Disabled Talk

Exercise doesn't help depression, study concludes

A study into whether physical activity alleviates the symptoms of depression has found there is no benefit.

Research published in the British Medical Journal suggests that adding a physical activity intervention to usual care did not reduce symptoms of depression more than usual care alone.

This contrasts with current clinical guidance which recommends exercise to help those suffering from the mental illness, which affects one in six adults in Britain at any one time.

I thought this was true and all - fuck yeah, randomised controlled trials!

Tags: depression mental illness research statistics bipolar mental health
2,016 notes

reblogged via

youarenotyou:

why do people say that the “loved ones of a person with [mental illness]” are “forgotten”

you know how many books are out there for “how to deal when your partner/family member has [mental illness]”

all we hear all the time is how much of a fuckin burden we are. i’m sick of being told those who love me are doing me a favor or that they’re “suffering” for loving me when i’m the actual person suffering. hell no

Tags: mental illness mental health bipolar bpd depression anxiety schizophrenia family
511 notes

reblogged via

johnsmithwillbemyconstant:

lately I’m seeing a lot of feminist blogs talk about mental health and challenge stuff like neurotypical privilege and that’s really awesome!!!
but
a lot of people make comparisons to physical illnesses and disabilities like “if someone was in a wheelchair they wouldn’t be told that their illness doesn’t exist” but that actually happens a lot and disabled women are still seriously excluded from a lot of feminist spaces

We’ve talked about this in the past but reminder to please not compare disabilities you have to disabilities you don’t, especially not in a way in that dismisses the experiences of those that do!

In particular, talking about the ways in which mental illness is stigmatized by implying physical disability isn’t is something I see frequently, so please be careful.

Thanks!

Tags: mental health mental illness ableism physical disability intercommunity
53 notes

reblogged via

clinicallydepressedpug:

Why We Should Treat, Not Blame Addicts Struggling to Get ‘Clean’

Sheff asserts that the reason that addiction treatments overwhelmingly fail is because of how we view addiction. And he says correcting common misconceptions about the disease can be the first step towards improving the social support and medical treatment systems for those struggling with their addictions.

Below are the top myths about addiction, according to David Sheff. Do you agree or disagree? Let PBS NewsHour know what you think

Myth No. 1: Good kids don’t use drugs, bad kids do.

Myth No. 2: It’s impossible to prevent drug use. Kids who are going to use are going to use.

Myth No. 3: People who get addicted are weak and without morals.

Myth No. 4: Addicts must hit bottom before they can be treated.

Tags: addiction mental health mental illness stigma mental health care
55 notes

reblogged via

People of Color and Mental Health (Edited 5/22)

wretchedoftheearth:

Edit 5/22/12 - added many links upon request

Please let me know if any of the links go down. I have most if not all of them saved. Also if you have any articles, books, or fact sheets you recommend, add them or message me. Also message me if there is something specific or a specific group you’d like information about. I have a large list (and I have no problem searching a little if it’s something I don’t have).

Also let me know if I should divide them into sections by ethnic background.

wretchedoftheearth:

I got a message from the anon from an ask on ladyatheist’s tumblr about mental ilness and PoC, and I got an anon asking for this information and I feel it is a good reference/starting point so I am making it into a post.

A lot of literature regarding people of color and mental illness is about the stigma within the Black community or Latin@ community, rather than the struggles faced from within mental health institutions, so I am mostly posting other kinds of links.

