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"#MyDepressionLooksLike: Twitter Users Share Their Emotional Stories With Hashtag"

By Gillian Mohney May 23, 2016, 12:32 PM ET

 

Getty Images - Depression is one of the most common forms of mental disorder, yet many people mask their symptoms or isolate themselves rather than confront their depression to seek treatment.

 

"Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, yet many people mask their symptoms or isolate themselves rather than share their mental health struggles publicly. But on Twitter, users are aiming to combat that isolation with the new hashtag #MyDepressionLooksLike, which is being used to share stories about depression.

"Thousands of users have used the trending hashtag to share powerful stories about how their lives are affected and shaped by depression. It's an issue that remains a problem with an estimated 15.7 million of U.S. adults grappling with it a depressive episode in 2014, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

"Some users write they are incapacitated by deep feelings of depression or anxiety. Others write about painful moments when they masked the depression in a smiling selfie or when they were out among friends.

 

"Mary Alvord, a Maryland-based psychologist and director of the psychotherapy practice Alvord, Baker & Associates, told ABC News social media can be a powerful tool to help combat the stigma of mental illness and to inform people.

"'For the most part the message, my message to teens [in treatment] is you’re not alone,' Alvord told ABC News today. 'I think social media platforms, while they can certainly be used in a negative way, they also have the potential to really help.'

"Alvord said that even though more attention is being paid to mental disorders like depression, many people don't understand what a depressive person looks like.

"'I think people assume that depressives go around and talk about how sad they are,' said Alvord, who explained that isolation and irritability are major signs of depression that are often overlooked. 'Irritability is often a sign with depression that people don’t think about. It’s often associated with agitation and anger.'"

Read more:  http://abcnews.go.com/Health/mydepressionlookslike-twitter-users-share-emotional-stories-hashtag/story?id=39305236

"New and expanded medical definitions create more patients — and a lucrative market for drug firms"

From JSOnline:

"From binge-eating disorder to overactive bladder, new definitions or lowered thresholds mean millions more people — overnight — fit the criteria of having treatable disorders"

By John Fauber and Kristina Fiore

"Know someone who shouts and pounds on the steering wheel when cut off in traffic?

"They might be one of 16 million Americans said to suffer from 'intermittent explosive disorder.'

"Can you polish off a box of cookies while watching your favorite TV show?

"Could be a sign of 'binge-eating disorder,; said to afflict 7 million Americans.

"Another 14 million men are said to have clinically low testosterone, 9 million women are said to suffer from low sexual desire, and tens of millions more are said to have bladders that are too active or blood sugar that is a little too high. That blood sugar level used to be considered normal. Now it makes you a candidate for treatment with expensive medication.

"None of these conditions was considered part of mainstream medicine just 20 years ago. But thanks to new definitions or lowered thresholds, millions more people — overnight — fit the criteria of having treatable disorders.

"Many independent doctors and researchers are skeptical, saying the new conditions are the product of medical groups that get pharmaceutical industry funding, researchers looking to advance their careers and drug companies aiming to broaden the market for expensive new products.

"On top of that, the drugs sold to treat these newly defined — and not life-threatening — conditions often carry serious health risks, a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/MedPage Today investigation has found.

"An examination of eight common new conditions found the changes all went in the same direction — toward expanding the number of people who could be treated with expensive drugs."

Read more: http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/new-and-expanded-medical-definitions-create-more-patients--and-a-lucrative-market-for-drug-firms--379981751.html


"Intermittent explosive disorder: Mental condition or bad behavior?" That's me!

"Mount Pleasant man accused of impersonating an officer"

From The Journal Times.com:

December 10, 2015 7:30 pm  •  By Kristen Zambo

Kostka

"RACINE — A Mount Pleasant man remains in the Racine County Jail after he was charged Thursday for allegedly telling two females he was an undercover Racine cop working on a special child molestation investigative team, although he forgot his badge.

