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The greatest story ever told (about mental illness)
2007-12-02 07:14:00
There are stories on mental illness that inform, educate but don't connect with the people.Many reporters will tell you: It's the one subject they hate writing about more than any other.Once every 10 years, however, somebody like Michael Winerip of The New York Times, comes along and writes a piece that reads like a lyrical poem. Word for word, you can sense the passion he has for the subject. And the end result is that the reader has passion, too, because they find a way to relate - and even be entertained.And maybe they can spur - and even shame - public officials to act, as Winerip did after this May 23, 1999 piece, entitled "Bedlam in the Streets," was published in The New York Times Magazine. Then-Gov. George Pataki of New York ordered a complete review and modest overhaul of the state's mental health system.Here is the story - and it deals with Andrew Goldstein, who was notorious for pushing a 32-year-old woman to her death on a subway platform eight years ago:Bedlam on the...
More About: Mental , Story , Mental Illness , Told , Illness

How to cover mental health - and abide by the moral imperative
2007-11-30 16:21:00
To paraphrase Bob Woodward, journalists – and their readers – should seek the truth or, more realistically, the “most obtainable version” of it.But in its coverage of crime that involves people with mental illness, the media has consistently produced information that is incomplete, inconsistent and, as a result, untruthful to the point of outrageousness.In such matters, the media needs to grasp the complexity of mental illness – which would include developing an understanding of the background, symptoms and effects of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other illnesses – before going to print or doing a broadcast.But the media has too often chosen the low-road and typically gone for the fear-mongering, consumer-driven components of a story rather than promoting a profound understanding that – if they tried – could attract the same amount of readers they normally get, as well as perform a public service.The media also have failed to provide a consistent balance in the...
More About: Health , Mental , Mental Health , Cover , Moral

From WSJ: In case of a psychiatric emergency, read this:
2007-11-29 06:12:00
Before there were living wills, people were just left to die.And if they had a mental illness, they were left to suffer.Now - as noted in this entry from the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog - there is a movement to prevent either situation from reaching a crisis point.And, as the blog noted, it was the Terri Schiavo case that highlighted the importance of giving family directives on what to do when patients are unable to communicate their wishes.The piece, entitled, "In Case of Psychiatric Crisis, Read This," talks about Psychiatric Advance Directives, or PADs.It notes: "PADs are legal documents that patients can prepare to state in advance of an acute psychiatric crisis what medications, hospitals and other treatments they would prefer or like to avoid.Twenty-five states have laws allowing PADs. In North Carolina, a sample form includes such items as preferences about electroconvulsive therapy, or ECT, and tips for medical personnel on how to minimize the use of restraints or se...
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PTSD is not just a "war thing."
2007-11-26 17:03:00
Post-traumatic stress has a long reach.But one of its most misunderstood qualities is that it only applies to soldiers who have served in the battlefield.In fact, it can affect people of any age and stripe - including teenagers and young adults who live in the peaceful fields of suburbia.And anyone can encounter the kind of heartache and mental anguish that many soldiers feel when they struggle in their return to civilian life.This is the story of Jill Manges, as reported by insidehighered.com:Jill Manges guesses that if she’d suffered an epileptic seizure that day in class, she’d still be enrolled at Eastern Illinois University. But Manges, who has post-traumatic stress disorder, instead suffered a flashback during French history that led her to shout and sob uncontrollably.“I can’t deny the fact that what happened was disruptive,” says Manges, who was sentenced to a year-long suspension by the university judicial board last month for violating two sections of the student...
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Let's remember everybody during the holidays - including those in harm's wa
2007-11-24 17:10:00
As the holiday season begins, we remember not just friends and family. In this post-911 world, we remember the 140,000 men and women who are serving in harm's way in Iraq and Afghanistan.They're the soldiers who have to worry about whether they'll see their families again when they drive on some God-forsaken road through the heart of Baghdad, where some garbage can, road sign or even a person attached to an IED could blow up in their face.And we remember that, hopefully, they will come home from that experience and live a life that is much like the one they lived before - though, so far, evidence has pointed to the contrary.Suicide rates among soldiers and ex-soldiers are skyrocketing. The military, to its credit, has tried its hardest to avoid a post-Vietnam situation and give soldiers post-service care as way to ward off post-traumatic stress disorder and other illnesses.So far, that hasn't been entirely effective. This space published the photo of the "Marlboro Man" last week...
More About: Holidays , The Holidays , Everybody

