Advocate Support Blog

Annual Maryland Schizophrenia Conference - 2008

Maryland will be holding its' annual Schizophrenia Conference on Thursday, November 6, 2008 at the BWI Airport Marriott.

This event is sponsored by:
• The Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, Mental Hygiene Administration
• Mental Health Services Training Center, University of Maryland
• Spring Grove Hospital Center
• Maryland Psychiatric Research Center
• Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland
• NAMI Maryland
• Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland
• VA Capitol Health Care, Network
• Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center
• Sheppard Pratt Health System

The contact for this event is Wendy Baysmore, 410-646-7758

On-Line Registration will begin mid September

Check their web site for updates: http://trainingcenter.umaryland.edu/

Download Schizophrenia.2.pdf

Check out Mental Health Notes

Advocate Support Blog just received a nice mention today on Mental Health Notes, by Alicia Sparks. So, I thought it only decent, to mention her site and provide a link to the post, CHECK OUT THESE NEW MENTAL HEALTH BLOGS, which also lists other mental health blogs worth checking out.

I am not just returning a nice gesture. Mental Health Notes is a site worth visiting. Alicia is a writer who does her homework, frequently cites many sources to support her positions, and clearly puts a lot of thought into what she posts. Although, she does sporadically comment on an actor, whom she adores, and stars on a Fox television show which I'm not hip to.

Anyway, Mental Health Notes is a good resource for anyone interested in mental health and I urge you to visit and subscribe if you like.

Depression

To learn more about depression and bipolar, check out the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.

If you need immediate help or if you are having thoughts of death or suicide, call
1-800-273-TALK or if you need immediate assistance call 911
or go to a hospital emergency room.

Someone Please Call George Bush

If anyone reading this has direct access to President George Bush, I urge you to contact him immediately and tell him that Hurricane GUSTAV will be hitting the Gulf coast sometime between 8 am Monday morning and 8 am Tuesday morning according to the NOAA National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center. He can access more detailed information on the "internets" by clicking HERE.

On a serious note, I have seen that evacuations are already occurring and I hope that Gustav doesn't cause any damage and that no one is hurt.

Mental Health & Poverty

I found this video, "UK MEET ON CHILD MENTAL HEALTH IN AFRICA". Africa was the main theme at a medical conference held this month in the UK. Professionals discussed how to best improve mental health treatment of children across Africa.

Poverty causes mental health problems and mental health problems cause poverty. This is as true in Africa as it is everywhere, but Africans have some unique views of mental health symptoms.

African American Mental Health Facts

The National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI, has published facts about mental health for the African American community. I don't really care for the title, but the document contains interesting and important information such as:

Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing.

African Americans are less likely to receive diagnosis and treatment for mental illnesses.

Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability (lost years of productive life) in the North America,
Europe and, increasingly, in the world. By 2020, Major Depressive illness will be the leading cause of
disability in the world for women and children.

You can read the entire document HERE.

Going Back to School: Resources That Can Help

As the days of summer wind down, kids coast to coast are heading back to school. For parents, teachers, and caregivers, the start of the school year is often exciting, but it can be difficult for kids of all ages. Peer pressure, bullying, and social anxieties can take their toll on kids in hallways and classrooms. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) can help.

Research-based and practical information is available for you as your children transition from basking in the summer sun to zippering up their backpacks to head back to school. Whether kids are starting second grade or senior year, resources are available to keep them mentally healthy and drug free.
Check out what SAMHSA has to offer and make the best out of the back-to-school time for your children.

Family Guide: Back to School

SAMHSA's Family Guide Web site dedicates an entire section to "Back to School" resources. Everything from helping with homework or issues making friends, to dealing with the back-to-school blues is covered.

SOURCE: SMAHSA eNetwork, August 27, 2008

iTunes U

If you have access to iTunes, which you can get for FREE, you have access to a wealth of information which is produced on various topics by colleges and universities. iTunes U is a growing library of video lectures and demonstrations, most of which are completely FREE.

Most of the videos I have watched seem to have been designed as part of a curriculum and the breadth of the material is almost as vast as a semester course list.

To find topics of interest, you can access specific topics, like mental health, anxiety, depression, etc., by conducting a "Power Search" and then entering the topic that interests you.

Below is an introduction to iTunes U from Apple. Feel free to contact me if you need any assistance, and as always, I appreciate any experiences or comments you have.

- Jim Crosson

Who does your Psychiatrist work for?

Does your psychiatrist make you feel that he/she works for you? You should. If you don't, you should bring this up to him/her.

Homeless People Using Drugs?

I just read a post on Mental Health Update, "Homelessness and drug use", which was posted by John Gale this morning.

Here's an excerpt:

"Homelessness and drug and/or alcohol abuse often go hand-in-hand. Homeless people who abuse drugs and alcohol are more likely to demonstrate ineffective coping skills, low levels of self-efficacy and to end up in prison. They are also vulnerable to hepatitis and HIV, victimization, sexually-transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, depression and suicidality. A focus-group study of 54 homeless and drug-using people between the ages of 18 and 24 looked into their attitudes to drugs and what they saw as the facilitators of and barriers to good-quality health care. Participants saw substance abuse as a health risk and a barrier to care but also as an adaptive response to psychological pain and survival on the streets."

I am glad that people are studying these issues because they need attention.

It is more than apparent to me that someone who is homeless would abuse alcohol and other drugs.

Homeless people are worried about shelter, the weather, food, bathing, clothes, what little belongings they have, the police, people they encounter, and many other issues. It is extremely stressful to be homeless. They become stuck in poverty and can not see a way out. They begin living moment by moment. Their future prospects, hopes and aspirations begin to fade as the pressures of their situation bear down upon them and eventually they loose hope as they begin the process of acceptance and survival.

Homeless people, like most people, use alcohol and other drugs to reduce stress, escape and to feel better or different.

Why wouldn't they?

Can you honestly say that you wouldn't?