Mental Illness Awareness Week & World Mental Health Day 2015

My continuing series concerning Mental Health. This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and tomorrow, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day. The theme of this year’s observance is “Dignity in Mental Health.” 

I mentioned that I would probably post this article a few times, and I feel like now is a good time for an excerpt. I just found it very relevant, and it provoked a great emotional response within me: Schizophrenia is not a split personality, there are four main symptoms | thejournal.ie.

“Sensationalist headlines 

Newspapers are certainly no better. On Monday 7 October 2013 the Sun newspaper carried the headline “1,200 killed by mental patients”. With unsurprising melodrama we were told of a “shock 10-year toll” emerging days after a “schizophrenic” was locked up for a stabbing.

Little context was provided, such as the overall number of homicides in the UK during the same decade. It was 7,000. Had they bothered to do the sums, the editors would have realised that citizens without mental illness (75%) had committed a disproportionately high number (83%) of the homicides.

Indeed, people with psychosis are more likely to be the victims of crime. But I suppose this does not sell newspapers.

Let’s be clear about this. In 2009, a large and rigorous study in the Archives of General Psychiatry found that severe mental illness alone did not predict violent behaviour.

Effective treatment reduces the risk even further. But when newspaper editors refer to an alleged criminal as a “psycho”, “nutter” or “madman”, they wrongly assume that mental illness provides the only explanation for a violent event. Ordinary people with mental illness – and there are so many – feel stigmatised and are less likely to seek the very help they need for their psychological difficulties.”

There are many areas that can be improved in regards to mental health (and we’re getting there). I believe most people want and deserve dignity. But, lifetime beliefs, attitudes, and actions can take a while to change for some. I’ve researched several articles concerning educating children and youth in these matters (some of which I’ve previously posted), and I couldn’t be more thrilled. I think it’s a step in the right direction, for sure. Here’s an interesting piece detailing just that: Labor’s school mental health plan | themercury.com.au.

Once again, I will leave you with a list of additional articles to review (when you have a moment). I’m impressed with much of the material I’ve researched. There’s still so much I cannot post today, but know that I will update you in the future.

My other Mental Health Series posts can be found under the category of Health on my blog menu.

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to meet young Time to Change Champions on World Mental Health | time-to-change.org.uk.
Guest Viewpoint: 10 years of suicide prevention | stargazette.com.
Nevis Health Minister’s Address On The Occasion Of World Mental Health Day 2015 | zizonline.com.
Daniel Vance: The stigma of mental illness | newbernsj.com.
Living with dignity: World Mental Health Day 2015 | bps.org.uk.
Congress & Policymakers: Stop Scapegoating Mental Illness in Mass Shootings | psychcentral.com.
I’m a doctor – but that didn’t save my son from suicide | telegraph.co.uk.
University of Bedfordshire student reveals extent of loneliness in the elderly | bedfordshire-news.co.uk.
Minister worries about under-funding for mental health services | ghananewsagency.org.
How Pharmacists Can Correct Mental Illness Misconceptions | pharmacytimes.com.
Mental health first aid training offered | azdailysun.com.
Auburn’s 2015 Miss Homecoming shares story of overcoming challenges to help raise mental health awareness | al.com.
Mental health matters | jamaicaobserver.com.
A call for dignity in mental health | freemalaysiatoday.com.
32 Marathwada farmers commit suicide in a week | The Times of India.
One-fourth of Bahamas’ residents have considered suicide, study claims | thebahamasweekly.com.
Reporting mental health issues costs soldiers their job or sidelines them, Senate Inquiry told | news.com.au.
Suicide rate in regions disproportionate to number of people with depression and other mental illness | The Courier.
One Conversation Counts: NAMI offers resources for Suicide Prevention Awareness Month | maconnews.com.

My Way, No. 28

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

Hope Rosh Hashanah has been a wonderful time!

