A new year, a new me

Obviously, I've been inactive in posting for 2 months. In part, this was because I was undergoing psychiatric evaluation and wanted to wait until the assessment was complete. The words "psychiatric evaluation" may scare some people. That's normal, I suppose, but not necessarily right in my opinion. Hopefully, this will change over time.

For the record, I am completely fine - very healthy. I was asked by my GP last fall if I'd ever seen a psychiatrist. While I had been diagnosed with depression previously (I am not depressed now), I'd always been curious about my anxiety condition. I was quite sick 4 years ago and had not received a detailed diagnosis. I literally jumped at the offer to see the psychiatrist. I think I made a positive choice in learning more about my body, my mind, and myself.

As it turns out, what I've been living with for years is Panic Disorder (with mild agoraphobia). I'd rather call it a condition and not a disorder - but I'm not ashamed to live with it. In an acute state it can make life quite disorderly. However, when it's under control, like in my situation, I can live a very good life. I think the more people who talk about mental illness, the faster we can debunk the stigma surrounding it. So, I am not worried about telling the world.

Below you'll find a definition of Panic Disorder from the Canadian Mental Health Association.

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Fear is a natural, instinctive reaction to dangerous situations. It is what causes us to escape from a burning building. A sudden rush of fear protects us, by alerting us to danger and stimulating adrenaline so that we think and move more rapidly than usual. But for people with phobias or panic disorder, fear is an overwhelming and unwelcome feature of their daily lives. They are struck by fears which they know are irrational and illogical, yet which are so powerful and unpredictable that they drastically change their lives to avoid feared situations.

Phobias and panic disorder are anxiety disorders, which are among the most common of mental health problems. In fact, it is estimated that 1 in 10 people are affected by anxiety disorders. These conditions are medical disorders, but they are often mistaken for weakness or self-indulgence. Because of this common mistake and because of the stigma associated with mental illness, people with anxiety disorders are often misunderstood and neglected, by society and sometimes by health care professionals.

Treatment exists to help people with phobias and panic disorder, and research into new therapies and techniques continues. By learning more about these conditions, you can help remove the social stigma that prevents so many people from seeking help to cope with their illness.

It is estimated that some 2 million Canadians suffer from panic disorder. Of those who have sought treatment for their symptoms, approximately two-thirds are women. Panic disorder typically begins in a person's late teen years, or early 2Os, but children are known to suffer from the disorder. Research is discovering more information about genetic causes of panic disorder.

Agoraphobia frequently accompanies panic disorder. This is the fear of being in places or situations which would be difficult to escape from, or in which it would be difficult to find help, should a person suffer a panic attack.

Panic Disorder without Agoraphobia - Panic attacks are terrifying episodes during which the person is convinced they are about to die or collapse. Without warning, an individual is suddenly overwhelmed by emotional and physical sensations that signal imminent death. These can include heart palpitations, choking, nausea, faintness, dizziness, chest pain and sweating.

Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia - Women are roughly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with panic disorder with agoraphobia. This occurs when a person with panic disorder goes to great lengths to avoid situations which they feel they could not escape from or obtain help if struck by a panic attack. In some cases, people develop a fear of being alone. People with agoraphobia often avoid public transport or shopping malls, others refuse to leave their homes, sometimes for years at a time.

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Not fun stuff. But, I made it through! I don't wish to go into further detail at this time. But, I will accept emails and do my best to respond to them individually if there are questions or comments.

My second reason for not posting of late is because I am focusing my energies on community volunteerism and other forms of advocacy, primarily "in person". I feel that it is the best way for me to help others at this point in my life. I may still post from time to time, but infrequently.

To all Ottawa readers, I encourage you to check out eMentalHealth.ca for your mental health resource needs. The site includes a wealth of information on housing and employment resources, counseling and crisis services, etc.

Thanks for reading,

Jennifer

CBC Passionate Eye Documentary on Using Comedy to Fight Mental Illness and Stigma

Cracking Up is a life-affirming documentary about people with mental illness who embark on a quirky quest to become stand up comics. The film follows 11 courageous people who suffer from mental illness as they pursue a year of stand up comedy. Part fun and part therapy, the course, entitled Stand Up For Mental Health is the brainchild of Vancouver counselor, stand-up comic, and author of The Happy Neurotic: How Fear and Angst Can Lead To Happiness and Success David Granirer. "It's like 'The Full Monty' except people want us to keep our clothes on", he says.

Doing stand-up comedy has had an amazing effect on the people in the course. For the first time in their lives, they have embraced the word crazy, and learned to laugh at their mental illness - and their audiences are laughing right along with them. They have discovered a talent they never dreamt they had.

