Wellness Toolbox Helps You Build Your Mental Health

You can begin building your mental health now with the tools available in the Wellness Toolbox   from Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance.

The Toolbox has three sections. In the “Blueprints” section, you can set goals for recovery, check symptoms, and learn how to find and get help from a doctor. In the “Tool Belt” section, you learn about wellness, develop wellness strategies, track your health, manage symptoms and triggers, and address negative thinking. In the “Manual” section, you track your treatment and medications.

The tools are generally short and simple to use, some more helpful than others. Overall, this is a site you may find useful for information and guidance your building your own well-being.

 

VIDEO: Learn the top ten myths about mental illness

I am reblogging this from The Cynthia Breen Advocacy Foundation blog. The CBAF is a non-profit Minnesota foundation advocating for those affected by mental illness. The video is from the Douglas Institute in Canada. It is an excellent explanation of mental illness, its prevalence, and its impact on people and society. It is a great talk and well worth the 1-hour it takes to watch it.

Stop Mental Health Stigmas

Joseph Rochford, PhD, Director of Academic Affairs of the Research Centre, at the Douglas Institute, talks about the most recurrent preconceived ideas about mental illness in this 2009 Mini-Psych school lecture :

• •Mental illness is a single, rare disorder
• •the mentally ill are insane
• •If you are diagnosed with a mental illness, kiss your chances of a brilliant career goodbye
• •The mentally ill are more violent
• •Mental illnesses are not true medical illnesses like heart disease and diabetes
• •If mental illnesses are biological, then psychotherapy is useless
• •If you have a gene that have been associated with a mental illness, you are condemned to experience it
• •The mentally ill are weak or lazy
• •People with a mental illness never get better

Related Articles

• VIDEO: Learn the top ten myths about mental illness: (stopstigmas.com)
• More Than A Mental Illness(mentalhealthworks.wordpress.com)
• mental illness tips (author-leanneherrera.blogspot.com)
• More Than A Mental Illness(maniacfire.wordpress.com)

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Day For Night: Recognizing Teenage Depression Video

This 5 minute video shows teenagers discussing their symptoms in their own words. It’s worth watching no matter what age you are. What resonates with you?

 

CBT – learn a life changing skill in 5 minutes

STOPP.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is as effective as medication in many cases for treating anxiety and depression. CBT comes down to this: How to react in a controlled way (not automatically) to our world, mentally and emotionally. CBT is a practice of changing your mind and feelings consciously. It is not hard to learn, but takes practice and use for it to work

This page is called “STOPP from GetSelfHelp.co.uk  describes how to use CBT in a short, easy to understand explanation. In just 5 minutes you can learn what it means to “do CBT.” The acronym STOPP helps you remember what to do to practice CBT:

1. Stop and step back from the situation, in your mind
2. Take a breath and notice as you breathe in and out
3. Observe what you are thinking and feeling – is it appropriate given the reality of the world outside?
4. Pull Back and put in some perspective – what would an outside viewer think of the situation?
5. Practice what works best for you and most helpful in the situation

These 5 steps are the basic structure for stopping automatic thinking and replacing it with a more thoughtful, deliberate and smart approach.

The site also has worksheets you can download to practice the STOPP approach to CBT.

Family Support in Mental Illness – Video

Supportive family and friends can help reduce a sense of stigma for someone with mental illness.This 5 minute video is part of NAMI‘s campaign to cut down the stigma around mental health. It is a first-person account that shows how one woman (Yashi Brown) experiences her family’s support during her difficult times. Her mother (Rebbie Jackson-Brown) and sister (Stacy) share their own views on being supportive. It is a good example of one family’s approach to support and reducing stigma.

A mother helps son in his struggle with schizophrenia – The Washington Post

A mother helps son in his struggle with schizophrenia – The Washington Post.

What is it like to be the parent of a young adult with schizophrenia? This lengthy article from the Washington Post describes how one mother and son are dealing with his illness. The story points out how much life is a day-to-day experience when one has mental illness. Some days are good.

Teens & Kids Who Suffer From Depression, Signs, Prevention, Parenting and more

Depression Information for Parents, Teens, and Kids

This page provides a range of resources – links, training, brochures, handouts, etc. – for parents, teens and kids to learn about depression. It comes from Families for Depression Awareness. Here are a few statistics about depression from the site:

1. Depression begins in adolescence: average depression onset age is 14 years.
2. Teen depression is common: by the end of their teen years, 20% will have had depression.
3. Depression is treatable: more than 70% of teens improve with a combination of medication and therapy.
4. 80% of teens with depression don’t receive help.
5. Untreated depression has serious consequences. It can lead to:
   • Substance abuse (24% to 50%).
   • Academic failure.
   • Bullying (30% for those bullied, 19% for those doing the bullying).
   • Other disorders (e.g. Eating disorder).
   • Suicide (the 3rd leading cause of death among 10 to 24 year olds).

Cope Care Deal

Cope Care Deal.

Cope. Care. Deal. That is the name of this website that helps teens dealing with mental health issues. The site provides facts and resources that can help in understanding and managing one’s own mental health.

Teen Mental Health Web Site – Resources and Support

Teen Mental Health.

Teen Mental Health is a Canada-based web site designed to improve “the mental health of youth by the effective translation and transfer of scientific knowledge.” There are sections for parents, educators, and health care professionals. While the demographic data focus on Canada, the science is universal. Check out this site for information that you can use!

Depression on Campus – YouTube

Depression on Campus – YouTube.

Here is a student who shares his experience with depression. You are not alone!