— Adventures in Food: Breakfasts for Dinner! I usually have fruit during the morning hours, so here are a couple of evening meals I recently enjoyed:

No, it’s not eggs! It’s a fake-out chickpea flour & tofu omelette. I found the recipe on the same site as the recently posted English muffins: Potato-Avocado Tofu Omelettes. Now, I do love eggs, but I thought the recipe sounded intriguing. If you recall, I did a lot of potato recipes the previous few weeks, so I went with sautéed kale, mini sweet peppers, criminis, and avocado (though, the potatoes in the pic looked SO yummy!). I sautéed the criminis in a little homemade Worcestershire and red wine. This is one of my fave ways to have mushrooms. Sometimes, I add a little butter and thyme. If you’ve never made your own Worcestershire, I just looked up this recipe: Homemade Worcestershire Sauce. I like to make mine with apple & balsamic vin, blackstrap molasses, honey (maybe stevia), smelly fish ;), tamari, garlic, onion, mustard powder, chile, some warm spices, and tamarind. If you run out of anchovies while making Caesar dressing, try Worcestershire to pinch-hit. If you’ve never seen tamarind, this is what it looks like (it’s also available in other forms, like paste):

Apparently, the original version of the recipe calls for Indian black salt to create a more ‘authentic egg experience.’ As I lacked such an item, I subbed the sea salt I smoked. I also ran out of nutritional yeast and replaced it with parm. The recipe indicates you should use a cooked chickpea flour vs. raw, and it gives illustrations of how you can tell the difference (if you purchase your flour). I ground dry peas for my flour and just cooked out the rawness a bit. I really enjoyed this meal (though I will still whip up a traditional omelette every now and then). Check out this recipe for sure if you don’t do eggs.

You know my obsession with carrot cake! Carrot cake steel-cut oats with shredded carrots, raisins, pineapple, walnuts, fresh coconut, ground cinnamon & ginger, pure Mexican vanilla extract, pinch of salt. As with my rice pudding, I like to put the vanilla and salt in after it’s finished cooking (cinnamon & ginger during). I throw the carrots in about a minute before the end of the cooking time (except garnish). Everything else is a topping. I forgot the honey in the pic, but I usually finish with a bit to sweeten.

I made versions of this dish several times: Daikon Radish Pasta with Corn and Tomatoes in Creamy Coconut Sauce.

I didn’t have daikon, so I subbed squash. In this pic, I also bulked it up with 1 oz. of whole wheat spaghetti. If you want to lighten up your traditional pasta dishes, a blend of a veggie spiral and a flour pasta is a great way to go. I just eyeballed the ingredients, but the sauce was fab. I can see it translating to all kinds of things. I used a blend of coconut water & milk I had in the freezer.

I told you I made the lovely Cherry Tomatoes & Basil Sauce from the last My Way post, and that gave birth to these roasted tomatoes:

I know roasted tomatoes aren’t the prettiest thing to look at! This has to be one of my fave preps in probably the past 6 months or so, though. So simple, but I could have made a meal out of them. I made several batches. I filled the pan with a little water (about halfway up to the tomatoes), roasted garlic cloves, salt, oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil. After one batch reached room temp, I had a hard time not just popping all of them in my mouth right then. They were SO GOOD! I also used them to top pasta (veggie & wheat spag), and this flatbread:

I adapted the flatbread/pizza dough from this recipe: The Best New York Style Cheese Pizza.

So, again, maybe not the most attractive meal in the world, but this was so tasty (prepared it a couple of times)! I made a honey-whole wheat dough with a little parm and garlic powder added. I adjusted the salt a bit because of the parm and smoked sea salt on the crust (like I did with the Sriracha garlic knots). I can’t remember where I read about the smoked salt, but I really like it. I added a little cornmeal to the bottom of the pan & replaced some of the oil with homemade non-fat yogurt. Sauce was a mixture of homemade non-fat yogurt and homemade (skim) feta (I hafta keep my dairy + fat portions low, boo 😦 ). Little finish of pomegranate molasses.

— Last My Way post, I forgot I wanted to tell you about the convertible Henkaa dress fabric. It’s a wrinkle-resistant fabric. If you’ve ever been to Chico’s, it kind of reminds me of a wrinkle-resistant travel-knit fabric they have. The young lady demo-ing the dress spilled something on it at lunch. She had a spare dress scrunched up in her purse and changed into it after the mishap. No ironing or steaming. The first dress was a floor length, and the second above-the-knee. She was very tall, and both dresses looked fabulous on her. After that last post, I watched a few of the various style vids. You have to see them. Amazing!

— I saw this on my food co-op’s social page. I think a lot of people know this type of thing goes on, but it’s always still shocking to see it in print: A Guide to Food Industry Front Groups | centerforfoodsafety.org.

