Mental Health

Take the “What Do You Know About Mental Health Medications?” Quiz

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Perhaps you or someone you care about takes medication to help manage a mental health condition. There’s a whole alphabet soup of such medications, from Abilify to Zyprexa and everything in between. There’s also a lot of inaccurate information out there about these types of medications. How savvy are you about the basics of mental health medications? Take this quick quiz, saying “True” or “False” for each of the 10 questions. The answers and explanations can be found below each question. …

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WHAM! Using Whole Health Action Management to Address Mental Health and Substance Use Concerns

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Over 60 years ago, Dr. Brock Chisholm, a psychiatrist and the first Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) said “Without mental health there can be no true physical health.” It’s now universally accepted that mental health and physical health are related and both must be included in any comprehensive personal recovery plan for mental illness or substance misuse. This combined focus on physical and mental health has been referred to as integrated care, holistic health, and whole health, among …

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10 Priceless Gifts You Can Give to Someone with Mental Illness

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Looking for that perfect holiday, birthday, or any day gift? If someone you care about is facing challenges related to mental health issues or substance misuse, you can give them many wonderful gifts throughout the year that won’t cost you a dime. Consider these. 1)  Give the gift of assistance “Helping others isn’t a chore; it is one of the greatest gifts there is.” – Liya Kebede Lending a helping hand is such a wonderful gift. Offer to give someone a ride, run …

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Psychiatric Advance Directives: A “Living Will” for Mental Health Treatment

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It’s likely you’ve heard of a “living will,” a legal document that outlines one’s preferences for their medical treatment in the event of a serious or terminal illness which renders them unable to express their wishes. But did you know there’s something like a “living will” for mental health care? It’s usually called a “psychiatric advance directive” or a “mental health advance directive.” It’s an important tool to know about, especially if you or someone you care about may be …

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How to Talk With Your Kids About Mental Illness

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If you’re a parent and you or another family member has experienced mental health concerns, you probably have felt unsure about how to talk with your children about this issue. Should you discuss it at all? If you do, what should you say? Your first reaction may be to avoid talking with your children about mental illness, because you might be afraid it will scare or upset them. However, when you talk openly about these issues, it can reassure your …

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12 Takeaways from a Revealing Survey About Mental Health and Treatment

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In a recent post, we reviewed the findings from the Harris Poll’s online survey of 2,020 adults regarding their attitudes about suicide. Now, let’s cover the results from the same survey about attitudes and experiences related to mental health issues and mental health treatment. The survey findings were eye-opening and provide several key takeaways. Let’s review 12 of these and I’ll give each of them my personal rating of either “No surprise,” “Somewhat surprising” or “Wow, that’s surprising!” 1) Almost two-thirds …

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How to Support Someone During a Psychiatric Hospitalization

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If someone you care about has been hospitalized related to a mental health condition, you may have found this situation confusing and overwhelming, and you may have felt you weren’t well-equipped to handle it. This can be even more stressful if it’s the first time you’ve ever faced this challenge. I worked for many years with patients and their families in psychiatric hospitals and I’ve found several tips and strategies that can make this difficult time perhaps just a little …

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