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Mental Health Week – Wrap Up

First of all, a huge THANK YOU to all who have contributed to Mental Health Week(s), through their article contributions and participation in discussions! I am sure the discussion is not over and submissions on this topic are always welcome! I am humbled to have been given this opportunity to provide education and support for individuals who are suffering with mental illness and their families, as well as helping the general population to gain a better understanding of these conditions. Today’s blog provides a few final words on support and will direct you to some great resources in support of those with mental illness.

Advocate Advocate Advocate

The biggest lesson I have learned in the treatment of mental illness is the importance of advocacy. In particular, we are called to be our own advocate – and if we cannot, our family members are called to be one on our behalf. If we want effective treatment and relief of the symptoms of mental illness, these are the things we need to do, and our family members with us:

EDUCATION – We need to learn EVERYTHING we can about the symptoms we are experiencing and if a diagnosis has been offered, we need to learn about our diagnosed condition. Learn about the disease, how it works, the symptoms, how to recognize when we might be in danger (to ourselves or others), what are the prescribed treatments for the disease and what additional supports might be helpful. LEARN. READ. ASK QUESTIONS. SEEK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
MEDICATION – If medication is prescribed to treat our condition, we need to learn everything we can about the medication. Ask your doctor. Look it up on the internet. READ the pamphlets your doctor gives you. How does the medication work? What are the possible side-effects? How do we recognize when it is, or is not working? What are the symptoms that might arise to tell us that the medication is not the best for us, or that it is no longer working? When is it appropriate to cease medication? What does withdrawal look like? What are the counterindications of the medications or possible negative drug interactions?
GRIEF When we receive ANY medical diagnosis, there is grief. This is especially true in the case of mental illness. Learn about grief and how to process grief. Seek the help of a grief counselor or Spiritual Director in helping you move through the grieving process. Allow yourself to grieve, it will prove to be invaluable to your healing.
WHOLISTIC Supports NAMI reminds us that the greatest success in relief and recovery of symptoms of mental illness come out of an integrated approach. Seek supports. Research which forms of support might be helpful to your condition: diet, exercise, nutrition, mindfulness practices, energy work, creative endeavors, counseling, therapy, support groups, service, etc. etc. etc.
NAMI – Check out the NAMI website for your closest NAMI chapter. NAMI provides education and support for those suffering with mental illness, along with their families.

My Favorite Books

As a final source of support, I wanted to share with you, three of my favorite books on the topic of mental illness:

Hidden Victims, Hidden Healers by Julie Tallard Johnson. In this book, Julie provides an 8-step process of healing for family members of those with mental illness.

Waking the Tiger by Peter A. Levine. In this book, Peter describes trauma and its chemical effect on the body, especially the brain. (trauma is often at the root of symptoms consistent with mental illness). He then provides practical tools for the release and healing of trauma.

The Instinct to Heal by David Servan-Schreiber. Servan-Schreiber provides information on seven natural therapies that have been shown to alleviate the symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.

Thank you for your participation in Mental Health Week(s). And if you have articles to submit, I am always happy to share them on this blog. Keep ‘em coming.

Lauri Lumby

Authentic Freedom Ministries

http://yourspiritualtruth.com

Eradicating the Stigma of Mental Illness – Patti Jacobs Hein

May23

Eradicating the Stigma of Mental Illness

Patti Jacobs Hein, MA, LPC

I’ve lived most of my adult life with the multi-layered burden of having two chronic mental illnesses. I used to think of this as a big secret. Now, I enjoy witnessing the expressions puzzled surprise leap into the faces of the people I tell. Their eyes ask me, “How could you have a mental illness? You look so normal. Aren’t mental illnesses only found in those weak-of-character? How can a successful, professional, educated woman be mentally ill?” Fair question. Under the right circumstances of just enough life stress, inadequate coping skills, and heredity, my brain was able to trigger the chemical imbalance that allowed my body to express intense angst and overwhelming despair out-of-context, disproportionate to the actual events of my daily life.

However, does it really matter how I became ill or which illnesses I have? Is it even significant that I have any mental illness? How come we are not as accepting of mental illnesses (and those who have them) as we are of other medical conditions? We have been educated through research, self-help books, film, news stories, and even medication advertising. We have heard testimonials from successful, and usually famous, people who have survived the impact of these illnesses on their lives. Yet, the stigma remains. What is left to do to destroy this attitude of shame?

My bias is that we need to talk about mental illness around the dinner table, over the backyard fence, at the water cooler, and anywhere else the topic may arise. We need to talk about mental illness in normal tones, rather than furtive whispers. We need to talk as if there is no shame in mental illness, because there is no shame in mental illness. We need to talk of mental illness as if it were a physical, medical condition, because it is. Mental illnesses are best described as neurobiological disorders, so let’s refer to them as such.

I rely on medications to balance my brain chemistry so that I can continue to be a productive, satisfied person. I imagine that a person with diabetes or high blood pressure feels similarly about his or her medications. Likewise, I imagine the person who has bronchitis, influenza, or even a headache would want to regain normalcy and health through some therapeutic intervention. Yet, we continue to view people who have mental illnesses as things to be avoided and ashamed of, rather than as people who are simply ill.

Yes, I live with the burden and multi-layered blessing of having two neurobiological disorders. Perhaps the incredulity in others’ response to my perspective of “blessing” only underscores the depth of stigma. Think about the best way humans learn significant life lessons. Through suffering and struggle we discover our strongest attributes, our greatest gifts. The gifts I have received far outweigh the pain I endured. I learned to access my best self to overpower the obstacles in my path. This required my courage and determination, and I created my own success. Now, I tell my “non-secret” in hopes of eradicating stigma. I tell to liberate voices, to open eyes, to free experiences, and to encourage bravery in seeking needed treatment.