— I found this article heart-breaking, but I’m glad they took the billboard down:Mental Health Advocates Topple Kenneth Cole Billboard Falsely Linking Mental Health Conditions and Gun Violence | bizjournals.com.

— I read back through a few of the articles from the last installment of my Mental Health Series. This article really hit me, so I wanted to post it here (and I may post it a few more times). Schizophrenia is not a split personality, there are four main symptoms | thejournal.ie. I think everyone should read this. It’s not just about this particular illness. It deals with some heart issues. I think you will find it enlightening.

— DIY Dip Dye Jeans | Fusion e-Magazine.

Maybe you could also DIY something like this: Wheretoget.it.

— I am in the market for a different (neutral-colored vs. my last vibrant color choice) heart rate monitor watch. While searching for one, I came across this sports bra made for the heart sensor chest strap: Pure Lime Compression Bra for Heart Rate Sensors – High Impact.

— OK, these are totally fun and hysterical! I love the bar, cat bed, and speakers.
DIY Retro Furniture — 12 Things To Do With Vintage Suitcases | Loffee.

— Deodorizing Homemade Lavender Linen Spray Recipe | soapdelinenews.com.

— Today’s Featured Recipes:

My mom likes to watch her sugars (and sodium), but she doesn’t care for several sugar subs. She especially doesn’t like stevia! She tried to use the same ratio as white sugar, lol! So, I have to sneak these things into her food sometimes, hehe. I’ve never used the sugar sub called for in this recipe, but you may be able to sub the sub if you need to:
Low Carb Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts – Gluten Free | Modern Low Carb.

Walnut and Olive Spelt Bread Rolls | Quite Good Food.

Brie, Fig Jam, and Serrano Ham Crostini | Flavor the Moments.

Tequila-Orange Grilled Shrimp | Cookbook Recipes.

Jewish Holiday Recipes: Doughnut Ice Cream Sandwiches | Gourmet Kosher Cooking. An idea you could adapt very easily. They suggest chocolate doughnuts with coffee or cookie and cream ice cream.

Chef JD’s Cuisine & Travel Website Turnstile | Cherokee Hominy and Tomato Soup.

This is not really a recipe, but you could really let your imagination run wild with this one: Home cured duck ham, Hendricks compressed cucumber, summer fruit and nitro sorbet. Due South Chefs Ltd.

Ginger Candy Appletini  Recipe | aroundmainline.com. I like the caramel apple garnish 🙂

Take good care of yourself, and I’ll see you next time!

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, September 10, 2015 World Suicide Prevention Day, + Mental Health Article Links

September is Suicide Awareness Month, and tomorrow Suicide Prevention Day. I linked to this article in the last installment of my Mental Health Series. I could not get this quote from it out of my mind, so I wanted to share it this post: “I truly believe the greatest measure of a city is how it helps its most vulnerable. It is time for us to buck the age-old stigma of mental illness. Through the creation of our Behavioral Health Strategies division, we embark on what we believe to be the country’s first city effort to coordinate streamlined services around our people with behavioral health needs.” Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s 2015 Inaugural Address, The Denver Post.

In that last installment, I mentioned researching a number of additional articles that I was unable to list (due to the length of the post). Well, I’m still unable list all of them in this post. But, I will try to list quite a few. (I did an internship at Camp Wellness, the facility written about in the last link.) As noted by several pieces in my previous posts, one of the effects of mental illness stigma and discrimination can be social isolation. I think seeing just how many people are writing on the subject can bring comfort to those diagnosed with a condition (or their loved ones) — to know they are not alone in their journey…to know someone is giving voice to something they may not yet be able to.

I hope this post will encourage those with an incomplete understanding of what depression, suicidal ideation, and other mental illnesses are to look into them further. If these things are familiar to you, I hope you let it encourage you to reach out to those you know or suspect might need your help. Or, if you think you might need some assistance or someone to talk to, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). 

My other Mental Health Series posts can be found under the category of Health on my blog menu.

