Life

It is not too bad living this life. Even when you are having a bad day and life keeps throwing more bad stuff at you. I had one yesterday, I will not go into details of everything that went wrong. It just seemed that I had to work twice as hard to do regular duties. I almost canceled my hair appointment after work. It was too close to the appointment time and I could not do that to my brother. After all he cuts my hair for free. I thought I will go to my appointment, and then go home and relax. I still had bad luck on the bus home. I said maybe I should have just stayed at home today. I went home finally and thought, life is not that bad after all. I have a lot to be thankful for. I do not have bad days that often. In fact this is a first. I probably made it worse by thinking about all day. I have beautiful and good grandchildren. I have a good job. There is a lot to be thankful for when things are going bad. I am a paranoid schizophrenic. I am usually upbeat, so it is hard for me to understand otherwise. That is why I do not understand depression or when others do not bounce back like I do. I always just change my outlook to the better when I feel down. I try to look at how others are affected when the same things happen to them. I know it is hard sometimes, although I feel it cannot be bad forever. There is always tomorrow!

Spirituality in Mental Health

What is spirituality and what is its relationship to Mental Health? Spirituality is a belief in a power greater than you; it is a sense of connection and an awareness of life and such values. Personal spirituality can exist outside of anyone religion, yet the acts of compassion, peace and one’s personal nature involving life are also a part of spirituality. In the past, in the early beginnings of Medicine, the ideology of body and spirit were melded together; yet with the technological revolution and “enlightenment”, spirituality has become distant and slowly removed from the Medical system.

Faith, Hope, Forgiveness, Love and support from society and family and prayer are a part of not only religion, yet also exist with social groups and other networks, in order to improve not only peoples coping mechanisms, yet to help them with social acceptance, positive and negative emotions, behavioral skills, depression, anxiety and stress. So although spiritualism of the past may not be the instance in the 21st century of curing maladies and illness’ and abating such, it is a part of the connection which lends strength to those who are willing to believe.

In Mental Health we search the avenues for creativity, nature, dignity and to have closeness with others we can trust; a sense of life. What is found that in all that is sought, outside of religion, is no different than an association with Mental Health; teaching spiritual skills in which all the above mentioned can help anyone to become a better person, it you are willing to make a commitment.

Written by Donald Sammons

Health

I am writing another blog on health again, although I think you will find this one a little different than the other blogs. Health is still very much in the news. There is one article titled “Is our obsession with weight misguided.” In this article the author says “being overweight or obese does not put people at significant health risk.” You are probably saying how this could be. Well she goes on to say “Rather, factors like fitness, activity, nutrient intake, weight cycling, or socioeconomic status are far more important in determining disease risk.” It is not your size that puts you at risk. What the article does say is that you cannot just sit in front of a TV and eat junk food. I do not eat that much junk food at all. Although I am trying to not just be a couch potato. With spring coming I am finding myself wanting to go out and take a walk around the pond in my apartment complex. To get some daylight and meet people that also lives there. All I see now is the people who live close to me. My apartment complex is very large. There a lot of people who live there to meet. With spring coming the swimming will start again. That is also good exercise - like work, walking and meeting people. It also takes your mind off problems. It makes them easier to solve. The important thing about this article is not how big you are but how fit you are. Do not just sit around but get out an exercise.

Excerpts on “What is Mental Health”

In the past, scientists have defined health simply as "an absence of disease or illness." However, in 1948, when the (WHO) was founded, the following definition of health was established: "A complete state of physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Mental health, as defined by the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, "refers to the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity." On the other end of the continuum is mental illness, a term that "refers to all mental disorders.

While there is no official definition of mental or emotional health, these terms generally refer to our thoughts, feelings and actions, particularly when faced with life's challenges and stressors. Throughout our lives, mental health is the foundation of our thinking and communication skills, learning, emotional growth, resilience and self-esteem.

Environmental Factors: People are affected by broad social and cultural factors as well as by unique factors in their personal environments. Early experiences, unique to individuals, such as a lack of loving parents, violent or traumatic events, or rejection by childhood peers can negatively impact mental health. Current stressors such as relationship difficulties, the loss of a job, the birth of a child, a move, or prolonged problems at work can also be important environmental factors.

Cultural factors such as racism, discrimination, poverty and violence also may contribute to the causes of mental illness. Poverty is especially significant: according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, people in the lowest socio-economic status are two to three times more likely than those in the highest strata to have a mental illness.

changes

I thought my clinician and me had worked through change. Although I believe it still affects me. That is until I settle down and work through knowing change happens. Even a change in the weather affects me. If I leave my window open and a storm is brewing, I wake up and have a hard time falling back asleep. Small changes do not affect me anymore. Although big changes still do. Even if a person feels they are recovered. You still have to do the work to stay recovered. If I work through change in my mind it will work out O.K. Before my mental illness, change did not bother me. It happened all the time. I would go to jail, I would hate it. Although when you live that kind of lifestyle it was part of life to go through changes I could handle them then. I would not change back to that kind of lifestyle. My grandkids do not know that I was once in prison. They are good kids and I do not want to bring that subject up. Because I do not want to glamorize that kind of lifestyle, it was a lonely life back then. I did not know how to change it for the better. I was stuck in that life. Now I look forward to when big changes do not affect me at all.