Join me by accepting this challenge. Defy convention. Ask questions. Confront others’ attitudes. With courage and determination, anything is possible. I know this from experience.

Author’s Note: This article was originally written in 2001. Since that time my illness devolved into a more severe form in 2005. Then, through experiences that can only be explained (in my opinion) as a miracle, I was able to successfully titrate off all psychotropic medications in 2009. This success is significant in that I had tried several times over the previous 20 years to get off medications, only to experience more severe symptoms. I had finally gotten to a place of acceptance regarding my need for medications and a place of confidence-without-shame in accepting this reality, when my physician advised that I was “ready” to try one more time. I have been medication-free and symptom-free since October 2009. I share this final detail to offer hope to all who struggle: surviving is possible, recovery is possible, and thriving is within reach.

Jacobs Hein, MA, LPC, is President & Professional Counselor for Thresholds, P.C. in Denver, Colorado

ADD and Mental Illness

May22

Today’s blog explores the topic of ADD and some non-professional, personal thoughts on this “condition” and tools that I have found to be supportive in relieving adults of some of the symptoms associated with ADD.

A Collective Growl

On May 13th, when I posted the blog, Mental Health Week – Let’s Get Started I’m pretty sure I heard a collective growl of frustration and disgust when ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) was included on the list of diagnosable mental illnesses. When we keep in mind NAMI‘s broad definition of mental illness: a medical condition that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning, we can better understand how ADD is included on the list of mental illness diagnoses.

Addressing ADD

Because I heard the collective groan over ADD being included in the list of mental illnesses, I felt the topic of ADD as it relates to mental illness might deserve some special treatment. In offering special treatment regarding the topic of ADD, I will be treading very lightly because I am NOT a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker or counselor. That being said, I have worked with many adults who present symptoms consistent with ADD and I have observed some similarities in their temperments and backgrounds that may prove to be useful in developing an integrated approach to treatment. (Please note that this discussion is ONLY regarding adults who are presenting symptoms consistent with ADD and are only my observations. I do not typically work with children so I cannot speak with any level of experience in this area.)

Symptoms of ADD

According to NAMI, there are actually thought to be three different types of ADHD, each with different symptoms: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive/impulsive and combined.

Those living with the predominantly inattentive type often:

fail to pay close attention to details or make careless mistakes in schoolwork, work or other activities;
have difficulty sustaining attention to tasks or leisure activities;
do not seem to listen when spoken to directly;
do not follow through on instructions and fail to finish schoolwork, chores or duties in the workplace;
have difficulty organizing tasks and activities;
avoid, dislike or are reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort;
lose things necessary for tasks or activities;
are easily distracted by extraneous stimuli; and are forgetful in daily activities.

Those living with the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type often:

fidget with their hands or feet or squirm in their seat;
leave their seat in situations in which remaining seated is expected;
move excessively or feel restless during situations in which such behavior is inappropriate;
have difficulty engaging in leisure activities quietly;
are “on the go” or act as if “driven by a motor;”
talk excessively;
blurt out answers before questions have been completed;
have difficulty awaiting their turn; and
interrupt or intrude on others.

I have worked with adults who have presented many of these symptoms and every one of them has shared with me one common experience.

Trauma

Every single adult that I have worked with who presents symptoms of ADD experienced their childhood as traumatic in some way. (Before going into further discussion on this, it is important to note that what is perceived as traumatic for one person might not be traumatic to another. We each perceive our human experiences through a unique lens based on our temperments, upbringing and coping skills.) These traumatic experiences may have come in the form of physical, mental, emotional, sexual or spiritual abuse. Others may have experienced their parents’ divorce, a job change or an illness as traumatic. Some grew up in home environments that to them felt unsafe, unpredictable or simply inconsistent with the needs of their unique temperment. To those born as a highly sensitive person, sometimes life itself can be perceived as traumatic. Whatever the experience or event, it was perceived in their body as traumatic. As a result of the perceived trauma, they developed certain coping mechanisms that allowed them to survive an environment that on some level did not feel safe.

Defense Mechanisms and Adaptive Strategies

In adults that I have worked with who struggle with symptoms consistent with ADD, I have observed certain behaviors that I have come to call adaptive strategies or coping mechanisms. It was through the application of these strategies that these individuals attempted to create a sense of safety in an otherwise “unsafe” environment. While these behaviors may have given them a temporary sense of safety and a temporary sense of having control over their environment, all they really did was create more anxiety within them. The behaviors I have seen look something like this:

Compulsive planning or (what I call) anticipatory thinking. Through this strategy, the brain is occupied with the constant anticipating of “what comes next” or “what might happen” or “the list of all the things I have to accomplish today, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year.” It is the mind’s way of trying to gain control by planning and predicting all the possible events of our lives. It is also the brain’s way of staying in high-alert, on-guard for the next possible trauma or unsafe event. While planning and to-do lists are not bad on their own, when indulged to this extent, they become an obstacle rather than a help on our path. This kind of thinking puts the body always on alert by stirring up the adrenaline we will need to fight or flee the next perceived trauma. The irony is that instead of calming us and helping us to feel safe, this stirring up of adrenaline puts the body and the mind under additional stress and when stressed enough either the body, the mind or both will shut down. This manifests as depression, emotional and mental paralysis, the inability to concentrate on or complete tasks.
High Sensitivity. High Sensitivity might be a case of what came first, high sensitivity or ADD? The specific experience of high sensitivity I am referring to here is, the ability to ”read a room” or “being able to read people.” Through this strategy, we can walk into a room and FEEL if it is safe or meet a person and determine if they FEEL safe. This high sensitivity may be an inborn trait which pre-disposes us to experience our environments as traumatic, it might also be an adaptive strategy we developed to create an illusion of safety in an otherwise “unsafe” environment. If we can determine ahead of time that someone or someplace is not safe, then we can protect ourselves or leave.
Self-Stimulating behaviors. These “adaptive strategies” work in a similar way to the “anticipatory thinking” above. Those that feel unsafe in their environment have to create a system that will help to create the illusion of safety. Self-stimulating behaviors stir up the adrenaline we need to maintain a posture of “high-alert.” Some of these self-stimulating behaviors include: self-destructive behaviors, creating chaos or conflict, stirring up problems where problems don’t exist, use and sometimes abuse of stimulating substances: energy drinks, caffeine, amphetamines, etc.

What happens in the brain and integrative treatment

When we grew up in environments that we perceived as unsafe and when we developed adaptive strategies to create the temporary illusion of safety, we created new thought and behavior patterns in our brain. One of the traditional methods of treatment for adults diagnosed with ADD is medications to either stimulate those states of high-alert or to re-wire those deeply imbedded neuro-pathways. As NAMI points out, an integrated approach to the treatment of mental illnesses has proven to be the most successful and this is equally true in the treatment of symptoms of ADD. The goal with those experiencing symptoms of ADD is to help them to feel safe in their environment without having to use adaptive strategies that in the end prove to be counterproductive. There are two tools in particular that I have found to be helpful in supporting the reduction of stress and increasing a sense of safety in those suffering with ADD.

Trauma Release and Meditation

For those suffering with symptoms of ADD who perceived their environment as traumatic or unsafe, the first goal would be to eliminate the trauma that is trapped in the body. (Two fabulous books on trauma release: Waking the Tiger by Peter A. Levine and The Instinct to Heal by David Servan-Schreiber) There are countless protocols that assist us in the release of trauma: EMDR, Quantum Bio-Feedback, Reiki, Meditation, Creative Visualization, Guided Meditation, Physical movement, etc. Once the trauma has been released (which may prove to be an on-going process), the next step is to create a foundation of safety. Traditional talk-therapy and behavior modification therapy can assist with this process. In addition to this, the tool I have found to be most helpful to creating the sense of safety that effectively lowers our anxiety and stress while giving us the clear thinking channels we need to create new patterns of behavior is good old fashioned meditation. Disciplined attention to a daily spiritual practice – specifically, ones that engage the creative centers of the brain (ie: Lectio-Divina, Imagination-Contemplation, mantra, chant, creative projects, etc.) goes a long way in creating the foundation of inner peace and safety that we need to avoid the stress-inducing adaptive behaviors and create new patterns of behavior rooted in clear thinking and focused attention that will prove to be productive in way that is free from stress. NOTE: to those with ADD, trying to step immediately into silent meditation, centering prayer or zen practice might cause nothing but frustration. Choose a practice that engages the mind and helps it naturally move to a quieter place.

Summary

In closing, ADD is a complex condition the causes of which are not completely known and neither is the sure path to effective treatment. I am simply sharing with you a few things I have observed along with tools that some have found to be helpful in their journey of healing. As is the case in the treatment of all mental illnesses, an integrative approach is helpful. Consult your doctor, your therapist, local support groups and explore stress-relieving practices that may assist you in creating a better quality of life.

Mysticism vs. Psychosis

May21

It has been said that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. In the twelve years that I have been sharing alternative wellness practices (Reiki, Christouch, Spiritual Direction), I have learned that this same fine line exists between mysticism and what would medically be diagnosed as psychosis. Later this week, PhD Psychologist, Tom Altepeter will share his professional thoughts on this subject. In the meantime, please find excerpt below from a blog posted by Seeds of Unfolding (for entire article, click on LINK.). Seeds of Unfolding is a blog created by CAFH an intentional spiritual community and center for spiritual formation and development. In this article, Tomas Agosin makes the clear distinction between mysticism and psychosis – valuable information for those in the helping fields as well as for family members of those who may be exhibiting symptoms consistent with psychosis. If you believe someone you care about may be exhibiting symptoms consistent with psychosis, contact your local NAMI chapter for help.

Differences

Even though there are many similarities between the phenomenology and subjective experiences of mysticism and psychosis, there are also some major differences. As Ram Dass said in a conference on Buddhism and Psychotherapy: “The psychotic brother thinks he is Jesus Christ and only he. I think I’m Jesus Christ, and everyone else too.”

