difficult it might be for anyone to openly discuss and start a conversation about mental illness. But keep in mind that mental illness is far more prevalent than you may think:

– 1 in 4 U.S. adults suffer from mental illness

– 1 in 10 Americans take antidepressants

– Almost 50% of children ages 8-15 with a mental illness received NO treatment last year

Yet, despite how prevalent it is, suffering from mental illness is often lonely and isolating and nobody should have to feel that way.

So what can YOU do?

– Go Green! Wear lime green this week to serve as a reminder and trigger discussion among others about raising awareness and destigmatizing mental illness

– check out the Nami website to learn more facts about mental illness, treatment, and resources

– try to lend support rather than avoid. If you sense that someone you know is struggling, please check in on them. It sounds so simple, but you can make a difference and potentially save someone’s life

THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Share one thing you did this week to show your support (post in comments below)!

October 7, 2014 4 comments