The Other Side

Have you wondered what your life would be like if you had no Mental Illness or any other disability? Seldom do people converse about what this would be if they weren’t as they are. The comforting thought, “I am alive”, and that can’t be any other way. Yet as I think, ages ago, I tried to overdose, purposely and of the three attempts, I survived, with fear in my heart: I lived!

Now that life has changed for me, another fear has arisen; can I maintain my sobriety, can I keep the symptoms of my illness in check? I am aware I am not a superhero, a man without fear after traveling so far, yet I can make believe that I can be a man of my own convictions.

What keeps others as well as me “going” in this world of many woes? I can’t say that I can answer for others, yet form myself it’s in keeping faith and belief in others, most of all faith in myself. A strong spirit will carry you into forever, without ill mind, or ill health. You can see far if you belief you will see that far, where there is truth. If a man wishes to cross the stream or a river he will cross it with careful steps till he reaches the other side. Believe in what you want to reach, believe in yourself and the other side is not faraway to be seen.

Written by Donald Sammons

Delusions

I was reading a small article that states “Psychosis keeps up with the times.” It talks about how delusions keep up with what is going on in the world at the present time. For example “…more patients after 1950 believe they are being spied upon is consistent with the development of related technology and the advent of the Cold War.” That is very interesting because my delusion when I was mentally ill was that there was a transmitter in my teeth that was reading my mind. One other person in the State hospital with me had the same delusion. I had that delusion after reading an article in the National Enquirer about them putting transmitters in people. I never asked the other person who had the same delusion as me where he received his delusion from. I guess you can come up with a lot of delusions when you are mentally ill. I would not believe that story when I was well, but it just stuck with me for some reason. When I was mentally ill a second time in the State Hospital, I was taking a typing program on and Apple computer. I had to ask them to take me back to my room because the words were jumping out at me. That has never happen again. Although I will always remember that day, because it is strange how modern technology can fuel delusions. Now that I am on medicine I know longer have those delusions. I can work on a computer without words coming at me and it is great.

Physical and Mental Health

As I have wrote about in previous blogs, people with mental illnesses die 25 years younger than the rest of the population. It is not because of mental illness, but complications from diabetes, and other physical causes. Also I have recently found out because my Aunt has diabetes, that if you get diabetes, you have it for the rest of your life, however if you exercise and eat right, they take you off insulin or pills. If you do not continue to live that same life style that you have. Then diabetes will resurface ten or more years down the road. It is good to have your physical health checked. If you exercise, and receive check ups regularly also eat right a person with a mental illness should live a lot longer. I know all people have a drive to live as long as the can. As I have said before I do want to see my youngest grandchild get married and see him have a good life before I die. That is one reason I exercise and eat smaller portions. I still have sweets during the week. Although it is not everyday, what I usually snack on at night when I am home is a combination of nuts and craisans that I mix together. If you do not have exercise equipment, walking helps tremendously. I know when I walk I sometimes depending on how much I walk, I feel a lot better. MHCD has two programs that deal with your physical health. The programs are Pricare and Integrated Primary Care and Wellness. It is good too have them combined with mental health. People can get checkups regularly this way.

Let Patience be a Virtue

It may sound as if I am using this blog site as a diary, when in fact; I have helped myself to some astounding views about myself. Having the opportunity to attend a semester in a city college, to upgrade my knowledge for my employed state I realized I had not tolerance or patience for what I was doing until today. Working, going to school, keeping an apartment, single and taking Psychotherapeutic medicines is a chore. I never thought that being associated with MHCD would get me this far, yet I did the work and am still working on keeping my Mental Health symptoms in check.

When they say Patience is a virtue, it seems to me to be something beautiful. Time is not the enemy in Recovery, it is the self. We struggle to be unknown, to be accepted to be allowed to follow the footsteps of those we trust. Most of the time, we do not wait to “check” where we are headed and then again, if you are trusting, as I am, you’re still unsure of where you will be going. Mistakes can be made; yet with guidance we succeed somewhat in that we have pleased others as well as ourselves, and that is important.

Waiting is not patience. Waiting entails pacing and “twiddling” fingers and funny faces. Patience is thought and wisdom, guiding and being guided by truth and understanding. I followed some advice and I want to keep seeing into the present before me, without running beyond it, with understanding that I can keep feeling better.

Written by Donald G Sammons