History

History of black people and mental institutions (link)

In Our Own Voice: African-American Stories of Oppression, Survival, and Recovery in Mental Health Systems (link) (pdf)

Racism and Mental Illness (link) (pdf)

Fact Sheets

African American Community Mental Health Fact Sheet (link) (pdf)

Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health: A Guide on How to Get Support for Your Loved One (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Bipolar Disorder and African-Americans (link)

Chinese American Mental Health Facts (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Korean American Community Mental Health Fact Sheet (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Latino Community Mental Health Fact Sheet (link) (pdf)

Mental Health and African Americans (link)

Mental Health and American Indians/Alaska Natives (link)

Mental Health and Asian Americans (link)

Mental Health and Hispanics (link)

Mental Health Issues among Asian American and Pacific Islander Children and Youth (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Mental Health Issues among Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Recovery for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Living with Mental Illness (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“African Americans Have Limited Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Care” (link)

Journal Articles and Reports

“Barriers to Providing Effective Mental Health Services to American Indians” (link)

“Bias in Mental Health Assessment and Intervention: Theory and Evidence” (link)

“Broken Promises: Evaluating the Native American Health Care System” (link) (added 5/22)

“Building Partnerships: Conversations with Native Americans About Mental Health Needs and Community Strengths” (link) (added 5/22)

“Disparities in Mental Health Treatment in U.S. Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups: Implications for Psychiatrists” (link)

“Effective Coping Strategies of African Americans” (link)

“Ethnic Disparities in Unmet Need for Alcoholism, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Care” (link)

“Exploring Stress and Coping Among Urban African American Adolescents: The Shifting the Lens Study” (link) (added 5/22)

“Healthcare and Behavioral Health Disparities In Quality Care for Communities of Color: A Set of Priorities” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“Help Seeking for Mental Health Care among Poor Puerto Ricans: Problem Recognition, Service Use, and Type of Provider” (link)

“Inequalities in Use of Specialty Mental Health Services Among Latinos, African Americans, and Non-Latino Whites” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“An Overview of Multicultural Issues in Children’s Mental Health” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“Mental Health Services for Native Americans in the 21st Century United States” (link) (added 5/22)

“Racial Microaggressions Against African American Clients in Cross-Racial Counseling Relationships” (link)

“Racism and Mental Health: the African American experience” (link)

“Racism and Mental Health Into the 21st Century: Perspectives and Parameters” (link) (pdf)

“Spirituality and Mental Health: A Native American Perspective” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“Statistics show mental health services still needed for native populations” (link) (added 5/22)

“Suicide Among American Indians/Alaska Natives” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“Transforming Your Practice: What Matters Most” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“What is the Relationship of Suicide, Alcohol Abuse, and Spirituality among the Inupiat?” (link) (added 5/22)

Organizations and Agencies (added 5/22)

Association of American Indian Physicians (link)

Black Mental Health Alliance for Education and Consultation (link)

Family Wellness Warriors Initiative (link)

First Nations Behavioral Health Association (link)

Indian Health Service Division of Behavioral Health (link)

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (link)

National Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research (link)

National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (link)

National Latino Behavioral Health Association (link)

National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide (link)

Native Wellness Institute (link)

South Asian Mental Health Resources (link)

Tags: poc woc mental illness mental health depression intersectionality racis
2,084 notes

reblogged via

pocproblems:

submitted by anonymous

Tags: racism ableism intersectionality mental illness mental health
172 notes

reblogged via

NAMI: Postpartum Depression Affects 1 in 7 After Giving Birth, Bipolar Rates Strikingly High

madvocate:

The largest study to date of postpartum depression has found that one in seven women experience symptoms of depression after childbirth.

Published in JAMA Psychiatry by the American Medical Association, the basic finding is consistent with past prevalence estimates however, the study’s follow-up evaluations of women at risk revealed especially serious symptoms. Approximately 20 percent of the mothers with depressive symptoms were experiencing suicidal thoughts. Among those who were followed for a full year, 22 percent experienced severe depression.

In the study, 10,000 mothers who gave birth at a Pittsburgh hospital were contacted by telephone and screened six to eight months later for symptoms of depression. Fourteen percent were identified as being at risk. Approximately 60 percent of the at-risk group received follow-up home visits. Another 11 percent completed diagnostic interviews by telephone.