SPECIAL REPORT: Suicide and the Pinoy youth | Lifestyle | GMA News Online.
Girl Scouts Can Earn A Patch in Mental Health Awareness | valleynewslive.com.
The Truth About Suicide in Colorado | 5280.com.
Federal Appeals Court Rules UnitedHealthcare May Be Sued for Alleged Violations of the Federal Mental Health Parity Act | markets.financialcontent.com.
September deemed Suicide Prevention Awareness Month | Lebanon Democrat.
Press Release: September 10 World Suicide Prevention Day and September 12 NAMI Utah Walk | utahpolicy.com.
A unique mental health facility | The Jerusalem Post.
Suicide a subject that must keep being brought to light | thereporter.com.
Fighting for the light | Cyprus Mail.
Ending the Silence: How KU Campus is helping students with Mental Illness | kansan.com.
Guest Opinion: Lifting the veil on depression and suicide | Idaho Statesman.
Teens help teens with mental health issues | Queens Chronicle: Queenswide.
Campaign launched to tackle stigma of mental illness | The Jewish Chronicle.
Schizophrenia is not a split personality, there are four main symptoms | thejournal.ie.
Depression on the rise | Fiji Times Online.
Elise Banks crowned Miss Texas International | beautypageants.in.
EmbraceDontDisgrace.com | Mental Illness Discrimination.
The psychologists walking 100 miles to fight austerity’s impact on mental health | theguardian.com.
The secret lives of 3 Maine people with depression | Health | Bangor Daily News.
30% Of Medical Students Report Mental Health Condition, Yet Most Feel Stigmatized Asking For Help | Medical Daily.
Prejudice from the professionals: mental health anti-stigma initiative targets services | communitycare.co.uk.
Stigma Influences Psychiatrists in Disclosing Their Own Mental Illness | Psychiatry Advisor.
Camp Wellness: Where the routine becomes extraordinary | tucson.com.

Multi-Cultural Mental Health Awareness

I mentioned last My Way post that I would be writing another installment of my Mental Health Series soon, and here it is. July, as I said, is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. Yes, it is mid-August. But, just as I conveyed in my post World Mental Health Day, 2014 & NAMI Multi-Cultural Action Center (posted in October), I write on this topic as I feel led. This is a sensitive subject for many, so I want to make sure my timing is right. Today, I simply want to share a few passages and articles that touched me.

“People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental ill health and the discrimination they experience can make their difficulties worse and make it harder to recover. 

Mental illness is common…We know that people with mental health problems are amongst the least likely of any group with a long-term health condition or disability to:

find work 
be in a steady, long-term relationship 
live in decent housing  
be socially included in mainstream society. 

This is because society in general has stereotyped views about mental illness and how it affects people. Many people believe that people with mental ill health are violent and dangerous, when in fact they are more at risk of being attacked or harming themselves than harming other people.

Stigma and discrimination can also worsen someone’s mental health problems, and delay or impede their getting help and treatment, and their recovery. Social isolation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all linked to mental ill health. So stigma and discrimination can trap people in a cycle of illness.

The situation is exacerbated by the media. Media reports often link mental illness with violence, or portray people with mental health problems as dangerous, criminal, evil, or very disabled and unable to live normal, fulfilled lives.

This is far from the case.

Research shows that the best way to challenge these stereotypes is through firsthand contact with people with experience of mental health problems.” www.mentalhealth.org.uk

“Mental health within minority communities is a sensitive issue that needs addressing. In a report from the Surgeon General in 2001, these issues were highlighted while exploring the problems of biases, stereotypes and racism within the healthcare system. The report also emphasized the benefits of shared historical experiences and culture…Dr. Jei Africa examined the question, “What do we know right now?” …In 2012, SAMSHA conducted a study that pointed out the major issues within Minority Mental Health. The study put financial hardship and lack of insurance as the ethnically universal concern. They found that the idea that mental healthcare “would not help” was the least cited reason across the board.

Studies show that depression is mentioned as a possible diagnosis for a person 43% of the time if the person is white, and only 27% if the person is black. This is despite the findings that 38% of white people were less likely to talk about their depression opposed to only 11% of black people. When questioned on this vast difference of behavior, providers answered that they think white people suffer more than black people. Acknowledging the present disparity in the system and hold providers to a standard that accommodates minorities is a necessary next step.

How can we change the healthcare system for the better?

