The News & Recovery

As far as mental health in the news all I have seen is people trying to get the insanity plea.  I guess I would too if I was facing life in prison.  You can go to the state hospital and walk the grounds and see women. Eat at the cafeteria there.  What I cannot believe is what makes them think they can be found guilty by reason of insanity.  I have been to both prison and the state hospital and I know what awaits them in both places.  Although I only had small time to do at both, I was not facing life.  Although that is the sentence they give is one day to life in the state hospital.  Unless you have a high profile case like these people do, you only do at least five years before you get a second chance at society.  I also know what being insane is like.  I will not forget as I do not want to be that way again.  I now take my medication and enjoy my grandkids.  There is too much life to throw it away by committing a crime or becoming insane again.
 I’d rather be free out here taking a walk and enjoying life even if it seems hard sometimes.   The only thing I miss about the old days is my uncles.  I wish they could see how my life is now and see their grandkids.  It is more enjoyable going and watching my grandson play football.  Then just looking to get high and try and forget your troubles. I cannot wait for spring to arrive.  This winter I have not been able to walk as much and as far as I want.
Until last week I usually rented movies that are close to my apartment.  Now I am getting them as far away from my apartment as I can so I can get in my walking.  I want to lose a lot more weight this spring and summer and keep it off next winter.  My grandkids are growing up and I want to be around to see the youngest grows up.  Last week was pretty good I was able to walk for a half hour a day.  I know this winter instead of losing weight I gained a couple of pounds.  I have not weighed myself although a person knows.  Have not felt like going to the fitness center to work out just think of the cold and put it off.  
 I am taking losing weight slow and know I will lose and be at the weight I want to be in the next couple of years.  I have time out here now.  I can be a little more patient than I used to be. I am free and that is what I always wanted all those years of being locked up.  I enjoy life now and it goes on real nice. 

The use of Health Literacy

Health Literacy is, “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions”.
http://nnlm.gov/outreach/consumer/hlthlit.html
Health literacy not only involves being able to read, it also involves listening, being aware of what you are to understand and having decision making skills. The client or consumer must also have the capability to apply these skills to help the clinician or therapist make any necessary decisions. Poor literacy lends to the knowledge of the clients health, income, employability, education level and can lead to discerning not only the race group yet also social standing. To improve the quality of health care, patients and providers have to work together to maintain communication. Patients must take a role in health related decisions and develop strong information skills in order to be aware of their own health. Health care providers must utilize health communication skills and educators need to provide printed information using understandable language.
Clients and consumers today are faced with complex information and treatment decisions. There are many avenues patients are required to have some knowledge of if they are to begin to understand what their illness is about:
1. Evaluation
2. Analyzing
3. Calculating
4. Interpreting
5. Locating health information
In order to carry out these task consumers must:
1. Be visually literate
2. Be computer literate
3. Be information literate
4. Be able to calculate and understand numbers
As consumers we need to be able to be understood when discussing our health concerns and describe our symptoms, we also need to be able to ask the right questions and we should have a need to understand spoken medical advice and/or treatment directions. Health literacy also includes the ability to understand and be able to search the internet and know particular web-sites which give medical information and definition to medical terms used during sessions with our therapist or clinician.
Written by Donald S.

Control over my Life

It’s kind of estranged when your reality is not synchronous with the world around you; you might begin to think something’s wrong, that you might be schizophrenic and of course there are other illnesses which can cause symptoms, like delusions or hallucinations.  Getting the correct diagnosis is the first step in getting help.  As I had become a drug addicted teenager, I found I had very few friends and lost the respect of a good many people; success was not in using drugs, and I began to understand that there was something not quite right with the way I thought.  Fear began to eat away at my mind, having no friends my age, those I gained were much older than me and I didn’t understand anything about them, except drugs and alcohol.  As I grew older and finally taking psychiatric treatment, Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous seriously, knowing I was the cause of my own problem, other problems began to set in.  My social life had changed, not so much because of my past association with drugs, yet my physical health did.  Bad bladder, constant diarrhea, headaches and pains in knee joints and arms, I thought I was falling apart again, only this time physically.  I began to feel I was truly mentally ill besides being sickened by other health issues.  I did not concede to give thought that these illnesses were affecting me socially, yet they were and before I began my cessation of drugs and alcohol, I had no perception of any illnesses at all, yet those people I tried to associate with believed differently.

These health issues did affect me in the beginning and eventually the illnesses caused my few friends to wander into the sunset leaving me standing alone in my fears and anxiety as I began to avoid social fraternizing simply because of the control I was losing over my own physical health.

