Being different is not a bad thing. Embrace your differences because they only make you unique compared to others around you. Don’t be embarrassed of your mental illness.
via You’re Not Crazy, Just Different — DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
Same Mental Illness, Different Perception Of Reality — DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
The subjectivity related to the field of mental health has a lot to do with the many different versions of a particular mental illness. Someone with MDD may by suffering from a decreased appetite and sleep, while another person with atypical depression may be experiencing an increased appetite and sleep. Mental illness may affect everyone differently even if the diagnosis is the same. That’s why we cannot assume that we understand what everyone is going through. . .
via Same Mental Illness, Different Perception Of Reality — DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
Can Mental Health Issues Be Prevented? — DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
Mental health issues can certainly be prevented with the proper care since childhood. But it is important to keep in mind that many people are genetically predisposed to developing a mental illness. It’s based on the two-hit hypothesis: the first hit are the faulty genes and the second hit is an environmental stressor that makes your mind go overboard, resulting in the development of an illness.
via Can Mental Health Issues Be Prevented? — DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
Schizophrenia and the Evolution of the Human Brain — Dr. Elliott Gruen
An experienced psychiatrist, Dr. Elliot Gruen currently practices in Maine. Dr. Elliot Gruen draws on experience with a range of psychiatric conditions, including an in-depth familiarity with schizophrenia and its development. Schizophrenia is a complex mental illness that affects approximately 1 percent of the population. It causes abnormal activity in many different areas of […]
via Schizophrenia and the Evolution of the Human Brain — Dr. Elliott Gruen
12 Interesting Psychological Facts
1. People tend to be happier when they are kept busy, as this prevents them from thinking about the negative things in life.
2. People with low self-esteem tend to humiliate others.
3. Intelligent people tend to have less friends than the average person. The smarter the person is, the more selective they become.
4. Optimistic beliefs about the future can protect people from physical and mental illness.
5. 68% of the people suffer from Phantom Vibration Syndrome, the feeling that one’s phone is vibrating when it’s not.
6. People are more honest when physically tired. This is why people confess things during late night conversations.
7. Happiness, anger, sadness, fear, disgust, and surprise are the six emotions that are universally expressed.
8. Religious practices, like prayer and attending services, is associated with lower levels of psychological distress.
9. Convincing yourself you slept well tricks your brain into thinking it did.
10. Creative people tend to get bored easily as they can’t work on a similar work type for a longer time.
11. Singing reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.
12. Being with positive and happy people keeps you happier.
Is ADHD Considered A Mental Illness? — DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
ADHD or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is a mental illness that is diagnosed in childhood, but in some cases, in adulthood as well. It’s an impulsive and chronic disorder characterized by inattention and hyperactivity. It’s considered a mental illness for two reasons: it’s classified in the DSM-V and the nature of its behavior revolves around mental symptoms. [. . .]
via Is ADHD Considered A Mental Illness? — DSM (Defeating Stigma Mindfully)
Diet Plans for People with ADHD — Bedlamite Publications
A diet plan for those struggling with ADHD – what to eat and what to avoid.
We’ve all heard the saying, “you are what you eat.” But have you ever considered how true this is for mental illness?
It turns out our diets play a vital role in how our brain functions. And though this may be a concern to those of us with unhealthy appetites, it can also be a blessing for those looking to avoid traditional medications.
via Diet Plans for People With ADHD — Bedlamite Publications
Depression and Denial
It’s like it’s a scar that must be hidden. Like some dirty secret. An ugly sweater you keep in the back of the closet and only bring it out when that aunt comes to visit. You hide it. You deny it, even to yourself. [. . .]
http://pennywilsonwrites.com/2019/08/05/depression-and-denial/
— Read on pennywilsonwrites.com/2019/08/05/depression-and-denial/
Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness in Middle School — Free Spirit Publishing Blog
As educators, we believe that the educational environment should be inclusive and welcoming to all students. We can celebrate vibrant cultures, recognize boundless gender roles, and identify shifting home lives. But the more we evolve, the more we see that there are also hidden characteristics and more discrete inclusions to consider. Students…
via Reducing the Stigma of Mental Illness in Middle School — Free Spirit Publishing Blog
Abused children four times more likely to develop mental illness | + Opinion
Children who have experienced child abuse or neglect are more likely to develop serious mental illness such as psychoses and bipolar disorder. [. . .]
via Abused children four times more likely to develop mental illness | + Opinion
Pica (Disorder)
Pica is a term that refers to cravings for substances that are largely non-nutritive or rather non-foods, such as hair, paper, ice, glue soil, stones, drywall or paint, sharp objects, metal, glass, chalk, etc. The word pica is derived from the Latin word for the bird magpie that feeds on whatever it encounters.
According to the current estimate of the Handbook of Clinical Child Psychology the prevalence rates of pica range from 4% to 26% among institutionalized populations. Pica is more common among children and pregnant women. People with certain mental health conditions such as schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder may also develop pica as a coping mechanism. It is usually temporary but is often more severe and long-lasting in people with severe developmental disabilities.
There’s no single cause of this eating disorder. In some cases, it may be related to mental retardation or mental illness, while in others, it may be associated with a deficiency in iron, zinc, or another nutrient resulting from malnutrition. Pica has also been found to be associated with decreased activity of the dopamine system in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that aids relaying the transmission of nerve impulses from one neuron to another. Due to this association, some researchers think that there may be a connection between abnormally low levels of dopamine in the brain and the development of pica. However, no specific underlying biochemical disorders have been identified.
The following four criteria have been posited by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition that must be met to diagnose a person with pica:
1. Person must persist in eating non-nutritive non-foods for at least one month.
2. This eating must be considered abnormal for the person’s stage of development.
3. Eating these substances cannot be associated with a cultural practice that is considered normal in the social context of that person.
4. For people who currently have a medical condition such as pregnancy or a mental disorder like autism spectrum disorder, the action of eating non-nutritive non-foods should only be considered pica if it is dangerous and requires extra medical investigation or treatment on top of what they are already receiving for their pre-existing condition.
HeartyPsych 