Mental Health

Approximately 51 million people worldwide have schizophrenia, a type of mental disorder involving a breakdown between thoughts, emotions, and behavior. With this disorder, individuals may have a faulty perception, may exhibit inappropriate actions and feelings, and more. The American Psychiatric Association notes that many people with schizophrenia experience delusions, hallucination, difficulty with thinking and concentrating, and lack of motivation. Recent research is leading to new medication that could help even further reduce symptoms that individuals with schizophrenia experience. Paul M. Grant, a research professor of psychology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania explained for the U.S. News that many people with schizophrenia don’t get a high quality of life. He stated, “For some people, they go through that cycle and they just don’t ever get the life that they wanted – they live solitarily, they keep to themselves”. Many others wind up homeless or abuse drugs and alcohol because of not only their symptoms but also due to stigma. If you have schizophrenia, you may have experienced some of these challenges. According to Science Daily, newest research is showing promise for a medication that may be able to directly target antipsychotic drug effects such as weight gain, anxiety, dizziness, severe digestive problems, agitation, and more. For scientists, they are particularly focused on the D2 receptor in the brain to see how certain medications bind to it. Before now, scientists were unable to find a way to isolate the D2 receptor – many medications also bind to many different dopamine, serotonin, and histamine receptors, causing serious side effects. If researchers can find a medication that doesn’t spark unwanted side effects, individuals with schizophrenia may be able to enjoy a higher quality of living while on medication. Hopefully soon, we will have something to help further alleviate distressing symptoms that many are experiencing. If you have schizophrenia, understand that you are not alone. Treatment is becoming more advanced and is opening more avenues – a future that we can become excited for. Seek the help you need today.

If you have a serious mental illness, you may have felt overwhelmed, fearful, and so flustered that you could barely think. You may have felt your chest tightening, as though the world was caving in. During these moments, it can feel like the world is falling apart – and it may feel like nobody can save you. Many people have experienced these feelings, and this is when treatment becomes a critical component of your recovery. When you first enter treatment for your mental illness, stabilization will be the first step. Stabilization, in a broad sense, may mean something different depending on the person. In the world of mental health recovery, it means reaching a psychological state of peace. Several interventions may be used to help you reach this:

The National Institute on Mental Illness estimated in 2007 that 9.1% of the population had a personality disorder in the United States, and that number has likely grown. Personality disorders are characterized by mood swings, along with the way a person views themselves, others, and the world. Undiagnosed personality disorders can significantly affect the way a person lives day to day, and can cause much distress to a person as they experience challenges in their work, home, and social life. Research has shown that personality disorders are caused by a multitude of factors: genetics, childhood trauma, verbal abuse, high reactivity, and other environmental factors. Let’s explore each of these with research: Genetics -  A 2010 study published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience found that genes can influence the development of a personality disorder. In particular, if a person is more vulnerable to pathology or negative emotionality, high impulsivity and low agreeableness, and introversion, they are more likely to develop a personality disorder. The study further stated that genes that are linked to neurotransmitter pathways, specifically involving serotonin and dopamine, can increase the susceptibility that a person has in developing a disorder. Childhood trauma – According to the American Psychological Association, studies have shown that childhood trauma – and sometimes even the number and type of trauma experienced – in childhood can increase the risk factors of a person developing a personality disorder. A study conducted by researchers in China and Australia examined 1402 patients and found that childhood maltreatment had a strong association with most personality disorders. Verbal abuse – A study published in Comprehensive Psychiatry found that verbal abuse alone can increase the chances of a person developing a personality disorder. The study found that children who experienced verbal abuse were more than 3 times as likely than those who did not experience verbal abuse to have borderline, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, and paranoid personality disorders during their adolescence or childhood. High reactivity -  Childhood reactivity has been shown increasingly in patients who develop borderline personality disorder. Emotional hyper reactivity is when a person is extremely sensitive to both internal and external stimuli – their senses become easily aroused and they may seem to overly react to things. Other environmental factors can include connections with peers at a young age, as well as any substance abuse. If you have been diagnosed with a personality disorder and are ready to be on your way to recovery, make the decision to seek help today.