"Joseph C. Kostka, 53, reportedly told the sisters he had recording devices in his eyes and ears and if they were being sexually assaulted, they should call him at the Racine Police Department and he would help them, according to his criminal complaint.

"Prosecutors on Thursday charged Kostka, of the 1100 block of Oakes Road, with a sole count of impersonating a peace officer.

"Mount Pleasant police were called to Festival Foods, 5740 Washington Ave., after Kostka allegedly walked up to the older sister in the checkout line at about 1:45 p.m. Wednesday.

"He offered to show his badge, but then said he forgot it, instead showing his driver’s license, the complaint states.

"After a Mount Pleasant officer arrived at the Knights Inn motel to talk with Kostka, he reportedly said his boss was the 'big dog,' but he couldn’t reveal his name, and this boss communicated with him through those recording devices, the complaint states.

"The government performed surgeries on him to implant the recording devices, he allegedly said, and they could stop him from bleeding if injured.

"Kostka became 'visibly upset when discussing people hurting children,' and said the older sister looked scared of the adults around her in the store, and she kept looking at him and then her younger sister, 'which he believed was her way of letting him know she was being sexually abused,' according to the complaint.

"The officer wrote that Kostka was 'very calm' during the interview, and 'truly believes he is a special investigator for sexual crimes and has recording devices in his eyes and ears.'"

Read more: http://journaltimes.com/news/local/mount-pleasant-man-accused-of-impersonating-an-officer/article_06162913-df70-5685-b8fd-0de41bbc19e7.html


I, too, have "recording devices in his eyes and ears."  My home planet has been studying Earth for years.

"10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer's Disease"

http://www.healthgrades.com/right-care/alzheimers-disease/10-warning-signs-of-alzheimers-disease?cid=t6_outrss1

I think I have all ten, but I can't remember

"Wheaton Franciscan Mental Health Unit Cited For Violations"

From Racine County Eye:

By Denise Lockwood in Breaking, Health and fitness · October 16, 2015 · No comment

Credit - Racine County Eye

"A state and federal investigation uncovered inconsistent staffing levels resulting in an unsafe environment for patients at Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare-All Saints inpatient mental health unit.

"Acting on several complaints, surveyors from the State Division of Quality Assurance (DQA), and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) conducted an unannounced visit in May to the children and adolescent unit, and adult inpatient mental health units at 1320 Wisconsin Avenue.

"The investigation by DQA and CMMS uncovered instances of uncontrollable adolescents being placed in the same unit as sex offenders, a number of sexual assaults between patients, discriminatory admission practices, and nurses being told by management to falsify safety checks by saying the checks were conducted when they were not."

Click here to see CMMS report, and the DQA report and plan of correction."

Read more: http://racinecountyeye.com/wheaton-franciscan-mental-health-unit-cited-for-violations/


Uh-oh! SpaghettiOs!

"Woman imprisoned by father writes about childhood trauma"

From JSOnline:

Mike De Sisti

As a child, Lisa Lee Swanson-Solberg’s family made the news in December of 1974 after her father imprisoned them all inside their Mount Pleasant home for nearly a year. Now, she she has written a book that explores that painful time.

Jim Stingl | In My Opinion 
E-mail

"Lisa Lee Swanson-Solberg's family made the news in December of 1974 after her father imprisoned them all inside their Mount Pleasant home for nearly a year.  

 

"Hermits, the headlines called them, a hurtful name that followed Lisa when she returned to school.

 
"For Lisa, then 12 years old, it was but one ugly chapter in a childhood of familial violence, sexual assault and insecurity that spilled into her adult life in the form of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.

 "Now she has written a self-published e-book exploring her difficult past, and she has created a website to build awareness about child abuse through painful revelations from her own life.

 "'To me, my parents shattered my emotions, they took away my sense of self and caused me to have issues that I'll have to struggle with for the rest of my life. But I also feel they'd also suffered greatly and many things contributed to why they became like they did. I think it's very important for all of us to take a look at our behavior and become more educated in the prevention of abuse,' she writes on the site.