Forty percent of the women’ symptoms began postpartum. Thirty-three percent were assessed as having begun during pregnancy and 27 percent beforehand. Follow-up evaluations most often resulted in a diagnosis of depression with a co-occurring anxiety disorder.

“A striking 22.6 percent had bipolar disorder,” the study warned.

The study calls for all pregnant women and new mothers to be screened for depression, beyond what current medical practice requires. It also emphasizes the need for “strategies to differentiate women with bipolar from unipolar disorders.”

In 2010, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) held that there was “insufficient evidence to support a firm recommendation” for universal screening for depression. However, its Committee on Obstetric Practice recognized the potential benefits of screening and stressed that women already experiencing depression or having a history of depression particularly warranted “close monitoring and evaluation.”

In the study, women who tested positively for symptoms of depression were “more likely to be younger, African American, publicly insured, single and less well educated.”

And yet there’s still so much stigma and so few doctors who actually screen for post-partum depression and psychosis.

Tags: mental illness childbirth ppd ppp mental health bipolar
12 notes

reblogged via

People of Color and Mental Health (Edited 2/24/2013)

cereal-for-supper:

Edit 2/24/2013 - added two links and citations for most articles

wretchedoftheearth:

Edit 5/22/12 - added many links upon request

Please let me know if any of the links go down. I have most if not all of them saved. Also if you have any articles, books, or fact sheets you recommend, add them or message me. Also message me if there is something specific or a specific group you’d like information about. I have a large list (and I have no problem searching a little if it’s something I don’t have).

Also let me know if I should divide them into sections by ethnic background.

wretchedoftheearth:

I got a message from the anon from an ask on ladyatheist’s tumblr about mental ilness and PoC, and I got an anon asking for this information and I feel it is a good reference/starting point so I am making it into a post.

A lot of literature regarding people of color and mental illness is about the stigma within the Black community or Latin@ community, rather than the struggles faced from within mental health institutions, so I am mostly posting other kinds of links.

History

History of black people and mental institutions (link)

In Our Own Voice: African-American Stories of Oppression, Survival, and Recovery in Mental Health Systems (link) (pdf)

~~Racism and Mental Illness (link) (pdf)~~ link is down and I don’t have a back up copy as of 2/23/13

Fact Sheets

African American Community Mental Health Fact Sheet (link) (pdf)

Asian American and Pacific Islander Mental Health: A Guide on How to Get Support for Your Loved One (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Bipolar Disorder and African-Americans (link)

Chinese American Mental Health Facts (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Korean American Community Mental Health Fact Sheet (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Latino Community Mental Health Fact Sheet (link) (pdf)

Mental Health and African Americans (link)

Mental Health and American Indians/Alaska Natives (link)

Mental Health and Asian Americans (link)

Mental Health and Hispanics (link)

Mental Health Issues among Asian American and Pacific Islander Children and Youth (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Mental Health Issues among Asian American and Pacific Islander Communities (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

Recovery for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Living with Mental Illness (link) (pdf) (added 5/22)

“African Americans Have Limited Access to Mental and Behavioral Health Care” (link)

Journal Articles and Reports

“Barriers to Providing Effective Mental Health Services to American Indians” (link) (currently unavailable)

“Bias in Mental Health Assessment and Intervention: Theory and Evidence” (link) (currently unavailable)

“Broken Promises: Evaluating the Native American Health Care System” (link) (added 5/22) [U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. (2004)]

“Building Partnerships: Conversations with Native Americans About Mental Health Needs and Community Strengths” (link) (added 5/22) [UC Davis Center for Reducing Health Disparities. (n.d.)]

“Disparities in Mental Health Treatment in U.S. Racial and Ethnic Minority Groups: Implications for Psychiatrists” (link) [Atdjian, S., & Vega, W. A. (2005, December). Psychiatric Services, 56(12).]

“Effective Coping Strategies of African Americans” (link) [Daly, A., Jennings, J., Beckett, J. O., & Leashore, B. R. (1995, March). Social Work, 40(2), 240-248.]