Attachment to the world. The mystic, through practices of self-control, concentration and study, gradually reduces his/her attachment to the world. The mystic sees the material world as transitory and values that which he/she perceives as more permanent, eternal. The psychotic also detaches from the world in that he/she focuses on inner experiences to the exclusion of socially established rules of behavior. But the psychotic is also highly subjected to profound and intense reactions to whatever is in front of him/her. His/her ego boundaries are easily broken down, and because of the incapacity to control emotions, it is easy for the psychotic to shift from one state to another very quickly, leaving the patient with a disruption of any sense of continuity in his/her sense of self and the world.
Self-image. The mystic reduces his/her sense of self to a minimum. The mystic wants to be an infinitesimal point of consciousness, with the smallest possible ego, so that he/she can perceive life in the least distorted way. The personality is seen as a barrier, a filter that does not allow one’s consciousness to perceive life in its truest form. Humility before the enormity of the universe is a common attitude in the mystic. The psychotic sees him/herself as omnipotent and omniscient. There is a great increase in self-centeredness, with a feeling of being all-important. He/she is the center of the world, and only he/she is sufficiently important to matter.
Ego-identity is shed by the mystic. He/she works to transcend the smallness of ego and tries to find a more expansive sense of self. The psychotic has never acquired a strong ego identity and often clings to whatever fragments he or she can find of him/herself.
Serenity increases in the mystic through detachment to the temporal and transient. The mystic identifies with the eternal, that which is most sacred and valuable. In that deep identification, the mystic finds peace and inner tranquility. The psychotic, however, finds little serenity in his/her life. The emotional and mental life of the psychotic is completely fragmented: fear and lack of control of one’s mind are the predominant states.
Change is welcomed by the mystic, who is open to new possibilities. The psychotic person tends to reject change, for anything new brings with it a whole set of circumstances to learn to deal with. This frightens the psychotic patient since he/she has little ego-identity or inner strength with which to meet the new situation.
Thought processes are not disrupted in the mystical experience. In the psychotic experience thinking usually becomes fragmented and disordered.
Aggressive or paranoid elements are found exclusively in the psychotic experience, sometimes to the point of being impossible to control.
Hallucinatory experiences tend to be visual in nature for the mystic. Often these are described as visions of light, superior beings and beautiful panoramic phenomena of a most positive nature. The psychotic tends more often to experience auditory hallucinations, which are usually negative and frightening because they are projected, unacceptable thoughts that person has and can no longer keep buried in the unconscious.
Limited in time characterizes the mystical experience. It is usually short-lived, but it always leaves an intense impression upon the memory and has a profound impact on the person who experiences it. It leaves one with a new sense of oneself and the world.
Psychosis can become a chronic condition.

The consequence of the experience is the most important difference between mysticism and psychosis, and I believe that it often is the only way to truly differentiate between the two:

The mystical experience leaves the mystic more connected and involved in the world. He/she expands his/her capacity to love and to serve. The mystic becomes more appreciative of the beauty and the miracle of life. The mystical experience leaves the individual with a feeling of reverence for all life, embracing every aspect of life and death as sacred.

Psychosis unfortunately most often leaves the person more self-centered. It narrows his/her possibilities of connection with the world because the psychotic needs to protect him/herself from the anxiety that such a connection produces. The psychotic reduces his/her capacity to love because he/she cannot forget him/herself. The psychotic spends so much energy on survival that there is little psychic energy left for more.

Mysticism and Psychosis by Dr. Tomas Agosin

The Relationship Between Schizophrenia and Mysticism by Sandra Stahlman

Psychosis and Spirituality – Finding a Language by Isabel Clarke

Mental Health Week – A Caution for Alternative Health Care Providers

May19

Today’s blog is specifically addressed to those in the alternative helping fields who may be working with or have an opportunity to act as a source of support for those struggling with the symptoms of mental illness. As practitioners, we need to be aware of our professional limitations and to know how to identify when an outside referral may be necessary. Additionally, we need to be cautious when the denial or bargaining faces of grief may be determining our client’s motivations. Today’s blog explores these issues.

Preface

I want to preface today’s blog with the acknowledgment that there is SO MUCH we do not yet understand about the effective treatment of mental illness. While many (70-90%) are able to find relief and even recovery through a combination of supports, including medication, therapy, good nutrition and exercise, mindfulness and stress-relief practices, support groups, etc. we are still a LONG WAY from finding treatments that are 100% effective 100% of the time. As a result, many, including myself, have searched outside of the traditional model for alternative treatments. Many of these alternative treatments have proven for some to be supportive of their goals for healing and relief. For example, NAMI advocates meditation and mindfulness practices as beneficial for those suffering with some forms of mental illness: http://www.nami.org/template.cfm?section=mindfulness. Clinical trials have also demonstrated acupuncture to be effective in relieving some of the symptoms of mental illness. In 2003, the World Health Organization published these findings and issued guidelines for the use of acupuncture in treating certain forms of mental illness: http://www.acupunctureresearch.org.uk/papers/KeyTexts/keytext_acupguidelines.pdf. From my own personal experience with depression, anxiety disorder, obsessive worry and panic attacks, I can attest that I found support and relief through a combination of non-traditional means including spiritual direction, contemplative/meditation practices, talk-therapy, acupuncture, massage, acupressure, homeopathy, quantum bio-feedback, yoga and Reiki. I also know many (including myself) who have also found relief when integrating these non-traditional practices with the traditional Western model.

The Caution

A wholistic approach which combines tools from both Western and non-traditional medicine can be an effective approach to finding relief and even recovery from many symptoms of mental illness. Unfortunately, sometimes the denial and bargaining phases of grief prevents the patient from getting the best possible care, especially when they are using alternative methods of treatment to enable their denial or their bargaining. (See the blog post of May 14, for more on grief as it relates to mental illness) Denial says, I don’t really have mental illness. I’m not depressed. It wasn’t a panic attack. I’m not bi-polar, I’m just misunderstood. I don’t have ADD, I’m just super creative and highly energetic etc. etc. etc. Bargaining says, If I do this…my symptoms will go away and I won’t need to take medication or see a therapist. If I can just find the right combination of foods, my symptoms will go away. If I take a drink or smoke some pot, I feel better, so I can’t have a mental illness. etc. etc. etc. We need to be cautious of the use of non-traditional practices during the denial and bargaining phases of grief, especially when delaying necessary treatments might cause further harm or even death.