So how do you see your life as wonderful again, after nearly destroying yourself and those you love.  You can change your life for the better by taking care of yourself, both mentally and exercising physically, meeting new people in places where you would share some commonality and by maintaining your belief in that your treatment is working because you have gained confidence.  Take control, even if you might believe it will take some time to cure your illness, take the necessary steps and relate this to your doctor or clergy; he or she is a professional and they are the ones who can provide you with an effective working treatment.

Written by Donald S.

Barriers in Mental Health Treatment

Mental Health Treatment is available for anyone, children and adults men and women of all ages; yet many people do not solicit treatment for various reasons. This may be a denial of treatment which can lead individuals into a worsened condition, causing a breakdown in not only the physical health, yet also mental health, legal, marriage, employment and escalated drug use. There are certain barriers which cause people not to seek mental health treatment, believing that the illness will pass and also believing that psychiatric care is not beneficial to their needs. There are financial concerns and for this reason many people do not seek the help they need and this leads us into racial groups, age, culture and gender groups who may be seeking help yet cannot because of their financial means.

The reality of those suffering from mental illness is that these people do not realize they are suffering or are ill, unlike having a physical illness. Any one person can believe that their behavior and mentality is normal yet may be experiencing disordered thinking and this is where the family can intervene and help in stabilizing the individual.

The ability to reach Mental Healthcare services is another barrier to treatment. Transportation and responsibilities are reasons why an individual may not be able to connect to mental health services, not to mention hospitalization in the city and the waiting list the mentally ill are waiting on slow treatments and these people often give up on waiting for these services.

Self stigma is another reason barriers exist in people seeking mental health care realizing stereotypes could damage their lives and relationships as well as embarrass and cause fear of what their peers may think of them as they may need services from mental health. As I had first sought treatment out of the concerns of my family, I experienced embarrassment and began to fear those I had associated with as friends due to my connection with mental health and the taking of medications to curb my drug use and the illness which beset me. I couldn’t pay for the services as I was in between jobs; I eventually stop seeing the therapist. Yet time passed and I was helped onward with state funding and was able to continue treatment. This is only a brief episode of the barriers I had to eventually overcome, as will the many who seek a better life free from their mental barriers.

Visiting Old Neighborhood

I went this weekend to visit my old neighborhood and old friends. I had not been over there in at least six months. Riding through my old neighborhood I was hoping to see a lot more of the people that I used to see a lot when I lived there. I did not see that many. The friends I did visit though it was good to see them and talk to them about how life is treating them now. I asked how friends were that I did not get to see. I was glad to hear they were doing well. I was sad to hear that they are not happy in the old building with the new ownership. That is one reason I moved from there. They are hoping they get new owners. Although as I told them it is not always greener on the other side, they were hoping these owners were better that the last management. It turned out to be worse. Sometimes it is better not to ask for a change and let things be as they are. They are still waiting for light rail to be finished next year. I am too that way I can visit a lot more that I do. The bus service there is still awful. I try to keep in touch with my old friends from there. A lot of the people that I knew for years have passed on or moved away like me. Hopefully they will get new owners that are better and not in the business just for the money. It was a good visit and very nice seeing the old neighborhood. I know it will be a while before I can get that way again. Hopefully I can spend more time next time.

Summer and Mental Health

Summer time has appeared and as many perceive, it carries an attitude of being lax and free from the constraints of being shut in from the winter cold and the dusty winds of spring and fall. As Mental Health consumers tend to travel about, trying to keep active or even those who have not had the fortune of adapting to the mental health system whom may be troubled, we must be aware of the hazards both of nature and society during the summer season.
Before I became a part of Recovery, I wandered aimlessly through the city streets, not without a purpose, but with the intent to keep myself satisfied. I was a drug addict then and with a court record. I seldom worked even temporarily, so I had plenty of time on my hands. Being vagrant is not fun, and finding that people tend to look over the more unfortunate characters in life made it somewhat unbearable.
The best thing to do I found later on during my recovery, is to make sure you have shelter; an apartment, living with family or even a bed and rest or city/state sponsored shelter. Keep active for the better part in seeking a means to educate yourself, in finding a more permanent home, or entertaining yourself through social activities such as, swimming, bike riding or even gardening. You’ll find summer is the season to plant and tender the garden of your desires and that the beauty of its sunrise and sunset is the purposeful accomplishment of your wishes.

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.