Administering cultural training to providers
Providing financial literate classes for healthcare needs
Implementing a medical model that is adaptive instead of coercive

It is difficult at times for any person living with a mental health condition to receive the care that they need, but every person deserves equal opportunity for treatment.” Tackling the Challenges of Minority Mental Health, Nami.org

As you can see from these passages, social inclusion and cultural adaptations are concrete ways to improve the lives of those with mental health conditions. I hope many of you let the information provided in these articles sink into your thinking. The more we are armed with this knowledge and wisdom, the more we can fight the sometimes awful stigma and discrimination that can be faced.

I do not want to overwhelm you with too much information today, so I will just leave you with additional article links. I have researched so many interesting pieces, but I cannot list them all in one post. As it stands now, this is already quite lengthy. Perhaps I will just have an article link post one day.

My Previous Mental Health Series Posts: 

Shattering the Stigma of Mental Illness, NAMI Southern AZ Mental Health Walk 2015, Mental Illness Discrimination & Exploitation, World Mental Health Day, 2014 & NAMI Multicultural Action Center, Mental Illness Awareness Week, Mental Illness Facts and Myths, & Cafe 54, Tucson, AZ, What is Stigma?, NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness Stigma Alerts Archive (many of these archives are no longer listed, so I may post a few at some point), University of Arizona Camp Wellness

Further reading:

McCray ties mental health to income inequality | capitalnewyork.com.
Stigma over mental illness holds back funding, Andrew Robb tells summit | theguardian.com
The Mental Health Parity Act: A Legislative History | congressionalresearch.com
Bhanu’s Story: India’s Quiet Epidemic Of Housewife Suicides | indiaspend.com
Farmers’ tractor selfies raise cash for suicide prevention charity | fwi.co.uk
Column: Suicide — it’s not just the kids | stillwatergazette.com
Chicago Hispanic News, Lawndale News, Hispanic Bilingual Newspapers, NAMI Chicago Honors Saint Anthony Hospital Mental Health Supervisor with Community Health Advocate of the Year Award | lawndalenews.com
Cantrell to host forum on mental health in minority populations | uptownmessenger.com
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s 2015 Inaugural Address | denverpost.com
Toronto police background checks no longer include mental health incidents | t.thestar.com
‘Anxious’ Hong Kong needs an effective mental health body | chinadaily.com.cn
Cherry Hill teen comfortable discussing bouts with mental illness | jewishvoicesnj.org
Mental health and African Americans: Breaking the tradition of silence | amsterdamnews.com
Africa: View On Disability – SDGs Lack Mental Health Ambition | allafrica.com
National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: CAMFT encourages all minorities to get mental health support | news-medical.net
Deepika Padukone Foundation | bollywood.celebden.com
African women leading the charge in philanthropy | africanbrains.net
Asian-Americans Tackle Mental Health Stigma | webmd.com
Reclaiming One’s Dignity: Overcoming the Prejudice and Discrimination of Mental Illness | sfvcmhc.org

Shattering the Stigma of Mental Illness

“First Lady Chirlane McCray speaks out about her plan to shatter the stigma of mental illness and create a more inclusive treatment system that works for all New Yorkers.

‘The first step to solving the crisis is to simply acknowledge that it exists,’ writes McCray. ‘We must start a real public conversation about mental illness, and we must start connecting people to appropriate services. That is how we will shatter the stigma.” http://blackbusinessnow.com/nyc-first-lady-chirlane-mccray-wants-to-shatter-the-stigma-around-mental-health/

I just recently read this article, and it spurred me on to write another installment of my Mental Health Series. It’s encouraging to see sincere high-profile people taking action. I also read a wonderful piece on former President Carter’s mental health speech at the University of Florida (he stood in for his wife, Rosalynn). http://www.news4jax.com/news/president-carter-speaks-at-uf/32119922

I read so many encouraging blog posts and articles concerning mental health, only to later be discouraged by a few disparaging remarks, jokes, slurs, etc. Perhaps you think I should not be so emotionally connected to such negative statements or conduct…and, perhaps you are correct. I try to understand why people do and say what they do. Much of our society has allowed stigma and discrimination to rule for so long, so that is certainly part of it. I am reminded of school settings wherein you are one of the “cool kids” if you make fun of or gang up on those not within social norms. The somewhat opposite of that also saddens me: I often hear people without a medical diagnosis refer to themselves as OCD (because they happen to be an organized person, etc.), schizophrenic (because they think this refers to a dual personality — possibly doing or liking opposing tasks), bipolar (because they have a sudden change in mood), and so on…Either one of those behaviors leads to increased distress and shame for people with mental health conditions. I try to not be too judgmental about it, as our culture has a tendency to not think about the impact of words. So, these days, I try to make sure what I’m saying is really what I’m saying…what’s really in my heart, without offending, and without being overly politically correct.