From the Practitioner’s Perspective

As a professional in the field of alternative treatments (Reiki, Spiritual Direction), I have seen firsthand the results of denial and bargaining in those struggling with symptoms consistent with mental illness. Many understand the importance of an integrated approach, but for some, alternative treatments provide an easy escape from a medical diagnosis and medical treatment. In these cases, what drives their search is the hope for “the magic pill” that will cure their symptoms without diagnosis and Western intervention. And in a minority of cases, alternative protocols not only enable their denial, but enable the delusions associated with their diagnoses and when pursued could cause further harm. (NOTE: watch this blog for an upcoming blog on Mysticism and Psychosis) As practitioners, it is our responsibility to know our professional limitations and to make outside referrals when our limitations have been met. This will not always be easy, especially when our clients are firmly rooted in denial and bargaining. It is in these situations that we need to exercise “tough love.”

Some Helpful Ideas

As alternative wellness practitioners, we are vulnerable to those who might seek us out during the denial and bargaining phases of grief. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that we can take to protect ourselves while better serving those who seek out our services:

We can become educated on grief and the grieving process
We can learn about the symptoms of mental illness and how to identify these symptoms in potential clients.
Offer a pre-treatment interview with prospective clients. Get to know their expectations, motivations, etc. Watch for signs that other interventions may be more appropriate. Don’t be afraid to say NO and make an outside referral
Require all clients to sign a release form.
Include an “emergency contact” entry on the release form in the event that your client demonstrates signs of needing medical or psychiatric intervention (becomes delusional, paranoid or threatens suicide).
Know your local mental health professionals – psychiatrists, psychologists, counselors. Find out who is most highly recommended. Initiate a collaborative relationship with these professionals where appropriate.
Develop a professional relationship with a local therapist or social worker who you trust and to whom you can go for guidance when you have concerns about a client.
Maintain your own professional health through peer-supervision and support groups, by doing your own work with a mentor, Spiritual Director or Counselor when appropriate.
Maintain strict professional boundaries. Don’t give your personal number to clients. Don’t become their friends. Watch for signs of attachment or dependency.
Become familiar with local support groups for those struggling with mental illness (See if there is a NAMI chapter near you.)
Carry Professional Liability insurance
TRUST YOUR GUT – Your inner wisdom will tell you when something isn’t right with a client and when it is time to make an outside referral or to refuse further treatment.

An Invitation to Practitioners

Now, I would like to hear from the professionals out there. What are some of the tools that you have used to ensure proper treatment for your clients while protecting yourself? What resources have been helpful to you? What are the tools you have used to identify when an outside referral is appropriate?

Mental Health Week – Anita Brougher

May18

Today’s blog post was submitted by Anita Brougher who I connected with on Facebook through the Anne Rice fan page (we apparently share a passion for Gothic horror and spirituality.). I have also witnessed in Anita her advocacy for those struggling with mental illness and I admire her willingnness to share. Anita courageously shares her own experience with mental illness, including the challenge of finding an accurate diagnosis so that the illness could be treated properly. I am especially grateful for Anita’s story because it illuminates what can happen when you are mis-diagnosed and how medications that are supposed to help can actually make things worse when the diagnosis is incorrect. Thank you Anita for sharing your story:

I am Anita Brougher a 37 year old mother and wife, and have been dealing with mental illness most of my life. At age 7 after the death of my brother, I suffered a psychotic break. After years of therapy, I did okay for awhile. In 1985 I had a bout with depression. In 1992 I experienced my first major depressive episode with suicidal thoughts. I coped by digging deep into my creativity; drawing, painting, ceramics, and other endeavors. I was stuck by another depression with intense anger in 1995 and was again in therapy and prescribed Zoloft. By ’97 Iknew it wasn’t working because I was angrier more often. In 2000 I tried Prozac but I became either very happy (manic) or intensely angry. In 2008 I was diagnosed with bipolar type 2 which explained why I had so much trouble on standard antidepressants. I know now that diet, excercise, spiritual grounding, and a creative outlet help me immensely to deal with my illness. Anyone who wants more information can find it on the web and facebook by typing “mental illness” or something more specific into the browser. One in 6 adults, 1 in 10 children suffer from a mental illness; chances are good you already know someone who could use your understanding and support.

Mental Health Week – Patti Jacobs Hein

May17

Today’s blog post comes to us from Patti Jacobs MA, LPC, President & Professional Counselor for Thresholds, P.C. in Denver, Colorado. Patti and I attended high school together and re-connected via Facebook. When Patti saw the invitation to participate in Mental Health week, she enthusiastically responded with two articles. Patti’s journey through depression and anxiety are an inspiration for those who are looking for hope. Thank you Patti for your generous contribution!!!!!

The Road to Recovery

I believe that through embracing life’s challenges we can transcend our current selves. We then discover who we are to a greater depth than ever before. And we are allowed, through this grace, to see how beautifully we have been created.

I do not know any secrets regarding how to recover from mental illness. When I look back at my own progress, I see the hazy outline of the road I created, but cannot recall the details of pace or slope, pitfall or rise. I know not how I arrived at my current destination, but hold snapshots of my experiences in my mind’s eye. I am not alone in these images; I have had many wise guides who have supported me in my efforts: husband, parents, siblings, friends, mentors, colleagues, clergy, and counselors. This is my support system, my community. Without them, I doubt my recovery would have come to be.

