http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm This is the Real Lives Blog from Mental Health America en-us Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:54:51 -0500 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:58:00 -0500 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss webmaster@mentalhealthameica.net webmaster@mentalhealthameica.net webmaster@mentalhealthameica.net http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm no http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/8/Coping-with-plenty-of-leisure-activities-and-sense-of-purpose-in-life by Grant in Pennsylvania I feel that I do my best. Sometimes I feel hopeless. That's the bipolar in my brain talking. Never pay attention! [More] Bipolar Disorder Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:58:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/8/Coping-with-plenty-of-leisure-activities-and-sense-of-purpose-in-life http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/A-thinker-philosopher-and-reader by Elvia in Texas In 1996, at the age of 22, I was hospitalized for the first time after severe sleep deprivation during my senior year in college. I was diagnosed bipolar but it was unclear whether that was accurate and if so, what did that mean for me in my life. [More] Recovery Hospitalization Bipolar Disorder Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:46:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/A-thinker-philosopher-and-reader http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Recovery-brings-confidence-joy-and-peace by Cheryl in Virginia As a Child, I was sexually abused and had an alcoholic parent. I was an anxious child and as I grew up I had many depressed and manic episodes throughout my life. [More] Abuse Recovery Hospitalization Bipolar Disorder Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:39:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Recovery-brings-confidence-joy-and-peace http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Family-and-support-groups-help-mother-with-life-long-battle-with-bipolar by Deb in Pennsylvania Mental illness has affected my life in more ways than one, because I have not been able to hold a full-time job since 2003. Because I have some very severe mood swings, and I can't handle stress because it sets my anxiety off. I really wanted to go back to work; therefore, I decided to try it and I was there one day had an anxiety attack. I had to quit. [More] Anxiety Bipolar Disorder Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:26:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Family-and-support-groups-help-mother-with-life-long-battle-with-bipolar http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Drumming-his-way-to-good-mental-health by Marc in Wisconsin Hello, my name is Marc and this is my bi-polar adventure. I was diagnosed bi-polar back in 1998 or 1999 after a severe manic episode. During this episode I attacked my father, put cereal boxes in our driveway, and had enough energy to just go and go...I've never felt more free. It was like when you're a little kid and you do something and you forget about it and move on to the next thing. [More] Bipolar Disorder Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:22:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Drumming-his-way-to-good-mental-health http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/With-support-and-medication-we-can-lead-meaningful-lives by Charlie in Rhode Island After having struggled with schizophrenia previously, I now live with it but no longer struggle with it, which is not to say that I sometimes don't struggle with problems. I was diagnosed with, at the time, schizoaffective, in my senior year in college. I was given the wrong treatment and diagnosis for six years, getting medications that didn't work, and no chance to feel comfortable expressing myself. [More] Schizophrenia Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:19:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/With-support-and-medication-we-can-lead-meaningful-lives http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Newlydiagnosed-ADHD-artist-thrives-with-creative-schedule by Denise in Washington My diagnosis with ADHD last year at 54 years old was both shocking and relieving. I was shocked because I thought that ADD was a childhood disorder, and I was relieved because it explained some painful aspects of my life. [More] ADHD Seasonal Affective Disorder Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:08:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Newlydiagnosed-ADHD-artist-thrives-with-creative-schedule http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Emplyers-should-be-more-educated-about-mental-health-conditions by Feeling Worthless in Alabama My life started getting affected by panic disorder and fear when I was in the fourth grade. Bullies from school have ruined my life, both at school and at home,I have severe depression, panic disorder, fear, phobias, behavorial issues and cannot cope hardly at all. All my relationships had failed and all my jobs never worked out well because of my problems. [More] Social Anxiety Panic Disorder Unemployment Anxiety Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:58:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Emplyers-should-be-more-educated-about-mental-health-conditions http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Learning-to-trust-others-and-forgive-himself by Forgotten Dad in Washington First and foremost, I am a survivor. How has this disease affected my life? I have had difficult times with relationships. I keep everyone at a distance. Even those who I know I can trust. Trust is a big issue. I can count the number of people I trust on one hand. And even with those people there are doubts of trust. [More] Self-Injury Depression Hospitalization Anxiety Suicidal Ideation Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:54:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Learning-to-trust-others-and-forgive-himself http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/A-Coastal-Journey-to-Awareness by Larry in Pennsylvania I would like to share with you my experience with the mental health system. Years ago, when I graduated from college I went back to New York to live with my parents. I was confused and did not what to do with myself. I was getting into trouble, doing drugs, etc. My parents sent me to psychiatrist who diagnosed me as mentally ill. The shrink then referred me to a neurologist for tests. The neurologist examined me in Columbia/Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan for several days. I was given a CAT scan, heart exam, eye tests and a whole gamut of exams. [More] Social Anxiety Depression Anxiety Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:48:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/A-Coastal-Journey-to-Awareness http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Mans-best-friend-helps-Hoosier-to-find-his-way-back-home-again by Joe in Indiana I was enrolled in a Ph.D. Program of finance at the University of Rochester when I picked up the book, Moby Dick. I thought the book would be interesting to read while I waited for classes to start in the fall of 1986. When I began reading Moby Dick, I was mentally healthy as far as myself and all of my friends could tell. But two months later, once I finished reading Moby Dick, I was quite psychotic. I had autonomous voices talking to me inside my head much of my waking hours. As a psychotic, I felt some pressure to obey my voices. It is not as though I would obey every comment I heard in my head, but ideas that my voices spoke to me about that appeared relatively low risk ideas to follow, were commonly obeyed by me. [More] Schizoaffective Disorder Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:42:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/Mans-best-friend-helps-Hoosier-to-find-his-way-back-home-again http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/A-father-struggles-with-hard-times-and-unemployment by Tony in California My name is Anthony, and I was injured while serving in the Gulf of Oman. I served with VFA-97, on board the USS Kitty Hawk CV-63. The reason for this message is very complex, but I will try to summarize. You see, I was discharged from the Navy back in 1995 with a very small severance pay of $5000. Before deployment I met a young lady close to my base. We fell madly in love and couldn't get enough of each other. That was back in 1993. We got married and started our family. [More] Hospitalization Substance Abuse Uninsured Depression PTSD Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Panic Disorder Unemployment Suicidal Ideation Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:29:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/9/4/A-father-struggles-with-hard-times-and-unemployment http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/4/24/Encourages-others-to-seek-help-when-young by Laura in Florida I knew that I had something wrong with me early, around 12 or 13. Being one of five girls, my parents really did not notice the different things I did, and I was not going to tell them. I was too embarrassed. [More] Anxiety Bipolar Disorder Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:37:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/4/24/Encourages-others-to-seek-help-when-young http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/4/24/Learning-how-to-face-her-eating-disorder-wiht-courage by Lauren in Colorado July 7, 2007 was the best and the worst day of my entire life. After spending a week and a half in a medically-induced coma, I awoke to learn that I had walked away from everything and everyone I had ever loved or cared for. With absolutely no memory of the nearly fatal suicide attempt that took me through complete kidney and liver failure, I came to learn that the lies of my eating disorder had convinced me I was not worth the air I needed to breathe. [More] Recovery Hospitalization Eating Disorder Suicidal Ideation Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:31:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/4/24/Learning-how-to-face-her-eating-disorder-wiht-courage http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/4/24/Take-your-mental-health-as-serious-as-your-physical-health by Yolanda in South Carolina "Mental illness" is not a welcoming word, and I never labeled myself as mentally ill. However, a lot of what I was dealing with did, in fact, affect my professional life, spiritual-self, and my relationship with my spouse. My schoolwork on the PhD level actually provided an open door for me to research, and get the therapy, counseling, EMDR therapy, and support group counseling services I needed. [More] Abuse Social Anxiety Depression Anxiety Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:27:00 -0500 http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/reallives/index.cfm/2009/4/24/Take-your-mental-health-as-serious-as-your-physical-health