On occasion, my mom yells at me to turn the running water off so I don’t waste it (she’s concerned about the bill, and rightly so, lol, and we live in the desert). She’s usually in the other room, though, and doesn’t even know why I have it on. I slowly turn the knob…slowly, slowly…until the gushing flow turns into a soft wave, into a hum, into a murmur, a trickle of its former self…and then it’s gone. I have a dream that mental health stigma and discrimination will dissipate in a similar fashion…until it is no more.

Mental illness affects 1 in 4 people (http://www.who.int/whr/2001/media_centre/press_release/en/), but so many are afraid to receive the help they need. If you would like information for yourself or loved ones, please see my previous posts under the category of Health on my blog menu.

In addition, I have once again collected several articles you may find interesting and/or informative.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

http://www.cw.ua.edu/article/2015/04/mental-matters-students-struggle-with-mental-health-balance

The stigma of mental health: Why black women don’t ask for help

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5590658-hemingway-shares-family-battle-with-mental-illness/

http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/about_us/stigma-illness.htm

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/letters/2015/04/21/letter-stelizabeth-hospital-mentalhealth/26116275/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=

The Therapy Relationship: What Makes a Good Fit?

http://drkathleenyoung.com/resourcesandquizzes/depressionchecklist.html

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/what-are-mental-health-problems/stigma-discrimination/impact

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-ouch-32084441

http://ravallirepublic.com/missoula/entertainment/music/article_09c10f15-422d-53a1-be74-356bbb3d670c.html

http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/190/3/192

http://www.thenational.ae/uae/health/employees-fear-disclosing-mental-health-issues-to-bosses-in-uae

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2015/04/12/Tackling-mental-illness-stigma-head-on/stories/201504120166

http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/04/summit-addresses-minority-women-s-mental-health

http://www.cbc.ca/newsblogs/yourcommunity/2011/09/have-you-faced-discrimination-because-of-mental-illness.html

NAMI Southern AZ Mental Health Walk 2015

I am so glad I had the opportunity to volunteer at this year’s National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southern Arizona Mental Health Walk. This is an annual community event to raise funds and awareness. As you know, I publish mental health-related blog posts from time to time. So many participants out this year doing the 3 or 5K. Some walk and raise funds as a team, others come by themselves, and many join friends and family. Fortunately, the walkers crossed the finish way before the temps reached into the 90’s. It was a hot one! I had a chance to see many old friends (as I often do at health events), so it made my day really special. It’s one of the best things in the world: being around a group of caring, non-judgmental people.

This year, walkers were warmed up with high-energy Latin dance aerobics and later treated to a post-walk Mariachi performance. It was a really fun time! NAMI hosts walks all across the U.S., so you may want to search for one in your area (if this is a cause you would like to support). I didn’t take a ton of pics this year, but here are a few:

Getting ready for the big walk! Many teams design and wear their own t-shirts.

Cafe 54 Food Truck serving hungry walkers (read more about their amazing work here).

Mariachi! I always love the outfits! They were awesome!

NAMI Store Tent

This banner from the Community Partnership of Southern Arizona really touched me. No shame, no fear, just help.

If you have a moment, please take a look at my mental health series posts. They can be found under the Health category of my blog menu. For your convenience, I have linked to them below. In addition to the blog posts themselves, I have listed many article and resources links. Further articles are frequently featured in My Way posts as well.

Mental Illness Discrimination & Exploitation

World Mental Health Day, 2014 & NAMI Multicultural Action Center

Mental Illness Awareness Week, Mental Illness Facts and Myths, & Cafe 54, Tucson, AZ

What is Stigma?

NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness Stigma Alerts Archive (many of these archives are no longer listed, so I may post a few at some point)

University of Arizona Camp Wellness

My Way, No. 7

*If you’re new to my blog, you may want to read this for info on what ‘My Way’ posts are all about. 🙂 *

— Have you ever felt like you were going to scream if you had to make one more decision? Like you would explode if one more set of choices came before you…your mind overwhelmed by life’s questions? I got to that point this past week. Now, if I were being unselfish, I would have thought about the fact that it’s a blessing to be able to even make decisions. Some people are not that fortunate. I was having a self-absorbed moment (or two), though. Then, it seemed as if the heavens opened up and shone upon me…someone else coming along to give me peace and direction. Like God was saying, even though you’re being selfish and a bit ungrateful, I’m still going to help you out, haha. Thank goodness for mercy and folks who come to your rescue!