The process of recovery consists of many tasks with no specific order. I moved through these stages in a meandering path, visiting one site for a moment then glancing off to rest for a time in another space. Sometimes I would revisit a place, as if I couldn’t understand what I was supposed to learn there. After a depressive episode where I became seriously ill, I discovered the necessity of admitting I needed help. Learning to truly accept “the beast” of my illness was another vital step in learning to transcend my symptoms. I began to fully comply with my body’s need for medication, healthy eating, exercise, and a consistent sleep schedule. I developed effective coping skills. I learned to let go of my intense focus on my symptoms by serving others. I discovered that my illness did not need my constant attention, as I had believed. My illness needed me to pursue my life, to transcend the symptoms by creating the vision I was meant to fulfill.

To elucidate the road of recovery, I share this image:

The path I traveled on abruptly closed itself to me.

clouds thundered in, surrounded me

heavy, heavy rains washed away my familiar places.

I struggled, I fought

but my forest turned on me

tree limbs cut into my tender skin

vines and brambles tangled and tripped me

muddy clay caked my body

I could not even recognize myself.

I called out to my heavens to save me, but did not believe I was heard.

To survive, I fought to find my own way – forge a new path.

It would be much harder than the last.

When my sun came out my vision was blinded.

So, I created new eyes

and found my way among my griefs and fears,

discovering small graces and tiny joys

in quiet places

along my new trail.

Today I pause

I look back on my journey thus far.

I am awed by my gains that my beleaguered efforts made.

When my first path was destroyed

I was certain I had lost all.

I believed I was utterly alone.

When my storm barred my ease

I believed I would gain only pains.

Yet, through my exertions

I accepted my wise guides,

I created my most beautiful joy.

My path is my own

past, present, future

pace, views, anticipations

I continue to create

my journeying identity

Mental Health Week – John Backman

May16

Today’s contribution to Mental Health week comes from John Backman. As a blogger for Huffington Post Religion and an associate of an Episcopal monastery, John Backman writes extensively on spiritual topics, including contemplative practice and its ability to help us dialogue across divides. His new book, Why Can’t We Talk? Dialogue as a Habit of the Heart, will be published by SkyLight Paths Publishing this fall. You can reach John through his website: www.dialogueventure.com. Thank you John for this poignant and forthright article!

Beyond the Light Box and the Meds

This morning I made decaf. The day ahead will require a lot of energy but also some serious focus, and I don’t need to be any more wired than my brain already makes me.

The fact that I even think about this comes from decades of wrestling with anxiety and depression.

So much has been written about mental and emotional health. There are articles about meds and therapy, diet and exercise, meditation and sunlight and support from loved ones. A lot of it is very sound advice. Over the years, I have picked up a few additional insights that help me. Maybe they can help you or your loved one as well.

Life gets better—in a way

It’s not that the problems get easier. It’s that our ability to manage them gets better. When we first moved where we live now, I did what many of the natives do: went to the track for the horse racing. To understand what was happening, I learned to read the Daily Racing Form. Years later, when choosing investments for my retirement account, I realized I could use my Racing Form – reading skills to understand the stock tables.

It works like this with a lot of things. By fighting with your annoying siblings, you learn what you need to manage your annoying boss 10 years from now. By planning a birthday party, you learn things you can use to run a business. Everything in your life builds on everything else—whether you realize it or not—and suddenly you’ve got skills.

Become an expert in yourself

What gives you pleasure? What triggers your issues? What’s the one thing that calms you down no matter what? How do these things change over time? Are there people who accept you for who you are, and how can you reach them in a crisis? How does the weather on any given day interact with all of the above?

I’ve come to realize that TV commercials about depression meds actually trigger my depression. So I will never ask my doctor about [name of med here], because as soon as the commercial comes on, I switch it off. (Well, most of the time.) Same with the decaf: no way am I giving up coffee—it makes me happy—but the switch to decaf is a must if I’m going to manage my anxiety.

It would be easy to turn this into an exercise in anxiety: a rigid list of dos and don’ts and a ton of fear and struggle around keeping to it. But beyond a few don’ts to keep you safe (involving things like drugs, alcohol, or hurting yourself), it’s really about paying attention. You watch yourself go through life, and little by little you solve the puzzle of you. Do this for a while, and not only can you cope more easily, but you’re actually ahead of most everyone else out there.

This paying attention business helps in another way too. The more I paid attention to other people, the more I found out that my issues weren’t unique. In fact, tons of other people struggled with the same things I did. I learned, basically, that I wasn’t alone.

The world needs you

I know how stupid that sounds. This does not look like a world where one person can make a difference. The problems of this world are massive beyond belief.

Ironically, that’s why the world needs you. To keep the human species going, we need everyone. All hands on deck. And it’s not just a matter of quantity. You have something to offer that no one else has. Yes, that sounds stupid too. But consider. Maybe you have a unique way of thinking about the world. Maybe you can write, or create music, or invent things, or inspire people—or inspire certain kinds of people—in a way no one else can. The very fact that you’ve lived mental illness gives you something to contribute. Maybe you don’t know what it is you have to offer. That’s OK. It’s there.

