Mental Health Week

[bluecat*dancing]

Mental Health Week commences today with World Mental Health Day on October 10th. To those of us with mental illness and those who have loved ones with mental illness, this is a week that  will,hopefully,  continue to break through  stigma and raise awareness, as well as supporting our wellbeing. The message this year is "Mental Health begins with me." Stay safe and be aware that there could be triggers throughout the week.

http://www.mentalhealthcommission.gov.au/media-centre/events/mental-health-week.aspx

[polksaladallie]

If anyone is interested, Garry McDonald is on Australian Story tonight.  He says that his illness runs right through his family.

Also, QandA is based on mental health.

[opmania]

 An Ode To Robin

You burst into our world

as an alien

Made me laugh so much I cried

So smitten with you, 

I followed you through,

Hanging on every new line

You grew through the years

Had no peers, 

You were the king of your craft

I never grew tired

Always inspired

By the man who could make me laugh

Not always funny

With a serious side

And that was convincing too

But who could have guessed

On your perilous quest

The pain you were going through

I woke up one morning 

You were gone

And pierced my heart

With such pain

Though I never had met you

I'll never forget you

And I never can see you again

For someone who made

Me so happy

When I think of you now

Brings no joy

I wish someone could

Hold you or some had told you

Its ok, no fear, I love you, my boy

Over a year youve been gone

Life still goes on

For the fans you've left in your wake

Though I never have met you

I will never forget you

And forgive you your only mistake

[ten*teeny*tiny*toes]

Good news everyone. She just phoned and is safe and sound. Self presented back at the ward about 6.30.

She left a note last time she went awol, this time she didnt have time, just got **bleep** off wth everyone and everything.

Apparently long weekends are Very Long in a mental healh ward. 

Thanks for the thoughts, we're all tired, early night coming up. I'm spent. 

[chameleon54]

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@bluecat*slowdancing wrote:

Finding what works can take a lifetime and takes constant fine tuning. I am mostly able to keep my moods within a healthy level but sometimes they bolt and I need to wait for it to pass while making sure that I am safe because what goes up must come down and depression with bipolar 2 is both swift and brutal. Monitoring every thought and every emotion is exhausting and there are times whne I wish that I could check my brain in somewhere so that I could get some respite.

Throw in an anxiety disorder and life becomes even more challenging.

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Managing mental health issues is definately a life long process. We know that while our son is travelling well at the moment, it is only going to take a girlfriend break up or problem at work. and the stressors could bring our little world tumbling down again. We are valueing every day that our son is well and remaining prepared, to be there for our son when times are not so good.

We can tell when he skips his medication as he becomes highly impulsive and eratic. Recently after missing his medication for a day he went on a manic spending spree, two days after being paid. He spent everything in his bank account, only having $7 to last the rest of the week. These are some of the ongoing challenges we face as a family. At least he looked smart and felt good about his new Nike shoes and fashion clothes.    

I decided to share some of our private affairs in the hope that it would give encouragment to others in a similar position.  When things are desperate it is hard to stay focussed and difficult to believe that there is any end to the grind or hope for the future. While every case is different, with ongoing proffesional support many people with mental health problems can live full and succesfull lives.  

[0z_girl]

Interesting Q and A on ABC at the moment about mental illness.

[jean2579]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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@bluecat*slowdancing wrote:

Finding what works can take a lifetime and takes constant fine tuning. I am mostly able to keep my moods within a healthy level but sometimes they bolt and I need to wait for it to pass while making sure that I am safe because what goes up must come down and depression with bipolar 2 is both swift and brutal. Monitoring every thought and every emotion is exhausting and there are times whne I wish that I could check my brain in somewhere so that I could get some respite.

Throw in an anxiety disorder and life becomes even more challenging.

---

Managing mental health issues is definately a life long process. We know that while our son is travelling well at the moment, it is only going to take a girlfriend break up or problem at work. and the stressors could bring our little world tumbling down again. We are valueing every day that our son is well and remaining prepared, to be there for our son when times are not so good.

We can tell when he skips his medication as he becomes highly impulsive and eratic. Recently after missing his medication for a day he went on a manic spending spree, two days after being paid. He spent everything in his bank account, only having $7 to last the rest of the week. These are some of the ongoing challenges we face as a family. At least he looked smart and felt good about his new Nike shoes and fashion clothes.    

I decided to share some of our private affairs in the hope that it would give encouragment to others in a similar position.  When things are desperate it is hard to stay focussed and difficult to believe that there is any end to the grind or hope for the future. While every case is different, with ongoing proffesional support many people with mental health problems can live full and succesfull lives.  

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Chameleon, please read my post. My OH has had this for the 50 years we have been married. He has got through all of these years, it is not easy but he does live a full and successful life and there is certainly hope for your sons future. You mentioned that you can pick up some signs, have his doctors warned you that the most dangerous time, for a lot of sufferers is at the change of seasons. I don't know why, but it happens. 

With the spending issue we have a seperate account with a small amount of money in it, and this is the only one that he has access to. The passwords on the main account are changed frequently. My OH devised this safeguard himself when he was well.

it is hard but your son will become a very strong man.

[bluecat*dancing]

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@polksaladallie wrote:

If anyone is interested, Garry McDonald is on Australian Story tonight.  He says that his illness runs right through his family.

Also, QandA is based on mental health.

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"Mental illness doesn't run in my family, it gallops" pretty much sums up my family. My great grandfather and his eldest son both had mental illness and both suicided; my grandmother had mental illness; my father had mental illness; me and my siblings have mental illness. We've all attempted suicide with one of us succeeding; my niece has mental illness and my kids have had mental health issues.

The illnesses include major depression, OCD, psychosis, bipolar1, schizophrenia, bipolar 2 and GAD as well as agoraphobia , social phobia and self harm

.

[bluecat*dancing]

I am so glad to hear that, Teeny, and I hope that you slept well last night. Your daughter is right about long weekends being very long in psych wards. One of my stays in a psyche hospital happened over one easter and that seemed to go on forever and ever and ever. I was fortunate to be there with a great group of people, though. We "got" each other. We had our own different kind of normal.

[bluecat*dancing]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

I decided to share some of our private affairs in the hope that it would give encouragment to others in a similar position.  When things are desperate it is hard to stay focussed and difficult to believe that there is any end to the grind or hope for the future. While every case is different, with ongoing proffesional support many people with mental health problems can live full and succesfull lives.  

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Many don't, though, and being told that others with mental illness live successful can add to the sense of failure, not being good enough etc.I admire those who do but I often wonder if its because  they have been able to be fully stabilised or  thye've learnt how to wear the mask more effectively than others. As you said, every case is different and I do appreciate the sentiment.

It's taken me decades to reach the point that I now know that it will pass,[never fast enough, though.] and that I have to do whatever it takes to make sure that I stay safe until it does Then, I get angry with myself for missing the warning signs - if there were any. I worry when the crippling anxiety strikes because that nearly always leads to depression. As does the hypomania.

[debra9275]

Glad to hear sh'e OK TTT.

I thought the lady on Q & A last night was great ( the lady with the blonde hair, can't remember her name)