*This post is by Sarah of Puss Reboots*
Parents of children (under the age of 18) with mental health issues should know about California's Mental Health Parity Law (AB 88).
Since July 2000, California health plans have been required by law to cover treatment for nine diagnoses of severe mental illness (SMI) and serious emotional disturbance (SED) in children.
· Schizophrenia
· Schizoaffective Disorder
· Bipolar Disorder
· Major Depression
· Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
· Panic Disorder
· Eating Disorders (Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa)
· Autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder
· Serious Emotional Disturbance in children and adolescents
The law is aimed at children under the age of eighteen and they must meet certain criteria listed on the SPD Bay Area site.
Regardless of age, there are a number of online resources for Californians suffering from mental health problems:
· NAMI California
· Depression Screening
· California Resource Guides at SAMHSA
· About.com California
· Bay Area Community Resources
· MHEWC
· Freedom From Fear
· MentalHelp.net
· California Department of Mental Health
· California Department of Education
· California Black Women's Health Project
· California Department of Managed Care
Friday, July 24, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Article: Straight Talk About Psychosis
---- This article was not written by me. It is being reprinted with permission ----
I like to talk about psychosis- I want people to see that it has been around forever and that it's a very normal part of many mental illnesses, especially bipolar disorder- and yet it freaks people out. If you've ever been psychotic, it freaks you out too!
Here is a brief definition.
Psychosis is defined as a loss of contact or break with reality, which shows itself in a number of different ways including the following: paranoid thoughts- is someone talking about me, looking at me funny or following me? Hallucinations- where you see, hear or smell something that isn't there. Such as a rat running around a chair or hearing a voice that says, "Julie, you need to get out of this store!" Suicidal thought such as, 'Take that gun and kill yourself," are psychotic. I had my first p sychotic thoughts in the form of hallucinations- when I got stressed and I was standing on a street corner- actually that doesn't sound too good- when I was waiting for a cross walk light- I saw myself walk into the street- and get hit by a car. My body would fly in the air and land right on the street in front of me. It scared me a lot. I used to call these visions 'death images' because I didn't know what they were. I thought everyone had them. I used to see a lot of dead bodies and severed hands when I walked in the woods too. That is just one symptom I had. These are all psychotic hallucinations.
Then there are delusions- where you have very unrealistic or even bizarre beliefs. I once drove by a beer commercial billboard and thought, "Is that a message for me? Did I do something wrong with that beer last night?' I would never drink that nasty beer anyway- but it seemed real. Psychosis is basically your brain going wonky- all of the chemicals and neurons that normally process information correctly start to process information both internally and externally falsely. What is hard to explain if you've never been psychotic is how real it feels. For example, when I get paranoid, I really believe it. Even if there is absolutely no information to prove that the feelings are real. Paranoia was always really bad for me in a classroom setting.
I've learned to manage my psychosis by keeping away from my triggers such as large groups, arguments and messing with my meds. I know the first signs that I'm getting sick and I talk myself out of it. If a voice tells me I have to leave somewhere, I say to myself, "Actually, I don't. That is just a voice and I'm not listening." I can work around it now- and I always know that when I get psychotic, I'm doing too much.
Mild psychosis can be self treated and major psychosis can be prevented by knowing the signs it's starting and getting help immediately. This may sound unrealistic, considering how serious psychosis can get, but there is usually a treatment window.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Julie A. Fast, best selling author of Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder and Get It Done When You're Depressed is a critically acclaimed six-time author, award winning bipolar disorder advice columnist, national speaker, and sought after expert in the fields of bipolar disorder and depression. Julie's work specializes in helping people manage all aspects of their daily lives - despite the complications that bipolar disorder creates. To learn how to personalize a plan to help yourself or a loved one find and create stability that ensures the quality of life that we all deserve, visit: BipolarHappens.com
I like to talk about psychosis- I want people to see that it has been around forever and that it's a very normal part of many mental illnesses, especially bipolar disorder- and yet it freaks people out. If you've ever been psychotic, it freaks you out too!
Here is a brief definition.
Psychosis is defined as a loss of contact or break with reality, which shows itself in a number of different ways including the following: paranoid thoughts- is someone talking about me, looking at me funny or following me? Hallucinations- where you see, hear or smell something that isn't there. Such as a rat running around a chair or hearing a voice that says, "Julie, you need to get out of this store!" Suicidal thought such as, 'Take that gun and kill yourself," are psychotic. I had my first p sychotic thoughts in the form of hallucinations- when I got stressed and I was standing on a street corner- actually that doesn't sound too good- when I was waiting for a cross walk light- I saw myself walk into the street- and get hit by a car. My body would fly in the air and land right on the street in front of me. It scared me a lot. I used to call these visions 'death images' because I didn't know what they were. I thought everyone had them. I used to see a lot of dead bodies and severed hands when I walked in the woods too. That is just one symptom I had. These are all psychotic hallucinations.