In my teens and twenties, I couldn’t see a blessed thing I had to offer. Being depressed, I had many days when death seemed like the preferred alternative (there still are a few of those days). But now I have a wife and a child, and despite my protests to the contrary, they seem utterly convinced that they need me. Also, I find I can write, and my thinking runs along very unusual lines. So there’s something I can contribute. I suspect no one else can contribute it. Maybe the world needs me too—my one person’s contribution.

The other thing here is, when I contribute it, it feels good beyond belief. I get depressed much less often now that I’m contributing it. You have it too. What is it for you? Ask yourself. Ask around. You’ll find it.

My journey is not close to over. I’m still learning to live with my issues. Some days I win; some days they win. Things are better, much better, than they used to be. I suspect what I’ve written here is not exactly comforting. I hope it’s something I consider more valuable: encouraging—as in giving you the courage to hang in there and find the life that’s waiting for you.

Mental Health Week – Jay Ramsay

May15

Today’s contribution to Mental Health week comes from poet, author, psychotherapist and healer, Jay Ramsay. I first came to know Jay through his book, Crucible of Love, and later, Jay was kind enough to read and write a review for my book Authentic Freedom – Claiming a Life of Contentment and Joy. You can learn more about Jay through his website: http://www.jayramsay.co.uk/. Thank you Jay for this beautiful piece of poetic prose and for being a dear friend and companion on this wild and crazy journey!

Strange Days of the Soul

God must, in some way or other, make room for himself, hollowing us out and emptying us, if he is finally to penetrate into us. And in order to assimilate us in him, he must break the molecules of our being so as to re-cast and re-model us. The function of death is to provide entrance into our inmost selves. It will make us undergo the required dissociation. It will put us into the state organically needed if the divine fire is to descend upon us. And in that way its fatal power to decompose and dissolve will be harnessed to the, most sublime operations of life. What was by nature empty and void, a return to bits and pieces can, in any human existence, become fullness and unity in God. —Teilhard du Chardin, Le Milieu Divin (Collins, 1960) As the saying goes, ‘it is terrible to fall into the hands of the Living God’. In our terms, it is the sudden fate of the ego to find itself out of the driving seat, and plunged into another world of air that is the Self—the one we may find in us who is really there.

My spiritual emergency was a breakdown of seven months during 1989. The run-up to this period was fairly classic: over-exertion, and ego assertion, to the point of burn out. The year previous (my 30th) I’d had seven books of poetry published in a year, and had organized a South Bank launch for my anthology Transformation1. I’d been aware of needing to stop, needing a break, and had been invited down to Tuesley Manor by Viscountess Bronwen Astor, an inspired Christian whose philanthropy extended to making over part of her grounds and a house called The Quarry to retreatants of various kinds, lay and religious. Tuesley Valley, originally a pagan site named after the god Tue, is a potent pocket of land just south of Godalming: one of Nature’s healing places which, like Culbone near Porlock in North Somerset, has a primeval depth. I decided to come as I thought for a month. My plan was to have some space and catch up with my writing without some unwanted pressures, and the hassle of London traffic. One month became seven as my plan fell to pieces. I was basically exhausted but resisting the invitation to let go, not wanting to waste precious time in this unique location. However every attempt to write rose up only to fall flat, grey and lifeless. I felt as if I was sitting in a fog, or rather, something more subtle and insidious, a kind of obstruction in the air that prevented me from making any progress. Slowly, repeated failure became panic as something else, something far more potent, began to take place. This became located in the Christian experience leading up to Easter and then beyond, into the light of the summer. Essentially, this was crucifixion-the death of the ego, and resurrection-the birth of the transpersonal self. At the time it was like hell, a limbo without flames. Some of the intensity of what happened was also no doubt fanned by solitude, long hours alone under the eaves of a large country house where there was no escape. It was as if God was outside all the windows looking in; somehow I knew my number was up.

Perhaps this vaguely paranoid state indicates a kind of displaced self/’Self-’witnessing; certainly it was my ego’s fearful perspective of change, which I came to express in the poetry I did manage to write2. It was also a deeply physical experience as well as being emotional (depression and anxiety). A number of rebirthing sessions with Bronwen, who had trained with Leonard Orr, greatly aided and deepened the process (‘It is dark and the air breaks in freezing waves’); my body responded in a gestalt like way (‘As your hands rise, frozen, half-raised—fingers splayed’), and it was after one of these that I had one of several distinctly emergent experiences. An early evening experience of deepening depression had once again become panic. I withdrew upstairs and sat in an armchair in my room as the light faded outside, simultaneously anxious and furious at this suspension of faculties, willing some final breakthrough to happen. Nothing happened. At least for some minutes. Then I noticed I couldn’t move. My body became as if liquid, deliquescent. I went to lift up my arm and nothing happened. Then the sensation of heat began to appear on my forehead, like fingers gently pressing there— but very hot fingers. There was no avoiding them. The light deepened outside, the lit candle flickered. The heat on my forehead became like a disk of sustained warmth. Then slowly it began to fade; and my power of movement returned.

Because of my work with the theme of Apocalypse, I had been looking at the Book of Revelation. I found myself walking over it and opening it at random. The sentence stared out at me: And the servants of God shall be sealed in the foreheads. The rest is in the poem ‘surrender’, prior to and after this, one of several numinous happenings that became my path, both inside, and outside as I worked in the wild valley garden to clear the length of stream. How did I get through this—especially when it continued to seem so open-ended ? There was a fundamental paradox for me throughout between will (making an effort) and surrender (letting go, handing over). I realize now that in some way they were the polarities of the dynamic process I was in, but I couldn’t get my head around that at the time. Certainly, I learnt to surrender—hence the title of the poem. I learnt to become more Taoist about it, going with the flow. Also I was seriously trying to ‘read the signs’ so regarding as a creative process however (seemingly) impossible, was also very important.