Giving thanks isn't always so easy to do
2007-11-21 13:15:00
The stores were closed, and the streets were empty. Working on Thanksgiving, or so we thought, was an easy way for a journalist to make extra money.Then, around 7 p.m. or so, the sirens would start blaring. The police scanner would buzz with words like “man down” and “four-alarm fire.” Fire trucks would rumble passed our newspaper office.“Can you go cover that?” an editor would sheepishly ask. “Of course,” I’d say. It happened so often, I came to expect it.Next thing I knew, I was spending Thanksgiving evening at the Cranberry Bog restaurant in Manahawkin , N.J., filling my empty belly with pretzels and cheese doodles.About 10 years ago, I finally got around to asking a police officer why Thanksgiving always transforms itself into one of the busiest days for law enforcement.“It’s the Hatfields and McCoys,” he said. “You get two brothers who hate each other, and their mother wants to see them both. From there, you can fill in the blanks.”Year after year, t...
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Who's "crazy," and is that such a bad thing?
2007-11-19 12:08:00
It would be cliche' to say that, to bloggers, Bill O'Reilly is the gift that keeps giving. It would also be inaccurate.He's more like the cold that won't go away, the rash that won't stop itching or the headache that can't be cured by a double dose of extra-strength Tylenol.Once again, our favorite target recently used mental health stereotypes to attack people on a personal level. But, as this Miami Herald columnist writes, it's not necessarily a bad thing.Sometimes, it helps the cause when the repeat offenders continue to perpetuate stereotypes and promote hysteria. It allows people like myself, and Andres Oppenheimer, to expose their ignorance.Who’s crazy, me or Bill O’Reilly?By Andres OppenheimerOn Nov. 8, I had the distinction of being called “a crazy columnist” and a “nut” on prime-time television by conservative Fox News anchorman Bill O’Reilly for a column I had written about the urgent need for a comprehensive solution to America’s immigration crisis....
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Having bipolar disorder is no means to an end
2007-11-17 15:22:00
Stephen Puibello was diagnosed as being HIV positive and having bipolar disorder at the same time, in 1997.But life doesn't end, even after getting a double-whammy.So last year, Stephen came up with www.BiPolarbear.us, a website that serves as a clearinghouse for people who experience the illness - including contact information and medical referrals.It also provides personal stories - like this website - that resonate with people who suffer from bipolar disorder and educate those who have no connection to it at all.But it also should inspire, because having bipolar disorder and HIV has not brought the Cliffside Park, N.J. resident down. In fact, the dual diagnosis has picked him up, and inspired him to act.He said he was inspired to create the website after participating in an AIDS awareness ride last year."On the ride, HIV riders were offered a RED Flag if they chose to promote awareness," he said. "Being bipolar, I wanted to promote that as well, and when you arrive at the site y...
More About: Bipolar , Bipolar Disorder , Diso

From Marlboro man to PTSD
2007-11-13 16:37:00
From the San Francisco Chronicle:The photo of the "Marlboro Man" in Fallujah became a symbol of the Iraq conflict when it ran in newspapers across America in 2004. Now the soldier has returned home to Kentucky, where he battles the demons of post-traumatic stress.The photograph hit the world on Nov. 10, 2004: a close-cropped shot of a U.S. Marine in Iraq, his face smeared with blood and dirt, a cigarette dangling from his lips, smoke curling across weary eyes.It was an instant icon, with Dan Rather calling it "the best war photograph in recent years." About 100 newspapers ran the photo, dubbing the anonymous warrior the "Marlboro Man."The man in the photograph is James Blake Miller, now 21, and he is an icon, although in ways Rather probably never imagined.He's quieter now -- easier to anger. He turns to fight at the sound of a backfire, can't look at fireworks without thinking of fire raining down on a city. He has trouble sleeping, and when he does, his fingers twitch on invisib...