Then there are delusions- where you have very unrealistic or even bizarre beliefs. I once drove by a beer commercial billboard and thought, "Is that a message for me? Did I do something wrong with that beer last night?' I would never drink that nasty beer anyway- but it seemed real. Psychosis is basically your brain going wonky- all of the chemicals and neurons that normally process information correctly start to process information both internally and externally falsely. What is hard to explain if you've never been psychotic is how real it feels. For example, when I get paranoid, I really believe it. Even if there is absolutely no information to prove that the feelings are real. Paranoia was always really bad for me in a classroom setting.
I've learned to manage my psychosis by keeping away from my triggers such as large groups, arguments and messing with my meds. I know the first signs that I'm getting sick and I talk myself out of it. If a voice tells me I have to leave somewhere, I say to myself, "Actually, I don't. That is just a voice and I'm not listening." I can work around it now- and I always know that when I get psychotic, I'm doing too much.
Mild psychosis can be self treated and major psychosis can be prevented by knowing the signs it's starting and getting help immediately. This may sound unrealistic, considering how serious psychosis can get, but there is usually a treatment window.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Julie A. Fast, best selling author of Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder and Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder and Get It Done When You're Depressed is a critically acclaimed six-time author, award winning bipolar disorder advice columnist, national speaker, and sought after expert in the fields of bipolar disorder and depression. Julie's work specializes in helping people manage all aspects of their daily lives - despite the complications that bipolar disorder creates. To learn how to personalize a plan to help yourself or a loved one find and create stability that ensures the quality of life that we all deserve, visit: BipolarHappens.com
Sunday, July 19, 2009
I'm off to Girl Guide Camp
I'm leaving soon to be a Leader at a Girl Guide summer camp. I'll be gone until Saturday July 25th however I have a few posts set up to automatically post during the week so be sure to check back and feel free to leave comments of course!
Remember, eat well, get sleep, get exercise, deep breathe and do some relaxation every day!
Remember, eat well, get sleep, get exercise, deep breathe and do some relaxation every day!
Friday, July 17, 2009
Mental Health Magazines
I was scanning the internet for mental health magazines and this is what I found. If you know of others, please comment!
BP Magazine (US) (Internation orders accepted but more expensive, however...)
BP Hope (CA) (Same magazine as above, but I think you can order from Canada for normal price)
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Plant a Flower for Children's Mental Health
Today's Parent magazine has a campaign for Healthy Kids 2009. Read about the Healthy Kids campaign.
Want to plant a flower for Children's Mental Health?
Also check out:
Parenting a Child with Bipolar Disorder
What to do when access to treatment for your mentally ill child is delayed
Kids and Anxiety
Mental Health Resources (Canada)
Want to plant a flower for Children's Mental Health?
Also check out:
Parenting a Child with Bipolar Disorder
What to do when access to treatment for your mentally ill child is delayed
Kids and Anxiety
Mental Health Resources (Canada)
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Coping Skills... What do you use?
Coping skills are what you do when you are feeling bad to help you feel good again. There are ineffective coping skills which either don't help at all or help a bit in the beginning but are bad in the long run, or effective coping skills which can truly help you. See how many from this list you use.
Ineffective:
Isolation
Neglecting Self - especially hygiene
Avoiding the problem
Abusing substances/self harm
Over or under eating
Constantly complaining
Blaming others
Not discussing feelings
Effective:
Seeking and accepting help from others
Taking care of your self
Looking at options, asking for help
Maintain balance in your life
Maintain boundaries, set limits
Express anger, guilt, fear or journal
Place no blame, make no judgements
So what coping skills, (effective or non-effective) do you use?
Ineffective:
Isolation
Neglecting Self - especially hygiene
Avoiding the problem
Abusing substances/self harm
Over or under eating
Constantly complaining
Blaming others
Not discussing feelings
Effective:
Seeking and accepting help from others
Taking care of your self
Looking at options, asking for help
Maintain balance in your life
Maintain boundaries, set limits
Express anger, guilt, fear or journal
Place no blame, make no judgements
So what coping skills, (effective or non-effective) do you use?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)