— Thank goodness for a couple of recipes that eased my decision-making about what to prepare for Hanukkah! Normally, it wouldn’t have been that big of a deal, but my mind was overloaded at the time, lol. I wanted to make jelly doughnuts and made blackberry jam in anticipation. As with the bagel recipe I recently posted about, though, I wasn’t really in love with the recipe I had. So, I kept going back and forth about it. Then, lo and behold, I saw this recipe and thought, “Why not give it a try?” So glad I did! Now, I must confess (probably to the cringing of pro bakers everywhere) that I changed a few things. I usually try to avoid altering baking and pastry recipes too significantly, as it’s a scientific process. And, as pastries are not my strong point, I feel I should leave it to the pros to deal with the whole science of it. I decided to risk it this time, though. I was hoping the changes wouldn’t make that much of a difference: I subbed oil for butter (as I am still fasting from it), used egg yolks instead of a whole egg, my homemade non-fat yogurt instead of milk (the only milk I had was frozen, and I didn’t want to wait until it thawed), and added a little more sugar to the dough (my sweet tooth). I know if you are a baker, you are probably frowning, lol. I thought a Star of David shape would be cute, so I cut a few like that and the rest into squares. They were awesome! So good fresh and warm:

Fasting from butter, cheese, etc., is difficult, but my body feels so much better when I do. Eggs are fine for me, though (in moderation), so that’s why I used the yolks. I thought it might make up for the lack of butter (richness). Good source of protein and iron for me. I used the whites in another recipe I made to celebrate (instead of the whole egg it called for): Cauliflower Fritters with Roasted Garlic and Paprika Aioli. I desperately wanted to make this recipe as soon as I saw it. I have never thought to prepare fritters with cauliflower. It called for parm, though, so that presented a dilemma. I decided to punch up the flavor from the missing parm with nutritional yeast, scallions, cilantro, and eggplant. I used whole wheat flour for the batter base. I tried to make up for the calories of frying by using a lower fat dip. I swapped a mixture of light mayo and non-fat yogurt for the freshly made aioli. I know a homemade aioli would have been great, but I had to try to cut a few cals somewhere! They were actually fab with or without the dip. I could have eaten quite a few more, so I had to limit my portion by putting the extras in the freezer, haha:

— I guess I’m a bit late getting into the Christmas spirit this year. It seems to have snuck up on me just these past couple of days. I know it has finally hit when I start playing the Bing Crosby Christmas tunes. He performs my some of favorite tracks and it just sets me in the mood. I’m just now starting to think about what I’ll prepare and any decorations, so I thought I would share this link on 10 Christmas Buffet Table Ideas. I like plated Holiday dinners, but they give a few ideas on setting up stations to keep everything flowing smoothly.

— OK, so I might be a few years behind the trend, but I think this is a cute Christmas outfit. And, check out these cute Christmas nails, leggings, and purse.

— A great article on using ‘people first’ language regarding mental health. (http://www.providencejournal.com/news/health/mental-health/20141122-in-talking-about-mental-illness-people-first-terminology-eases-stigma.ece) I believe I first heard of this when I was interning at Camp Wellness. I really think the explanation he gives about using certain terminology is informative — it’s not about political correctness, but about how the impact of words is important. I also wanted to share a Dallas news reporter’s story that touched me: Erasing the Stigma of Mental Illness the Best Way I Know How. (http://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/sunday-commentary/20140425-fighting-the-stigma-of-mental-illness-the-best-way-i-know-how.ece)

— I have been reading about the recent Civil Rights protests in different places across the country and the march in Washington. It’s a subject that is sensitive for many Americans (no matter your cultural background, in many instances). You try to not let anger get the best of you, but these things must be voiced. If you are a minority in America, you know racism and discrimination. If you are a Black male in America, you most assuredly know racism, discrimination, and most likely a host of other deplorable things. I would say in Arizona, unfortunately, there is nearly as much (if not completely equal) hostility towards those with a Hispanic background. Our country has come far, but there is still so far to go. I continue to pray for everyone concerned. I hope that you will as well.

