David Susman

“What Do You Know About NAMI?”

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There are many wonderful mental health organizations doing great work all around the world. So, when you single one out for praise, you run the risk of displeasing all the others. I’ll take that risk, because I want to recognize the many fine efforts of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (www.nami.org). NAMI is near and dear to my heart as I’ve had the privilege to work with my local and state chapters very closely for many years. Origins …

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Why ‘Engagement’ is Better Than ‘Compliance’

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People who are living with mental illness or substance misuse often have difficulty following through with the recommendations suggested by their health care professionals. A frequent example is not taking medications as prescribed, which can mean missing doses or discontinuing the medicine altogether. Other typical scenarios include not keeping follow-up appointments, not completing homework assigned in therapy sessions, and not being mindful of self-care practices such as exercising, eating a healthy diet or getting enough sleep or rest. There are …

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Suicide Is Something We Can Definitely Live Without

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This is ultimately a tale of heroes and life winning out over death. But first we must acknowledge some clear and painful truths. The tragic epidemic Suicide is a global public health issue and a personal tragedy affecting untold numbers of individuals and families. In case you didn’t know, suicide claimed the lives of over 41,000 Americans in 2013. The overused but attention-grabbing analogy to capture the impact of this number is to imagine 90 jumbo jets full of people …

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a little conversation about recovery

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Let’s talk a little about recovery from mental illness and substance misuse. Ok, sounds good. Once upon a time, we didn’t think people with mental illness could get better. They were just that “odd” relative or they lived in an institution. Now we know better. People with mental illness can recover! Really? What exactly is recovery? Here’s an “official” definition: Recovery is a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive …

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How We Think About Mental Illness – Time for Plan B

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Depending on who you talk to, there are dramatically different views of mental illness. One scenario which captures the unpleasant reality many have experienced looks something like this: Plan A – Many people with a mental illness: Have never been diagnosed Have received a diagnosis but have a lack of insight or deny it Are afraid to talk about it Are ashamed to disclose it Never seek treatment for it Are ridiculed and ostracized because of it Want treatment but none …

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100 Days on X (formerly Twitter): A Psychologist’s Take on the Benefits of Social Media

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I’ve been active on Facebook for years. I love keeping up with friends and family, sharing pictures and updates, playing games, and all that stuff. On LinkedIn, I’ve enjoyed networking to find connections with common professional interests. But I never got into X (formerly Twitter). Sure, I had signed up about 3 years ago and had looked around at news or celebrity feeds from time to time. But I had tweeted exactly four times and had just a handful of …

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9 Strategies to Manage a Personal Setback

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In several previous posts, we talked about setting personal recovery goals, developing a successful plan, and putting your plan into action. Sometimes this process will go quite smoothly, but more often than not you will encounter significant challenges or obstacles along the way. Here’s a great example from American history: In 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas ran against each other for the U.S. Senate. The campaign was hard-fought, and after several tough debates and a very close vote, Douglas …

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How to Put Your Personal Recovery Plan into Action

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In two previous posts, we discussed “How to Set Achievable Personal Recovery Goals” and “How to Develop a Successful Personal Recovery Plan.”  Please review these if you haven’t already as they form the foundation for this post. I’ll give a very brief summary here: Identify one or more specific personal recovery goals that are important to you. Prioritize these goals and first focus on those most vital to your health. Develop a written personal recovery plan for each goal with specific …

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