For people with eating disorders, now is the time to "get high" on their bo
2007-11-12 19:32:00
As Sara Evans (left) might sing it, people with eating disorders shouldn't feel like they're "nailed to the ground."Not when the National Eating Disorders Association is around to raise them to new heights - and spread awareness of their plight.That's why the NEDA's 2007 Every BODY is Beautiful Auction has opened for bidding, with the goal of raising $30,000 to support the organization.The auction items include:- a California Dreamin' Weekend in Malibu- two tickets to a Sara Evans Concert, as well as "meet & greet" passes (Evans is the honorary chair of the auction).- a David Ortiz hand-signed official Boston Red Sox jersey- a Hope Star necklaceRegistering for the auction is easy. Check out the NEDA's auction website at www.nationaleatingdisorders.cmarket.com and click on “Register” in the upper right corner.In less than a minute, you'll be ready to "fly.""Born To Fly" by Sara Evans (Sara Evans/Marcus Hummon/Darrell Scott)I've been tellin' my dreams to the scarecro...
More About: People , Time , High

Using "loon" as a weapon - and turning it into a whole new language
2007-11-09 22:34:00
When a public figure slurs a group of people, what usually follows is an apology or some other public demonstration of humility.But the more he's cornered, the more Bill O'Reilly fights back.Now that he's under attack for his repeated use of the word "loon," O'Reilly appears to be using the word more often than he was before. It seems like he's reinforcing his obvious bias against people with mental illness more often than he promotes his line of clothing - and that's no small feat for a self-promoting egomaniac like O'Reilly.Just three months ago, a quick search of "Bill O'Reilly" and "loon" on You Tube yielded no more than 10 entries. Now the list is endless - page after page shows O'Reilly equating "loons" with pedophiles, violence and other forms of inappropriate behavior. Other talk-show hosts who imitate him have caught on, too, and they're speech is riddled with references to "left-wing loons" and other groups who, in their minds, are crazier than they are.So, Copin...
More About: Language , Loon , Weapon

A loss by any other name is still a loss
2007-11-08 14:09:00
Their burning homes turned into ash, melted steel and crumbling concrete. Their possessions, their memories and their lives went up in smoke as wildfires raged for weeks near San Diego.Like Hurricane Katrina, the recent California wildfires exposed life's fragility - even if the death toll was nowhere near that of the 2005 storm that flooded New Orleans.But a person doesn't have to experience death to feel loss, health experts say.Steve Resnick, a New Jersey psychiatrist, says many people associate their home with their personal identity. When that's lost, it can feel like someone is "losing a part of themselves," he said.When people watch their home burn to the ground, they may ask, what can I save? More important, they may ask, how do I save myself -- physically and emotionally?It's especially traumatic, he said, if there is loss of photos, videos or family heirlooms, "which might have been passed down for generations, adding a component of guilt for breaking the chain.""Losin...
More About: Loss

Identify the mental illness before the tragedy takes place
2007-11-05 19:17:00
It doesn't usually happen with physical illnesses. Before the problem becomes severe, there's a diagnosis.But time and again, mental health issues aren't discovered until the worst effects appear. They're issues that not often - but sometimes - lead to tragedy.Recently, an 18-year-old opened fire at Delaware State University; a 14-year-old in Ohio shot four students and teachers before committing suicide and another 14-year-old was arrested for allegedly plotting a shooting spree at a Philadelphia high school.And then, of course, there was Virginia Tech.Cho Seung Hui, the shooter in the mass killing that took place earlier this year, may not have had a serious mental illness relative to other diagnoses, as the National Alliance on Mental Illness pointed out. But the possibility opens the door for reflection on the nature of mental illnesses, how to deal with them and what can be done in the future to prevent such tragedies, mental health experts say.In New Jersey, the Safe Schoo...
More About: Tragedy , Mental Illness , Place

Mental health blogs surge to the top of their class
2007-11-02 13:28:00
There are many ways to rate a blog. If you scroll down the side of this one, you'll see more rating systems than you'll ever see in TV Guide.But, whether its "Bloggernity," "Topblogarea," "Blogger's Choice Awards" or "Fuel My Blog," they're all saying the same thing: Mental health blogs have become the most popular health blogs in cyberspace.Postpartum Progress, for instance, is number one on one list - and the blog recently sponsored the "Blog for MOTHERS Act Day" which resulted in a flood of emails and telephone calls to Congress demanding action on postpartum depression treatment.Coping with Life only started two weeks ago, but this blog has recently averaged between 700 and 1,200 hits a day, largely because of its support for postpartum depression treatment and other causes. Many thanks to everyone.What we're trying to do is fill a niche. Perhaps no area of healthcare demands a "clearinghouse" - where people can find websites, telephone numbers and programs that can refer t...
More About: Health , Blogs , Mental Health , Surge