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

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

Growing in Recovery

I wanted to think I was proud of myself after spring break, yet before the fall of my own ego. My self esteem had risen as had my grades and acquaintances could care the more or less. There are many episodes we face in life. Life itself, death, joy, heartbreak and there are others which cause us to break away from one emotion to the next. It’s as if we are watching a movie and with our own eyes, relating to one emotion to the other. At most when people interact, in our contact, we become not only judgmental of one another; we also define one another sometimes without pity or respect. During the regrouping (Recovery Stage) we find ourselves lost in defining how people look at us. Old acquaintances, “new friends”, even family members, as well as fellow employees, even strangers, we have been judged, yet while we are growing, we are defining what we see of life, how we see ourselves. This is the time people who have handicaps need strength and truth to build their hopes, so that they are unafraid with the same regard. Believing in different techniques to change and do the best you can is being motivated and willing to accept the challenge of conquering attitudes of failure or actions which are impulsive. Acceptance has more than one meaning as well and in the methodologies of the concepts of behaviorism it means you can accept yourself in the world amongst other human beings. Being aware mindfulness means we should look back and on the inside of ourselves and about us and understand at that instant not yesterday or the future. Belief is the key word which forms a relationship between itself and knowledge accepting your philosophy and what is relative to you-truth. Written by Donald Sammons

Sick and Recovery

I am just getting over being sick with a sinus infection. I get them once a year, because of my allergies. I was only home for two days and was getting bored with TV. I was not up to doing my recording or anything else, like talking on the phone to family and friends. All this and Donald’s blog had me thinking about my old friends in the building I use to live in. I first moved into that building back in 1994, it was still mostly elderly residents. Although they had to open it up to people with disabilities, because of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A lot of people who were there when I first moved in have died or moved away. I still go there twice a year to keep in touch with the friends and learn about friends who have moved away like me. When I first moved there I was going to college and everyone who worked there does not now. I had no plans on moving from there. I was kind of forced out by the new manager who also was a friend or so I thought. I do not believe she learned the lessons me and my friends did about friendship and helping others. I watched her start there as a receptionist and work her way up to manager. As a manager she changed. She has since quit after I left. That is the only reason I am allowed to go visit my friends. I hope I never change, because good friends are hard to come by.

Health and Discpline

I believe health and discipline go hand in hand. Like to exercise you have to have the discipline to exercise as many times a week as the goal you start with. I was exercising four times a week. Lately it has only been twice a week, and that means that I have to have the discipline to get back on schedule. I know you say I will exercise tonight and then something comes up and you say I will make up for it tomorrow then something else comes up and a week is gone. I just have to do it as soon as I get to my apartment. Once I put on my music and start exercising it is fast and easy. It is the starting that is hard for me. As far as my eating that has been going good. At my last doctor visit I had lost two more pounds. I hope I am eating healthy, although what has caused the weight loss has been my cutting down on portions. I feel the same if I eat one sandwich or two. That part is easy too. I was reading on the healthy skeptic this week about taking supplements. He says that if you can get the vitamins from food all the better. I like liver once in a while but not all the time, or even once a week. I believe that if you read the websites and do things in moderation it will all work out in the end for the best. It is easier to exercise in the summer. I do have to get back on schedule.

Becoming A New Being

Have you ever watched a building being constructed? A plot of land is excavated within the earth, a frame is built within as a premise to the building itself, in short a foundation is set. The structure begins to take shape, concrete is poured, bricks are laid, and beams of wood and steel arise. Our lives are like this! We take a step, we look, we think and proceed on the premise we get to where we are going, and we will accomplish in short what we set out to do.

When it comes to mental health, being consumers, (clients) we have to make, build a foundation, in order to overcome our disability. We must excavate the thoughts, ideas, attitudes and characteristics which may cause our illness. Fear, envy, strife, jealousy, delusions, illusions, all of these and more must be moved in order to build a new life.

Part of building a new life is adding onto those abilities which not only give you strength to overcome your abilities, yet also bring new ideas of which you can share. I began attending classes recently, and even though I had some fears concerning work and schooling and my ability to maintain both endeavors, I began to relax after the first day, though I still had not so very good an idea about success in either direction. I accepted the fact that I can learn, not only to build my self esteem, yet also to give back to my employer and company, so that they know I want to become a better employee as well and become self sufficient at my job.

To grow is to nurture the self and accept new ideas, letting stagnation become replaced with a working faith which you will want to share. We want to accomplish something in life by building a foundation which relies on our strength and our abilities with the realization that we may be helping someone to become a better person, with our belief. That is showing integrity, with hope as part of your recovery.