“Ethnic Disparities in Unmet Need for Alcoholism, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Care” (link) [Wells, K., Klap, R., Koike, A., & Sherbourne, C. (2001, December). American Journal of Psychiatry, 158(12), 2027-2032.]

“Exploring Stress and Coping Among Urban African American Adolescents: The Shifting the Lens Study” (link) (added 5/22) [Chandra, A., & Batada, A. (2006, April). Preventing Chronic Disease, 3(2), 1-10.]

“Healthcare and Behavioral Health Disparities In Quality Care for Communities of Color: A Set of Priorities” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22) [NAAPIMHA. (n.d.).]

“Help Seeking for Mental Health Care among Poor Puerto Ricans: Problem Recognition, Service Use, and Type of Provider” (link)

“Inequalities in Use of Specialty Mental Health Services Among Latinos, African Americans, and Non-Latino Whites” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22) [Alegría, M., Canino, G., Ríos, R., Vera, M., Calderón, J., Rusch, D., & Ortega, A. N. (2002, December). Psychiatric Services,53(12), 1547-1555.]

“An Overview of Multicultural Issues in Children’s Mental Health” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22) [NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.)]

“Mental Health Services for Native Americans in the 21st Century United States” (link) (added 5/22) [Gone, J. P. (2004). Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 35(1), 10-18]

“Racial Microaggressions Against African American Clients in Cross-Racial Counseling Relationships” (link)

“Racism and Mental Health: the African American experience” (link) [Williams, D. R., & Williams-Morris, R. (2000). Ethnicity & Health, 5(3/4), 243-268]

“Racism and Mental Health Into the 21st Century: Perspectives and Parameters” (link) (pdf)

“Spirituality and Mental Health: A Native American Perspective” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22) [(2002). Focal Point, 16(1), 22-24]

“Statistics show mental health services still needed for native populations” (link) (added 5/22) [(2004, October). APA, 35(9), 23.]

“Suicide Among American Indians/Alaska Natives” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22) [SPRC Suicide Prevention Resource Center.(n.d.)]

“Transforming Your Practice: What Matters Most” (link) (pdf) (added 5/22) [Gottlieb, K., Sylvester, I., & Eby, D. (2008). Family Practice Management]

“What is the Relationship of Suicide, Alcohol Abuse, and Spirituality among the Inupiat?” (link) (added 5/22) [Reimer, C. S. (2002)]

“What do African American youth with a mental illness think about help-seeking and psychiatric medication? Origins of stigmatizing attitudes.” (link) (pdf) (added 2/24/13) [Kranke, D., Guada, J., Kranke, B., & Floersch, J. (2012). 10, 53-71]

“Help-Seeking Behaviors and Depression Among African American Adolescent Boys” (link) (abstract) (added 2/24/13) [Lindsey, M. A., Korr, W. S., Broitman, M., Bone, L., Green, A., & Leaf, P. J. (2006). Social Work, 51, 49-58.]

Organizations and Agencies (added 5/22)

Association of American Indian Physicians (link)

Black Mental Health Alliance for Education and Consultation (link)

Family Wellness Warriors Initiative (link)

First Nations Behavioral Health Association (link)

Indian Health Service Division of Behavioral Health (link)

National Asian American Pacific Islander Mental Health Association (link)

National Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Mental Health Research (link)

National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities (link)

National Latino Behavioral Health Association (link)

National Organization of People of Color Against Suicide (link)

Native Wellness Institute (link)

South Asian Mental Health Resources (link)

Tags: poc mental illness mental health resources
2,084 notes

reblogged via

(Image text: Disability Problem #130: When the NRA suggests “an active national database of the mentally ill”)

Tags: ableism disability mental illness bipolar disorder psychosis schizophrenia depression bpd disability problem disability problems mental health
368 notes

(TW: ableism, medical abuse) bunnika's blog: tw: violence, mass murder, ableism, mental illness stigma

slipstreamsunshine:

disabledtalk:

I was wondering if you have a link to one of those posts where they talk about how people always blame “mental illness” when people who do horrible stuff like mass shootings? Or know of a someone that might know? Something like that happened here and people are already…

Interesting - but I’m not sure I agree fully.