New data on youth suicide rates underscore need for mental health care
2007-11-01 14:56:00
Recent news of increased rates of suicide among individuals between 10 and 24 years of age illustrate the need for and value of mental health care, mental health professionals say.In just one year, the number of suicides in this age group increased by 8 percent (from 4,232 in 2003 to 4,599 in 2004), which is the greatest increase in more than 15 years. In addition, the most pronounced increases were evident among adolescent girls: a 76 percent increase among girls aged 10 to 14 years and a 32 percent increase among girls aged 15 to 19 years.Mental health treatment — both pharmacologic and psychotherapeutic — has been proven to be highly effective in reducing depressive and other symptoms, thereby reducing the risk of suicide.Debate continues about whether the increase in suicides resulted from physicians’ reluctance to prescribe antidepressants to youth in response to “black box” warnings of suicide risk associated with these medications, as the Food and Drug Administratio...
More About: Health , Health Care , Youth , Data

On Halloween, don't ever underestimate the power of Elmo
2007-10-30 14:03:00
His laugh sounds like a broken car horn. He could use a haircut - all over his body. And he has this habit of talking in the third person.I'm speaking of Elmo, of "Sesame Street." But to my 1-year-old daughter, there was something about this big, red hairball that was sweeter than a gummy bear.Anna's crying? Pop in an Elmo DVD.Anna's hungry? Well, Elmo to the rescue.Anna hurt herself? Well ... yes, him, again.Shockingly, after 20-some months of this, the furry monster seems to have lost his magic touch -- in our household, at least. And it happened just when we needed Elmo the most.You see, Elmo's a gas when he's dancing and singing behind a 21-inch glass screen, banging on an imaginary piano and talking to a goldfish that doesn't talk back. But to Anna, he isn't so cuddly when Mom and Dad - in the Halloween spirit - try to fit her in his three-foot-long body suit.In fact, the thing makes her scream and shriek. His big red mouth covers her head like he's swallowed her whole....
More About: Power , Eres , Allo

The O'Reilly File: The lunatic is in his head
2007-10-29 13:01:00
What makes Britney Spears intriguing is that she's a walking car wreck. To the American public, she's more interesting now than she ever was.So that's why we continue to pay attention, even as we grow more disgusted.But what makes us continue to watch Bill O'Reilly, even as he continues to embarrass himself with racist innuendo and bigoted labeling?Because watching Bill O'Reilly is like watching somebody laugh at a car wreck.He was accused of sexual harassment, but he went on the offensive, discrediting his accusers and solidifying his support. He quickly snuffed out the flames before they grew by defining his accuser, and repeatedly painting her as emotionally disturbed.He's duplicitous, saying he represents mainstream America when his point-of-view is consistently conservative. He repeats this lie so much, in fact, that people believe it to be true.In politics, that's called campaigning. In the real world, it's called manipulation.He also constantly reinforces stereotypes ...
More About: File , Head

Blogs beat the drum for postpartum depression awareness
2007-10-25 15:40:00
Never underestimate the power of the blog."Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act" was such a success yesterday, organizers say, that telephone lines to U.S. senators have been jammed.This Coping with Life blog, in fact, doubled it's number of hits from the previous day - reaching a record amount of 900-plus.Now the blogging will continue through Friday because many people weren't able to get through to the senators to speak up for the act, said Susan Stone, president of Postpartum Support International."Truly incredible!" she said. "So if you didn't get to call today, please call tomorrow. Each comment/call is registered."Here's a reminder: The Moms Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression Act will ensure that new moms and their families are educated about postpartum issues, screened for symptoms and provided with essential services.It will also increase research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression. The legislat...
More About: Blogs , Awareness , Drum , Beat