Finally, and as mysteriously a third thing emerged beyond will and surrender and that was intuition, and choice. And in early September, unfinished as the sentence was, I decided: enough. Time to return to London, my patient partner, and the world—or at least my more hermit-like version of it. Somehow the time was right. And as I sat gazing out of the window of my attic room on that last morning at the woodpigeons flying in and out of the still full-leaved trees beyond the stream, wondering what it had all been about or for, a voice quite distinctly in my ears said ‘You had to fail in order to heal’. That was my final lesson, one I am still learning. But as I sat a month later in my little garden shed studio in Kew, working on a long poem, I had a sensation I’d never had before; of a well of strength beneath me and inside me, a well that has never run dry. For then on too, my relationship with poetry as an exclusive discipline changed, and I began to see my work was about people, not just my literary achievement. I began writing my 18 month correspondence course Chrysalis—the poet in you3 , and my one to one work with people began, entering into the journey of psychospiritual therapy4 and healing. ‘And all these things shall be added unto you’. Jay Ramsay

1 Transformation—the poetry of spiritual consciousness, with an Afterword by Sir George Trevelyan (Rivelin Grapheme Press, 1988). Some copies remaining from JR/Chrysalis.

2. Strange Days (Stride Publications as Taxus Press, 1989). Enquiries: RML@stridebooks. co.uk

3. for further details please see www.lotusfoundation.org.uk or call 01453-759436 4. psychosynthesis, The London Institute, Hendon, NW4: 0208-202-4525

Mental Illness and Grief

May14

It is Mental Health week at Authentic Freedom Ministries and Your Spiritual Truth. The goal of this series is to provide support, education and information for those who may be suffering from a mental illness and for family and friends of those who are experiencing mental illness. Yesterday’s blog discussed the definition of mental illness, diagnosis, the effectiveness of early intervention and treatment and where to find support. Today’s blog explores the topic of grief as it relates to a mental illness diagnosis.

Stigma

In yesterday’s blog, I mentioned that the greatest obstacle to the diagnosis and effective treatment of mental illness (Please read yesterday’s blog if you haven’t) is the negative stigma associated with mental illness. Contrary to what many believe, recovery from mental illness is not simply a case of “mind over matter.” Mental illness is a serious medical condition that affects people from all walks of life, gender, race, socio-economic status, religion, level of intelligence, etc. and can be effectively treated through a combination of supports. The negative stigma associated with mental illness prevents people from receiving the help they need and for most, the help that can lead to a happy and productive life. In my personal opinion, the second greatest obstacle to effective treatment of mental illness is grief – specifically grief that is unacknowledged and therefore unmanaged.

Grief as a Healing Tool

Grief is the healing tool that arises naturally in the face of any significant change, loss or disappointment that we experience in our lives. Grief presents itself as a vehicle through which we can process the loss and eventually move beyond it so that we can be open to the new life that is promised on the other side of that loss. Grief is a profound gift because it allows us to experience healing from the loss while it cultivates fertile ground on which new life can begin. When acknowledged and processed (often with the support of a helping professional like a counselor, therapist or Spiritual Director), grief frees us from our attachments to “what has been” and opens us to the gifts of “what will be.” It is only through acceptance of the grieving process and all of its faces that new life can emerge. This is as true in the case of a diagnosis of mental illness as it is in the case of any other kind of loss, disappointment or diagnosis.

Faces of Grief

Many are familiar with the work of Elizabeth Kubler Ross and her exploration into the process of grief. Grief, as she explains it, happens in various stages which include:

Denial
Bargaining
Anger
Depression
Acceptance

Unfortunately, grief has often been presented to us as if it is a linear process with a somewhat predictable progression and endpoint. In my experience, this could not be further from the truth. In fact, I think of grief as a spiraling pathway, much like a labyrinth where we move back and forth between the “faces of grief” (as opposed to stages which imply a linear process) and back again. I have also learned that grief is not a finite process. In the face of significant loss (death, terminal diagnosis, loss of cognitive or physical functionality, divorce, etc.); grief can be a life-long process. We may think that we are “done” with grief, and will find ourselves surprised when it resurfaces as a result of certain triggers. It is important for us to recognize these truths about the grieving process so that we can navigate the hills and valleys without doing further harm to ourselves.

Grief and Mental Illness

When we first begin to experience the symptoms of possible mental illness and when a diagnosis is received, grief enters into the picture. Specifically, in the forms of bargaining and denial. No one wants to be depressed, have panic attacks or be “labeled” as mentally ill. Unfortunately, the negative stigma attached to mental illness often prevents us from remembering that this is not something to be judged as negative, or to be ashamed of, but something that can likely be managed and effectively treated through proper medications and other supports.

Seeking Support

If you or someone you love is facing a mental illness diagnosis, it is of vital importance that the grieving process be tended to in conjunction with the proper medical and cognitive care. Meeting your grief head-on will not only help you to process your grief more quickly, it will also hasten the successful management and potential relief of your symptoms. Support can be obtained through your counselor or therapist, Pastor or Spiritual Director. As not all professionals are trained or have experience with grief, it may be helpful to ask before setting up your first visit. Local mental illness support groups can also provide a vehicle through which you can process your grief when facilitated by a trained professional. The bottom line is that tending to grief is an integral and often overlooked part of the journey toward management and potential recovery in those with mental illness.