If we don’t want to talk about this variety of criminals as mentally ill or legally insane or whatever, the only other real option is to write them off as incurably evil. And I think that sets up a problem, because it leads us to see human beings as EITHER good OR evil. Really, all of us are BOTH good AND evil - maybe some people manage to swing the balance toward good and other people swing their balance toward evil, but no one is pure good or pure evil. And if we see people as evil OR good, we never have to explain things. We never have to prevent people from doing evil. We never have to admit that we are not purely good ourselves. We can ignore complexity and responsibility and go back to life as usual.

And what if mental illness is a factor? What if the best way to prevent school shootings and other violent acts is to better treat and prevent mental illness? If that is something that we can discover (through well-done research), then we can put more pressure on lawmakers and social leaders to de-stigmatize mental illness and more adequately fund research and treatment. If we could do the research and say to lawmakers, “Funding mental illness prevention and treatment will save children from violent deaths in school shootings” I think they would listen more than they do now.

I say this as someone who has experienced mental illness and as a feminist and egalitarian. I say this as someone who wants to destroy stigma related to mental illness and who wants to see better prevention and treatment of mental illness.

I’m left wondering if you actually read what I wrote, because I did mention that people with mental illness murder (this is pretty obvious, considering how very common it is). My problem is the assumption that it necessarily leads to that, or that if someone murders they must have an undiagnosed mental disorder, or that if they have a mental illness it must be what lead them to kill. I’m a little confused as to how this leads to believing I see people as entirely good or evil.

It’s especially shocking when you think about the fact that there are rather clear-cut statistics about mass murders like this regarding men and lack of gun control, and yet somehow mental illness is still the constant boogeyman.

I don’t disagree that increased mental health care would be helpful. Again, everyone has mental health, and providing accessible care when people need it is simply good for individuals and society on multiple levels. And yes, mental illness is a direct factor in some murders, sadly; if rarely, and that’s why insanity exists as a legal term. Usually, in those cases, the murderer was acting (in their minds) defensively, like the infamous Greyhound murder in Canada. They’re also usually more spur of the moment, because being psychotic isn’t very compatible with planning. But-NONE OF THIS IS THE ISSUE.

With mental health care available, people with severe mental illness are not more likely to be violent than anyone else. Without access, people with untreated psychotic disorders are slightly more likely to be violent (again, usually defensively, not necessarily murderously, and not usually planned) but still only very slightly - nowhere near the statistics on men and lack of gun control.

You say that focusing on mental illness as a danger would lead to better mental health care. Unfortunately, you’re wrong. Fearing people with mental illness doesn’t lead to better mental health care. It leads to warehousing, it leads to lobotomies and metrazol/insulin shock therapies, it leads to institutionalization, abuse, and the growing number of mentally ill people in prisons over minor offences. We know because we’ve been there, and because we’re STILL there.

Trying to reduce the stigma of mentally ill people as violent is not “[having] to admit that we are not purely good ourselves.” It’s saying we aren’t your scapegoat for society’s ills. Scapegoating does the exact opposite. It creates black and white thinking about social problems, not destroy it. Why have conversations on gun control, on mass male violence, if we can blame each shooting on one lone psycho?

Finally, you say you’ve experienced mental illness. I’m left wondering if you have/had psychosis or one of the disorders that more often are met with fear upon disclosure, because I’ve dealt with both and I have a hard time understanding how someone who’s lived with that would want to perpetuate it.

Tags: mental illness ableism disability mental health mental health care tw: violence mental illness and violence response
84 notes

reblogged via