A call to bloggers to help bring change in the treatment in the postpartum
2007-10-24 14:56:00
A note from Postpartum Support International, in partnership with BlogHer and Postpartum Progress:Bloggers across the country are encouraged to write and call their U.S. senator on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 to push for support of The MOTHERS Act.The advocacy groups are trying galvanize support for the Moms Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression Act, which will ensure that new moms and their families are educated about postpartum issues, screened for symptoms and provided with essential services. It will also increase research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression.Specifically, the MOTHERS Act will help new moms by:• Providing important education and screening on postpartum depression that can lead to early identification and treatment. The legislation includes two grants to help health care providers educate, identify and treat PPD.• Expanding important research to improve and discover new treatmen...
More About: Change , Treatment , Call

No longer your father's network; CBS is a den of hypocrites
2007-10-22 03:47:00
WFAN in New York City has long been my favorite radio station.Now it's become my favorite radio station run by hypocrites.I'm speaking about the hiring of Craig Carton, who replaced Don Imus in the morning talk-radio slot after the veteran broadcaster made a racist remark about the Rutgers University women's basketball team. CBS radio later fired him.Carton, who was a host of the "The Jersey Guys" broadcast on New Jersey 101. 5 during the afternoon drive, has a track record that makes Imus look like Fath er Murphy - especially when it involved his ignorant remarks about people who suffer from mental illness.To quote the website, "Diversity Inc.com:" Carton's track record demonstrates his "misogyny" and prejudice: He "outed" politicians thought to be gay and started a game called Operation Rat a Rat/La Cucha Gotcha to turn in undocumented immigrants. He also mocked a Korean-American running for mayor of Edison, N.J., by using a fake Korean accent and said he is irritated that Asia...
More About: Network , Hypocrites

Talkin' about a revolution...in mental health parity...well, sort of
2007-10-20 09:48:00
In New Jersey, a revolution in mental health parity is taking place. But it's almost a revolution by default.The General Assembly in Trenton is supposed to post a mental health parity bill in the lame duck session this year that could finally bring about long-needed equalization of insurance benefits.But the road to get here has been long and rocky. And unnecessary, really.And mental health advocates don't understand why Trenton politicians fail to sense the growing public desire to do something to help people who suffer from postpartum depression, schizophrenia and other disorders.People see the impact of these disorders on city streets. Many people who can't afford to get treatment self-medicate by using illegal drugs and alcohol. Their addictions cost them their lives, their families and their homes. Many end up homeless, or in jail."Equalization of insurance health benefits to properly cover mental disorders including substance use disorders is right and just," said Joseph Na...
More About: Health , Mental , Mental Health , Revolution , Sort

A vote for not only those who are suffering, but for all women
2007-10-16 21:34:00
This was a vote for Brooke Shields, for Mary Jo Codey, and even Andrea Yates.This was a vote for people who have suffered with postpartum depression, but felt isolated and alone in their struggle.In particular, it was a vote for Melanie Blocker-Stokes, a Chicago native and pharmaceutical sales manager who, after the birth of her daughter, developed a psychosis that ultimately caused her to jump from a 12-story window ledge to her death on June 11, 2001, according to the Office of Legislative Policy and Analysis.Along the way, people like Blocker-Stokes were treated with skepticism when their stories were told. They were mocked and treated as though their illness was nothing more than "the baby blues." All they've been told over the years is to "get over it."On Monday, at 4:15 PM, what was described by supporters as "perinatal mental health history" took place when the House of Representatives, by a 382-3 vote, passed the "Melanie Blocker Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Ca...
More About: Women , Vote , Suffering , Erin

The Boss is thrown for a loss
2007-10-15 03:16:00
It pains me to defend George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees' abrasive owner.Especially as a Mets fan.But the avalanche of negative press regarding his treatment of his manager, Joe Torre, has done what I once thought was impossible: Turned the big blowhard whom Larry David famously ridiculed in "Seinfeld" episodes into a sympathetic figure.And the media hit a new low this past week when - sheez, how shocking - The New York Post printed a cover photograph that made Steinbrenner look like Charles Foster Kane muttering "Rosebud" under his breath.This is a man who, if we are to believe other press reports, is suffering from some form of diminished mental capacity. The "Boss Fog" headline is a typical tabloid media labeling of mental disorders that trivializes - and even ridicules - their meaning.But the lack of sympathy isn't the only reason why the press is failing, once again, to present a fair representation of potential mental disorders. Even if Steinbrenner is suffering from ...
More About: Loss , The Boss