Written by Donald Sammons

More on Stigma

I know I just wrote about stigma, although what I’ve read on the news lately has taken mental illness recovery back three steps. I believe it is hard enough for people with mental illness. You do not even want to mention you have a mental illness even if you are recovered and doing well. An article like this one called: “Don’t Look Away” has brought stigma back to the fore front. The article states don’t look away or the stranger next to you might kill you if they have a mental illness. The article says one of the reasons that there are these random acts of violence is because of underfunding. Who wants to fund places that serve people who are represented so unfavorably? This article is talking about California. In the state of Washington they printed an article similarly titled the same thing “Don’t Look Away”. One of the articles in that says: “State pays in Blood for Flawed Mental Health System”. If I were to read this and not have a mental illness I would not see the underfunding. I would see that the mentally ill are dangerous. I believe like anything else that does not make the news. Are there articles or new stories about people who have recovered and are doing well in society? That kind of news does not sell as well. I was thinking about that with all the news about this shooter in Arizona, which I will be writing about in next week’s blog. We need to hear about good stories of recovery and not just on blogs, but the news.

A World of Responsibility

Our world and the universe itself changes from second to second. This is change is material and spiritual and is a part of the physical and emotional change we live, day to day. We have to be willing to change if we care to live, our ideas, our friendships; nothing is greater than the alternation of our lives. With this change is courage and honesty, to know the reality of ourselves, our needs, and of this is responsibility; owning up to our decisions.

Responsibility is such, causing us to take the obligation to what we are entrusted to; whether it is work or play, we are entrusted to understand through to completion what we are capable of doing, or what we want done.

I find myself always, when in a bind with a project whether at work or at home with an excuse that I cannot complete the project or have forgotten what I need to know, to make things work, in short I am always apologizing because I was not responsible. I think of running at this stage, yet some one always says this is ok, it only means I need space to carry out my mission.

A phrase written by Tom Rath in Strength Finders says, “Apologies are not enough. Excuses and Rationalizations are totally unacceptable. Your will not quite be able to live with yourself until you have made restitution.” Does the world or the universe turn its back and go another way, I don’t think so.

Think of responsibility while you are in Recovery, you must make the choices to become an earnest person again. Think of your life as needing a change, a need to grow beyond the square box you have been living in without shelves. Know you want to understand where you are, to whom you will give and how you will grow especially with others and with determination.

Written by Donald Sammons

Accepting Recovery

The first principality of being is acceptance. It is happiness and personal growth; we say, do we accept it, and in doing so we go forward and not; we turn our backs to find what we seek. When we refuse to accept it, there is usually frustration or anxiety, and we struggle within and this is where the pain becomes a part of our reality; non-acceptance.

Acceptance is seeing the way things are and realizing how you feel, if we do not accept something which is to our liking, we try to control the situation, we become demanding. Have you tried to stop the world from being? One thought cannot change its existence! Maybe you just want to control life around you; can you control yourself?

Singularly we are the one part of the universe we have authority over, ourselves, and if we can’t control our thoughts and feelings how can we control others; through our willingness to accept what we cannot change.

To change something is to accept it; much as an artist with a blank canvas. He begins to change the canvas with paint, and slowly it becomes a scene or a portrait or something of feeling or conveyed thoughts. Something unacceptable to the artist; a canvas, becomes something acceptable, not only to the artist, but to others who behold the changed medium.

We begin by accepting ourselves and to remember we are a part of the world; accepted. We think and we feel, and this we accept. We have to practice acceptance, much as we accept ourselves, to learn of what we want to accept, realizing that being ourselves we are bound to make mistakes yet with change there is acceptance.

I left my aspirations for what others dream,

Why am I alone?

To perceive another’s fancy

Or to say I am sorry.

Written by Donald Sammons

A New Year

It feels like 2011 will be a better year than 2010 to me. Some of the things I am looking forward to in the New Year are to continue to work. It helps with money and my self-esteem. It also helps my mental illness; I hardly think about having a mental illness, because there is so much more to think about: work, and life. I am looking forward to having my youngest grandson, two years old, start coming to my apartment with my other two grandkids when they come to visit some weekends. It will keep me busy and happy to have him join us. I am looking forward to learn new ways to keep healthy by reading blogs like the healthy skeptic. I’d like to see fewer stigmas about mental illness in the coming year. People like Ron Artest of the Lakers supporting it and talking about mental illness helps a lot. From what I read in blogs and the news it will still take years to achieve less stigma. Some of the news about teenagers thinking they are cool by faking a mental illness like Britney Spears and others have is not helping either. Also in the New Year I hope our economy gets better and more people get jobs. There is a lot to look forward to in the New Year.