Airs nationally on August 30 at 9 p.m. On CBC's Doc Zone. For more information http://www.standupformentalhealth.com

Mental Health Literacy

The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) is in the midst of developing a national strategy on improving mental health literacy in Canada. They are surveying as many Canadians as possible.

Mental health literacy is defined as the knowledge, beliefs and abilities that enable the recognition, management or prevention of mental health problems. CAMIMH's investigations thus far indicate that enhanced mental health literacy appears to confer a range of benefits: prevention, early recognition and intervention, and reduction of stigma associated with mental illness.

If you are interested in becoming involved in this initiative you are requested to fill out the following survey. All submissions will be treated as confidential.

Ce questionnaire est aussi disponible en français.

L’Alliance canadienne pour la maladie mentale et la santé mentale (ACMMSM) est au cœur du développement d’une stratégie nationale pour améliorer l’alphabétisme en matière de santé mentale au Canada. Par conséquent, ils enquêtient autant de Canadiens que possible. L’alphabétisme en matière de santé mentale est défini comme étant les connaissances, les croyances et les aptitudes qui facilitent la détection, la gestion ou la prévention des problèmes de santé mentale. Jusqu’à maintenant, les investigations de l’ACMMSM indiquent que l’alphabétisme en matière de santé mentale semble conférer une variété d’avantages : La prévention, la détection précoce et l’intervention, et la réduction du stigmate associé avec la maladie mentale.

Si vous êtes intéressé à vous engager dans cette initiative, nous vous demandons de remplir le sondage suivant. Toutes les soumissions seront traitées dans la plus stricte confidentialité.

Autistic, stigma or blessing?

Please see the article Redefining Autism from the National Post on October 7, 2006.

I find the language in this article interesting with respect to the term autistics, which is used frequently throughout the text. The footnote examples illustrate that the term autistic is preferable to people with autism. However, after doing my own research, I’ve found that this is not the case for most people. The Autism Society of Canada, the Autism Society of Ontario, and the Autism Canada Foundation, all generally use the term people with autism.

The same terminology applies to people with Schizophrenia. This is the politically correct term that is used over the term schizophrenics. Of course, the same goes for any condition connected to mental health. Think about it. We wouldn’t use similar words to describe people with “physical illnesses" such as cancer (canceric?), heart disease (heartie?), etc. Really, this doesn’t make sense, does it?

The important thing to note is that people are not their condition, whatever it may be. The condition, is part of them, whether they are proud, ashamed, or _____ (fill in the blank with a feeling).

Likewise, for any illness or condition, it is rude to assume someone suffers from it. There are many people who learn to cope with their illness, condition, or difference from what is normally considered healthy. Therefore, the appropriate terminology is someone with such condition/illness/etc.

The best thing to do, if you are unsure of what to say to someone, is to politely ask an individual close to them what he or she prefers.

What is "Mental Health"

Defining mental health is important for the continuation of this blog. I’d like to hear your interpretations and I encourage you to post your comments. But first, please consider the following insights on the usage of the term as well as some definitions.

Oftentimes, the term mental health is used interchangeably with
mental illness. Not often by health professionals, but regularly by the general population. The terms are not one in the same. Yes, mental illness is an important aspect to consider when thinking about one’s overall mental health. But mental health is not as black-and-white as to whether-or-not a person lives with a mental illness.

Mental health embodies a combination of physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual states and each one of us falls on a different part of the mental health spectrum. Some of us are much healthier than others, just as we are physically-speaking. The term can easily become subjective and relative. However, let’s try to agree that mental health is a positive term and a goal to live by. Mental illness, on the other hand, is a term used to describe diagnostic conditions as outlined in the DSM. Usually, a person who lives with mental illness requires some form of intervention by a health care professional at some point during their experience. Although not all go on to receive a form of treatment, it is generally accepted that it is both helpful and recommended for their recovery.

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, there are five key characteristics that comprise mental health: 1) Ability to enjoy life; 2) Resilience; 3) Balance; 4) Self-actualization; and 5) Flexibility.

Although organizations like the CMHA do well at defining the term, great improvements needs to take place in its usage. We all must put past us the days when mental health provoked thoughts of asylum-institutions, “psychos”, and cocktail medications. It’s time for us to consider community integration; real people experiencing unhealthy times; research into prevention; and efforts for early diagnosis.

On a side note, let me be clear that medication is very important for millions of people with mental illness, especially for Schizophrenia and Bi-Polar disorder, to name a few. I would never recommend that someone discontinue his/her medication without first talking to his/her health provider for their advice. However, my point above is that the more emphasis we place on research into the cures, and perhaps vaccines for mental illness, we won’t need to rely on expensive and side-effects-causing medications in the future. For now, let’s take them with a glass of water and never give up hope.