Basic Emotional Education

“Forget SATs: lesson one is a basic emotional education” – headline above Mark Johnson’s October 15 Op/Ed in The Guardian.

“Too many children live with a dysfunctionality that goes back generations…  At school, these children aren’t mentally or emotionally ready for the academic learning designed for others.”

“The number of people with missing emotional development is becoming a threat to our society. But it’s not too late to tackle this massive task. There is good work going on – now we need to get it into the mainstream.”

“We need to recognise school is not just for academic achievement but for personal and emotional development… We should bring in the professionals – the psychologists, therapists, counselors… They should teach children how to nurture themselves and each other.”

“If a child is angry because his mum didn’t give him breakfast, he needs to be able to say that in a closed, supportive peer group with a skilled facilitator. He needs to cope with his emotions honestly.”

“The explosion of violence in our youth does not have its roots in boredom or lack of discipline. It has its roots in emotional problems. It has… everything to do with a new definition of what schools should be doing.”

Source:  http://tinyurl.com/3nkhsq

Emotional Health: What it is, How to Maintain it

People who are emotionally healthy and who practice good emotional healthcare are aware of their thoughts and feelings, process them effectively, communicate them clearly, and are in control of their behavior. Ultimately, those of us who are emotionally healthy feel good about ourselves and have good relationships.

But it’s important to remember that those of us who generally have good emotional health sometimes have emotional problems that can range from those with little significance, such as normal daily stress, all the way through to severe mental illness, such as major depression.

Severe mental illness often has a physical cause, such as a chemical imbalance, but daily stress and everyday problems with family, work or school can create or exacerbate these situations and lead to more serious problems.

Those of us who are emotionally healthy have learned ways to cope with stress and problems and know that when life’s problems appear, it’s important to speak with a professional.

Source: Frank Mannarino

Eating Disorders – Listen and Share

Eight men and women (including Miss America 2008), who have struggled with eating disorders (i.e., anorexia, bulimia), share their personal stories in an audio feature published this morning on the New York Times web site. There’s also a corresponding section for written comments.  Listen to the personal stories, read comments, and share your own.

See/Hear:  The Voices of Eating Disorders

Anti-Depression Meds Without Therapy

Headline in today’s USA Today: 

Study: Most depressed kids get antidepressants but no therapy

“At least half of U.S. children who take antidepressants aren’t in therapy, a large study suggests, and that delays recovery while greatly increasing the number of kids on the medication who are suicidal.”

The report tracks insurance claims for antidepressants from a database of 6.8 million children and teens from 2002 to 2006.

A government study last year found that depressed kids recover most rapidly with antidepressants and counseling that teaches problem-solving and stress management.

Many parents are embarrassed to take their kids for therapy, says Jana Martin, a child psychologist in Long Beach, Calif.

“If kids take a pill, the parents don’t feel it’s as bad a reflection on them. The pill helps, but if kids get bullied on the playground, it doesn’t teach them how to respond and not get depressed, while therapy does. You can’t go take another pill every time someone bullies you.”

Note: as of this writing, there are 44 comments posted below the article at USA Today.

Source:  http://tinyurl.com/48jzjy

Add nicotine replacement therapy to counseling

Health-related quality of life appears to deteriorate as the number of cigarettes smoked per day increases, even in individuals who subsequently quit smoking, according to a report in the October 13 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Offering smoking cessation counseling to hospitalized smokers appears to be effective as long as supportive contacts are offered for more than one month after discharge.

Nancy A. Rigotti, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, and colleagues reviewed 33 trials of smoking cessation interventions that began during hospitalizations. Programs that offered telephone or in-person support lasting longer than one month improved smoking cessation rates six to 12 months after discharge.

“Adding nicotine replacement therapy to counseling may further increase smoking cessation rates and should be offered when clinically indicated, especially to hospitalized smokers with nicotine withdrawal symptoms,” the authors write.

Source:  eurekalert.org

mental health Gap Action Programme

In a majority of countries, less than 2% of health funds are spent on mental health.

Worldwide, every 40 seconds, one person dies of suicide – one of the leading causes of death among young adults. Suicide is a condition that is preventable.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 75% of people suffering from mental disorders in the developing world receive no treatment or care.

WHO is calling on governments, donors and mental health stakeholders to rapidly increase funding and basic mental health services to close this huge treatment gap.

Original Source: www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2008/pr37/en/index.html

A few days ago, WHO launched “the mental health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) which aims at scaling up services for mental, neurological and substance use disorders for countries especially with low- and middle-income. The programme asserts that with proper care, psychosocial assistance and medication, tens of millions could be treated for depression, schizophrenia, and epilepsy, prevented from suicide and begin to lead normal lives – even where resources are scarce.”

Original Source: www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/en/

No Health Without Mental Health

Marking the 16th annual World Mental Health Day (October 10), UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, “Mental health is of paramount importance for personal well-being, family relationships and an individual’s ability to contribute to society.  On this World Mental Health Day, let us recognize that there can be no health without mental health.”

Original Source: www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11843.doc.htm

We’re reminded of the bumper sticker in Hawaii: “No rain, no rainbows.”

Closer Than People Realize

Headline of an October 12 editorial at TheDay.com in Connecticut: Mental Illness Is Closer Than People Realize.

“Every town has people with mental illness. The genes, molecules, brain changes and trauma that cause mental illnesses do not check ZIP codes or income.”

“Chances are that you meet people with mental illnesses every day without knowing it. We don’t wear badges or cowbells anymore.”

“’Crazy’ is not a useful term. People with illnesses have personalities, talents, skills, jobs, and relationships. They have ties to the community, addresses, and appointments the next day.”

“Mental illness is not a crime. Most people with mental illnesses are not criminals and most criminals do not have mental illnesses. Mental illness doesn’t make you a bad neighbor.”

The editorial was written by Robert E. Davidson, director of the Eastern Regional Mental Health Board, a planning, evaluation and advocacy agency for people with mental illnesses in Eastern Connecticut.

Mental Health in the Phillipines

A recent study endorsed by the PPA (Philippine Psychiatric Association) revealed that “32 percent of government workers are suffering from one form of mental disorder or another.”

“This goes to show that from all walks of life there are a lot of mental health issues that could be problematic to the individual, but they are not seeking treatment for several reasons,” said the PPA chair of the committee on advocacy, legislation and multimedia.

This is why the “PPA is concentrating its efforts on educating the public about seeking the help of psychiatrists.”

Source:  beta.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=406920

Mental Health First Aid

The Mental Health Association of Maryland will conduct a 12-hour instructor training course for mental health first aid from November 10-14.

“Mental health first aid is the initial help given to someone developing a mental health problem or in a mental health crisis before appropriate professional or other assistance can be engaged.”

To learn more about Mental Heath First Aid:  http://www.mhfa.com.au/

Mental Health Association of Maryland:  http://mhamd.org/

Kathy Shulman is program director for mental health first aid at the Mental Health Association of Maryland.