 "Now 53 and living in Racine, Lisa has turned her open sore into an open book. Titled 'Layers,' the short e-book is written as a semi-fictional love story between her and a man who harbored a secret from his own past.

Read more:  http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/woman-imprisoned-by-father-writes-about-childhood-trauma-b99565646z1-323322161.html


That's what I should do.

"Depression And Mental Illness Behind Rising Number Of Teen Suicides"

From Racine County Eye:

By Denise Lockwood in Community, Schools · July 30, 2015 

Credit Racine County Eye

"With more youth dying from suicide in some southeastern Wisconsin Counties, some are calling out this public health crisis as the numbers have increased, according to a story by Fox 6.

"From 2009 through 2014, 71 children have committed suicide in Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha, and Waukesha counties. Some of those kids were as young as 11 years-old. A dozen of those youth were from Racine County. This year, seven southeastern Wisconsin youth have already killed themselves and among them is Cameron Langrell, a Caledonia teen who killed himself this year.

"Of those who died, many had been sexually assaulted, had problems with their boyfriend or girlfriend, had trouble at school or struggled with their sexuality. According to the story, for every one person that is successful in committing suicide, there are 11 people who have attempted.

"Read more on Fox 6.

"Looking for mental health resources, check out the Racine County Human Services Department mental health page."

http://racinecountyeye.com/depression-and-mental-illness-behind-rising-number-of-teen-suicides/

"New Mental Health App Helps Individuals, Family Find Support"

From Racine County Eye:

By Heather Asiyanbi in Community · May 25, 2015

"Individuals suffering from mental illness and their family members now have an app to find support through an online social media community from the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

"AIR (Anonymous, Inspiring, Relatable) is available through both the Apple and Android app stores, and it’s designed for both those living with mental illness and the loved ones of those individuals.

“'NAMI AIR is intended to provide another way for people to find and give support, to connect with others through smart phone and computer tablet,' the NAMI website reads.

"After downloading the app, users choose with which group they’d like to communicate, but they can toggle between the two. Stories applicable to the chosen group – individual or family member – will appear in the AIR news feed, and users can offer support through likes, hugs, and 'me, too' messages, among other interactions."

Read more:  http://racinecountyeye.com/new-mental-health-app-helps-individuals-family-find-support/


I gotta get that tablet working.

"Md. woman uses sister's art to break stigma of mental illness"

By Andrea K. McDaniels The Baltimore Sun contact the reporter

 

"The paintings lay everywhere.

"Stacked in neat, methodical piles, they filled every room in the tiny apartment. The dining room, kitchen, bathroom, bedroom — all full of artwork.

"Cheryl Maxwell stood near the doorway staring at it all in awe before becoming so overwhelmed with emotion she had to sit down.

"'Surreal,' she thought.

"The paintings were the work of her younger sister, Carolyn Anne Watts, who Maxwell discovered had committed suicide at the age of 56. The family didn't know of the secret art until after her death in 2010.

"Watts had suffered from depression her whole life, but her sister hadn't realized how it had consumed her. She saw all the emotions, and the ups and downs her sister suffered, painted on the canvases. Guilt and sadness filled Maxwell's heart. Maybe, she thought, she could have done more.

"While it was too late for her sister, it wasn't for others. Maxwell soon saw how she could open up a dialogue about mental illness through the paintings that had stopped her in her tracks — and maybe save other lives. There were nearly 170 pieces of artwork, she later counted. Enough to fill a small art gallery."

Read more:  http://www.baltimoresun.com/health/bs-hs-art-mental-health-20150306-story.html

I was tipped off to this story by http://journaltimes.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/woman-uses-sister-s-art-to-break-stigma-of-mental/article_007db706-b7c3-5ad7-9f8d-b30e8f1803e2.html


This reminds me of Emily Dickinson.  I think the paintings are superb.