— I want to leave you with a few other recipes I think look grand, & hopefully I’ll be back with more soon. Bake-frying for Hanukkah: Sweet Potato Falafels with Coleslaw. Christmas means (for me) an abundance of eggnog and eggnog-flavored sweets and treats: Eggnog Cheesecake Bars. Also, I tend to indulge in more peppermint this time of year: White Chocolate Peppermint Mousse. How about some veg soup for these chilly days: Kale and Cauliflower Soup. Quick, Easy, Hearty, and Thrifty: Bombay Lamb Wraps. It’s so nice to get cozy by the fireplace (or the electric heater 😉 ) with a warm mug of mulled wine: Glühwein.

Take care! ‘Til next time!

Mental Illness Discrimination & Exploitation

As I continue in my posts concerning mental health, I wanted to take time to focus on discrimination and exploitation that may come alongside mental illness stigma. I was prompted to write this post after reading several statements on the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) website:

“NAMI condemns all acts of stigma and discrimination directed against persons with mental illnesses, whether by intent, ignorance, or insensitivity. Epithets, nicknames, jokes, advertisements, and slurs that refer to persons with serious mental illnesses in a stigmatizing way are cruel. NAMI considers acts of stigma to be discrimination.” (http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=NAMI_Policy_Platform&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=105496)

NAMI considers acts of stigma to be discrimination. Many times the thoughts and attitudes we have spill over into actions. This is why I think it’s important to periodically examine our thoughts. If we find some thoughts are not what we desire for ourselves, we can then begin to try to correct them. We may not recall or know why we think what we think (how the thoughts originated), but it’s a start. As I’ve previously written about, media can be a big influence on many. But, that may be only one of several factors.

“The media marginalizes mentally ill people—their behaviors are either entertaining or violent. Even when mental health policies are introduced or improved after [shooting] incidents, it is more likely out of a fear of mentally ill people rather than a genuine desire to help.” (http://thelamron.com/2014/10/24/fame-excuse-media-exploit-mental-illness/)

“NAMI especially deplores the exploitation of people with mental illnesses by journalists, advertisers, advertising agencies, the entertainment industry, and others for commercial gain or other advantage. (http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=NAMI_Policy_Platform&Template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=105496)

I must say that the statements I have quoted above have stayed in my heart and mind over the past few weeks. I could not get away from them, and with good reason. Stigma, discrimination, and exploitation of those with mental illness has been very prevalent in our society. I am finding more and more articles that seek to shed light on this topic, though, so that is certainly a step towards progress. Yet, even more needs to be done and is being done (one day at a time). It will take time for thoughts and attitudes to change, as it has with other types of discrimination. Someone must speak out, though. I recently read several historical works, and the story of American Olympic sprinters John Carlos and Tommie Smith was included. At the 1968 games, they raised their fists while the United States national anthem was played to protest racism in the U.S. They were ultimately suspended by the Olympic Committee and made to leave the Olympic Village. Some may offer that their actions were disrespectful to our country, but (to me) the greater disrespect was the racial discrimination they chose to ‘speak out’ against. For men such as these, I am thankful.

This series of posts is my ‘speaking out,’ and I hope to bring more related information in the next several months. Why is it so important to me to ‘speak out’ on this issue? There are many reasons, but I also couldn’t get away from this statement I read:

“When you admit that you are anything that could be mistakenly, or otherwise, perceived as ‘mentally ill’ you know that you are going to get treated like dirt so you don’t go tell anybody and that’s why people die.” (emphasis mine) (http://news.sky.com/story/1319070/sinead-oconnor-mentally-ill-treated-like-dirt)

Just knowing to do good is not enough…doing good is what will make the difference. You cannot change everyones’ hearts with your actions, but it is worth it if you can help even one person. That’s my goal for now.

I hope you will take a moment to look at my other posts concerning mental health (if you haven’t already). They include several resources and can be found under the category of Health on my blog menu:

University of Arizona Camp Wellness
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Health Stigma Alerts Archive
What is Stigma?
Mental Illness Awareness Week, Mental Illness Myths and Facts, & Cafe 54, Tucson, AZ
World Mental Health Day, 2014 & NAMI Multicultural Center