Open Sourcing Mental Illness

'Coming Out' as Anxious

When I was 10, I was diagnosed with a collection of anxiety disorders. For the next three and a half decades, I hid my condition from those around me. I concocted elaborate explanations for the absences caused by my therapy appointments. I kept my medications out of sight. I generally did everything I could to project an aura of competence and confidence that was often at odds with the vulnerability, and sometimes the terror, that I felt.

1 year ago 1 note

Tagged: #mentalhealth #anxiety #stigma #mentalillness

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My Lovely Wife in the Psych Ward

And now, if I suggest that she to go to bed, she complains that I’m telling her what to do, micromanaging her life. Which makes sense, because I did tell her what to do and micromanaged her life for months at a time. Meanwhile, I’m quick to gripe that she’s not taking care of herself well enough. This dynamic isn’t unique to us—it exists in countless other families who lived through a psychiatric crisis. The onetime caregiver continues to worry. The former (and perhaps future) patient feels trapped by paternalistic patterns.

1 year ago

Tagged: #psychosis #mentalhealth #mentalillness #family #marriage #relationships #medication #therapy

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A Beginner's Guide To Starting Therapy

It’s absurd how daunting and confusing this first stage can seem, especially when it’s likely that part of the reason you’re seeking therapy is that you’re feeling overwhelmed. (And if, after reading all of this, you still feel that this first step is just too difficult, know that you can and should reach out to loved ones to help you make these calls!) But there are ways to make this imperfect process a bit easier.

1 year ago

Tagged: #therapy #mentalhealth #mentalillness

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Mighty muscles may stave off depression

Researchers have known that in response to a good workout, muscles produce a compound called PGC-1 alpha 1, which is a general do-gooder around the body. The compound prompts the body to make more blood vessels and mitochondria, for instance. The new study, which includes tests involving a small number of people, shows that PGC-1 alpha 1’s rejuvenating effects extend to the brain.

1 year ago

Tagged: #exercise #depression #mentalhealth #mentalillness

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Study Shows How Stress Triggers Immune System

The researchers found that cytokine levels went up after “negative” interactions, usually arguments. But playing sports didn’t have the same effect, even though it’s competitive. This may be because “we’re really talking about people doing friendly games,” Taylor said. “We’re not looking at USC playing in the football finals.”

1 year ago

Tagged: #stress #anxiety #illness #immune system #mentalhealth #mentalillness

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Blood transcriptomic biomarkers in adult primary care patients with major depressive disorder undergoing cognitive behavioral therapy

1 year ago

Tagged: #depression #blood test #mentalillness #mentalhealth

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In tech circles, depression is “more prevalent than anyone really talks about,” Brad Feld, managing director of the venture capital firm Foundry Group, and co founder of TechStars told me. Building a company involves long hours, late nights and an enormous amount of stress. The competitive nature of the startup industry—less than 10 percent of ventures succeed—discourages people from talking about their problems and feeds into the myth that successful founders are confident and in charge at all times.

- Tech Has a Depression Problem - The Atlantic

1 year ago

Tagged: #anxiety #depression #startup culture #mentalillness #mentalhealth

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Football may be his first love, but Brandon Marshall is no longer playing for himself. After persevering through legal issues and a Border Line Personality Disorder diagnosis, the Chicago Bears wide receiver has regained control of his life. We follow the five-time Pro Bowl athlete as he gears up for the 2014-2015 NFL season, all while aiming to erase the stigma of mental health disorders

1 year ago

Tagged: #mentalhealth #mentalillness #chicagobears #nfl

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Stigma as a Barrier to Mental Health Care

Corrigan and colleagues note that stigma often becomes structural when it pervades societal institutions and systems. The fact that mental health care is not covered by insurance to the same extent as medical care, and the fact that mental health research is not funded to the same levels as medical research, are two clear indications that stigma targeted at mental illness continues to exist at the structural level.

1 year ago

Tagged: #mentalillness #mentalhealth #stigma

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So You Want To Give A Talk On Mental Health – The Pastry Box Project

You really need to know what you know, and what you don’t know, before you get up there. If you’re not a trained mental health professional, you don’t know much. You know your own experiences, but somebody told me once that using the toilet doesn’t make you a plumber. Your experiences are 100% valid, but only apply to you – you have to be extremely careful about applying them to anyone else. Talk about your experiences, but make it clear that experiences vary dramatically. “This is what it was like for me. It’s not like this for everybody, and it may not be this way for you.”

1 year ago 1 note

Tagged: #mentalhealth #mentalillness

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