In short, they certainly can be. There are 2 ways in which addiction and mental illness coincide. In one way, addiction can perpetuate symptoms related to a mental illness, which can further develop as time continues. In another way, people who already have a mental illness may lean towards substance abuse in order to help them cope with distressing symptoms. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines either of these scenarios as cases of comorbidity, or “two or more disorders or illnesses occurring in the same person”. The NIDA notes that both the addiction and mental illnesses can worsen the course of each, causing a person a lot of distress. For example, a person with anxiety and depression may choose to drink alcohol often as a way to relax and interact more in social settings. This could eventually lead the person to develop alcoholism, in which case the person would have both an addiction and a mental disorder. On the other hand, a person who is addicted to antidepressants may develop more severe symptoms of paranoia, leading them to develop paranoid personality disorder, for example. There are a variety of causes for both addiction and mental disorders:

Mental health hasn’t always been the most popular topic to discuss, despite its incredible role in our overall happiness and well-being. As Mental Health America (MHA) states, many people don’t talk about mental health because they believe issues surrounding this topic only happen to “someone else”; 54 million Americans experience mental illness each year, and you cannot leave yourself out of the picture. This month, make it a priority to place your mental health at the top of the list – doing so could prevent you from developing a mental disorder, could improve and strengthen your relationships, and could enable you to maximize your capabilities of living a balanced, meaningful life. First, check in with yourself throughout the day. What does this mean? Take inventory of your thoughts, feelings, sensations, and more to get an overall “snapshot” of your mental health. This check in will serve as a basis for you to determine if you need to eat a snack to feel a little better, if you need to exercise to relieve some stress, if you need a hug from a loved one to improve your mental state, if you need a nap to replenish yourself, and more. Much of the problems that we face throughout the day are due to a lack of care when it comes to our mental health – our mind and body do a lot of talking, but when we fail to listen closely, we miss those cues and that causes us to fall behind. Next, take note of what works and what doesn’t. Are there certain people, places, or things that suddenly cause you to feel mentally drained? This type of event doesn’t just occur spontaneously – again, it’s your mind and body telling you that you can only handle so much. In addition to taking note of who/what you should reduce your time with or avoid altogether, it’s important to reflect on what seems to work for you. In the late afternoon, does a snack seem to help you feel mentally energized again? If so, you now know to make sure you have a small snack each afternoon to help you push forward with the day. Lastly, seek help if your mental health is significantly and negatively affecting your daily life. The sooner you speak with someone from a reputable treatment program, the sooner you can be on your way towards recovery. Not seeking help could place you at risk for worsening of symptoms or developing another mental illness or addiction – often called a dual diagnosis. Start taking steps towards bettering your mental health today.

A new study published in the Yoga Journal found that nearly 20.4 million people practice yoga in the United States; yoga has become an increasingly popular tool to help people find balance amidst the chaos of life. Aside from the more traditional styles of yoga, such as hatha or iyengar, people from around the country have begun to create their own forms of yoga, including the unexpected: goats, dogs, horses and other animals, marijuana, nudity, “rave” scenes, aerial fitness, and more. While many may find these types of yoga to be beneficial, there are some key issues here. According to CBS News, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a mission to revitalize yoga through a campaign that will bring yoga back to its roots - India. During the clip, it showed how yoga is practiced in India - a much different way of life than how it is practiced in America. For example, yoga in India consists of cleansing the nostrils and snorting, meditation, and very strict, precise movements. The Prime Minister stated that yoga is not meant to be seen as a form of exercise, but rather a tool to become more connected with oneself and the world. Does this mean that Western civilization’s form of yoga constitutes as cultural appropriation? Yes, it does - but this can be mitigated by incorporating more of the nature that yoga was meant for - not just the physical component. Julia Gibran, a Toronto yoga teacher, stated for Vice Magazine, “In the West in general, we focus on one limb of yoga, and that is asana. It’s become a very physical practice. But there are ways to acknowledge the roots [of the practice]. People can put a little focus on meditation, or bring in breath work.” Gibran also noted that when she first practiced yoga it was taught by her grandfather, and she read a book called Bhagavad Gita with him - then moving on to learn more about Hindu tradition, cultural history, deities and symbolism, and more. She went on to explain, “....the study of asana does help the Western population in terms of anxiety and stress, so it’s been such a gift. But something I struggle with is I feel very lucky to be of West Indian descent teaching yoga...I do consider myself, oddly enough, to be a minority.” Does this mean that Americans should stop practicing yoga? Absolutely not - it just means that we need to work on incorporating more than just the physical component of yoga. We need to practice meditation and breathing, because these are key grounding tools that were developed to help us garner more love and peace for ourselves and the world.

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes bipolar disorder (BPD) as a mental illness that involves manic and depressive episodes. BPD affects nearly every aspect of a person’s life if untreated; thankfully there are medications and treatment options to help people better manage their symptoms. There are several celebrities who experience BPD and now that mental health is becoming a more appropriate topic of discussion, many are speaking out about their experiences and giving advice to others who are experiencing it, too. For example, Demi Lovato told WomensHealthMag.com, “...it’s possible to live well, feel well, and also find happiness with bipolar disorder or any other mental illness they’re struggling with.” These words hold a lot of weight for fans of Lovato’s - people who are inspired by her music and look up to her. Buzzfeed states that after the tragic death of Robin Williams, Wayne Brady opened up about his mental health. He stated, “It took me awhile to get my stuff together, to go, ‘You know what? If you’re not happy, you have to do something about it.’ Just to admit that you are feeling this way is a huge step. To claim that, to say, ‘Why do I feel dark? Why do I feel unhappy? Let me do something about this.’ It’s clear that for many people, admitting the need for help is difficult. Most of the time, we place our mental health on the backburner because we choose to focus on what seems to be more pressing needs at the time - maintaining family responsibilities, keeping up with work-related tasks, doing everything we can to keep up with the demanding requests of an addiction, and more. Although this happens, it’s important for us to stay on top of making sure that our mental health is taken care of. After all, it’s most dangerous when mental illnesses arise because of our inaction. Catherine Zeta Jones has spoken about her bipolar disorder to help reduce stigma. She stated, “...I hope fellow sufferers know that [bipolar disorder] is completely controllable. I hope I can help remove any stigma attached to it, and that those who don’t have it under control will seek help with all that is available to treat it.” Celebrities are people who have experienced tragedy, mental illness, and more. Thankfully with more help from celebrities, we can make mental illness an even more common discussion, one that is centered around love and support.

Imagine this: You’re in a crowded room, and you look around. Everyone seems to be talking with one another – perhaps you arrived by yourself or you came with friends. Laughter fills the air, and your self-awareness heightens. You realize that you are just standing there, and you feel distanced from the rest of the people in the room. You feel as though everyone could walk right through you, as if you weren’t there. You think to yourself, “Maybe I’m just not meant to fit in”. Deepak Chopra, an American author, public speaker, holistic therapy advocate, and prominent figure in the New Age movement, explained on Oprah Winfrey’s website that there are different kinds of invisibility, and you must first understand what you are feeling and what it is about you that you feel is being unseen or unheard. For example, are you not feeling heard when you speak, or do you feel your opinions are being discredited? Once you can pinpoint the situations that make you feel invisible, you can go on to do something about them. The Huffington Post notes that most of the time we develop this sense of “wounded self” – it’s a view of ourselves that we let affect us based on how our parents, teachers, friends, family members, and strangers treated us in the past. There are a number of things we must do to overcome feelings of invisibility:

Whether you have a mental disorder or not, maintaining your mental health is so important to leading a happy life. A lot of times we place our mental health on the back-burner without even realizing it – we may push ourselves too hard at work or may be critical of ourselves. When this happens, we hinder our ability to live our lives to the fullest extent. Furthermore, a 2012 study published in the British Medical Journal stated that people with even mild mental health problems may have a lower life expectancy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services states that positive mental health helps you achieve the following:

Addiction can affect anyone, including the children of celebrities. Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, has recently addressed a topic that she hadn’t really discussed in the past: her sobriety. The model and artist explained that her decision to achieve and maintain sobriety was a good one, and that she wanted to clear up any confusion or misunderstandings by the public. She stated, “Self-destruction and toxic consumption and deliverance from pain is a lot easier to adhere to. Undeniably, for myself and those around me becoming present is the best decision I have ever made. How we treat our bodies directly correlates to how we treat our souls. It’s all interconnected. It has to be”. The Rolling Stone notes that both of Cobain’s parents struggled with addiction – Kurt Cobain died in 1994 with drugs in his system, and, at the age of 27, Courtney Love was ordered to rehab by a judge in 2005. Frances, now 25, decided to become public about her sobriety as she recognized the importance of being a role model to many people. She went public via an announcement on her Instagram, as she stated that February 13th, 2018 was the mark of her second birthday of sobriety. While Frances didn’t go into depth about her struggle with addiction, she focused more positively on the present and her sobriety. She stated, “…I’m gonna take today to celebrate my vibrant health and the abundance of happiness, gratitude, awareness, compassion, strength, fear, loss, wisdom, and the myriad of other messy, complicated, raw emotions I feel constantly.” Frances Bean Cobain serves as an excellent example for embracing the present and moving forward from the past. Despite the struggles she and her family have faced, she is making the decision to be happy with where she’s currently at in her journey to recovery. She further stated that life can get better if we want it to be. With many tools, resources, and people available, recovery is certainly possible. If you haven’t yet, seek help today. A happier, healthier life is waiting for you just around the corner.

Rap and hip-hop music has had a huge influence on American society, and began in the 1970’s, according to Stanford University. Marshall Mathers, otherwise known as Eminem, has had a prominent place in the rap and hip-hop world as he has won 11 Grammys and an Academy Award. As a celebrity and artist, Eminem has helped fans all over the world connect to his messages and stories of abuse, addiction, violence, and more. His experiences are real, and he’s had ups and downs in terms of recovery. In 2010, the rapper explained in an interview with Guy Raz, the host of Weekend All Things Considered that he struggled with addiction throughout his career and ultimately had an overdose in December of 2007. Eminem stated, “I don’t think I realized the totality of what happened, so I after I got out of the hospital…when I got home, I went right back to using again”. Eminem has gone through a lot – from his father leaving him when he was 6 months old, to his mother with Munchausen syndrome struggling with addiction, and then later to his unhealthy marriage with Kim. Eminem released a song titled “Not Afraid” in which he eluded to the struggles he’s gone through and the recovery he’d been working towards: It was my decision to get clean, I did it for me Admittedly, I probably did it subliminally for you So I could come back a brand new me You helped see me through And don’t even realize what you did, believe me you Since 2010, Eminem has worked hard to overcome addiction and has found exercise as a motivational tool. In 2015, Eminem explained to Men’s Journal that he was running 8.5 miles each morning and 8.5 miles each night. This ultimately led to him injuring himself, but he lost a lot of weight and he began working out at home. Eminem has mentioned several times in his songs his love for his daughters and how he wants to be better for them. Eminem’s recovery has been a long time making, but nobody can truly put a time stamp on recovery because life has so many ups and downs. If you’re struggling with an addiction, begin your journey to recovery today.

Self-awareness is defined as a “conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feelings, motives, and desires”. People have a choice of whether or not they want to be self-aware, and addiction has the ability to take away our self-awareness as well. For example, a 2014 study conducted by researchers in New York found that drug addiction compromised self-awareness, causing people to exhibit drug-biased attention, disregard for negative outcomes, dissociation with the self, and behaving in ways that are socially unacceptable. The study concluded that treatment interventions that facilitate self-awareness building could serve as an effective foundation throughout recovery. Recovery programs often incorporate activities through individual or group therapy and other methods to help individuals build their self-awareness. These activities may include: