The holidays can be extra difficult for folk living with mental illness. And, yes, mental illness is a real illness. Most everyone knows someone dealing with it in a very real way everyday. So, let’s attempt to raise our awareness to the subtleties of mental illness and attempt to “be there” for our friends, family, and neighbors. Here’s a great article to help us get started!
https://www.bphope.com/blog/when-friends-and-family-dont-understand-bipolar-disorder/
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Hey, I know that feeling too!😊
“A week ago it was the mountains I thought the most wonderful, today it’s the plains. I guess it’s the feeling of bigness in both that carries me away.“ Georgia Okeefe
Undoubtedly, the level of happiness I enjoy today I attribute to years of practicing gratitude. I simply go about my day in a state of mindfulness. In that state, I acknowledge things in my life, in my day, in the people around me that I appreciate. I whisper a prayer of gratitude as I bring these things to the fore of my mind.
Expressing gratitude can be just that simple! However, it simply works. And because of that, one continues the practice in expressing gratitude. Why Grateful People Always Succeed Feb 7, 2018 @ 10:23 AM, Forbes.com Why Grateful People Succeed To begin I’d like to preface with the idea that gratitude is a choice, not a result. I hear all the time that it is so easy to be grateful when you've made it to the top. It is easy to be grateful when your career, mission, relationships and finances are all going exceptionally well. Yes, that is true but contrary to popular belief it is also easy to be grateful during a time of struggle or during a building phase of life where you are trying to improve in all sectors. In fact, gratitude is the key factor in achieving ultimate success and happiness. Don’t Believe Me? Learn From The Experts Oprah Winfrey is a prime example of practicing gratitude because not only is she known for her humble beginning but also for her dedication and consistency in her gratitude journaling. She has produced an overwhelming amount of content on gratitude and its effect on her own personal life and she even said she has journals that date back every single day for over a decade. “Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful no matter what happened in my life.” — Oprah Winfrey Gratitude Creates Happiness David Steindl-Rast, in his Ted Talk on happiness proposes a question: ‘Does happiness cause one to be grateful or does being grateful create happiness?’ He concludes his talk explaining that gratitude is the sole creator of happiness. We all know people who have faced devastating adversity and challenge but have managed to persevere with gratitude and happiness. They are the perfect example of creating happiness through practice of gratitude. The Importance Of Focus Tony Robbins speaks a lot about the importance of focus. As he says where focus goes, energy flows meaning that the brain sees and feels whatever you focus on time and time again. Whether your focus is positive or negative, thoughts and feelings are manifested based off of your initial focus. You better make sure you’re focusing on the right things! “When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” — Tony Robbins Stay Positive I’m grateful that I have positive modeling in my life. Closest to me is my husband, Noah Flom. He is the most positive person that I know. Noah’s outlook and positivity is incomparable and I learn something new from him every day. He believes that how you think on the inside, whether positive or negative, will manifest on the outside — and this approach will affect your life, your business, your attitude and your personality. Ultimately, people don’t really want to be around someone who is constantly negative and looking at the glass half empty. Noah has taught me to always look at the glass half full and find the positive aspects in every situation, challenge, opportunity, and trial regardless of how fair or unfair the situation may seem. Through him I have discovered that attitude is contagious and although we all can’t have the world’s best attitude (like I believe he does) we do have a choice. Regardless of the circumstances, we can always choose to approach any situation from a positive and grateful place. He often says it takes just as much effort to be negative as it does to be positive, so choose wisely! Hard Days, We All Have Them All of our days are filled with micro and macro ups and downs and life is constantly testing our abilities, our strength and most importantly our perseverance. Our attitude, focus, and level of gratitude is in direct harmonization with our level of happiness. You cannot be happy without being grateful. Whether you are grateful for a good meal, a smiling stranger, or a brand new car all happiness is stemmed from being genuinely grateful for all opportunities, people, experiences and challenges. “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, oh which all men have some.” — Charles Dickens How To Take Action And Choose Gratitude If you struggle to find the positive things in your life and something to be grateful for try to improvise and stimulate your mind by listening to a podcast or perhaps a video of someone else showing gratitude. A great example of this is Will Smith. He is known as someone who is not only grateful but also someone who is extremely positive and always faces a challenge with a smile. We could all learn a thing or two from him! To choose gratitude we need to substantially show effort in practicing this skill. Whether that is writing it down in a journal or on a notepad in your phone or even just taking five minutes to think in your head what you were grateful about that day; gratitude begins with action. It takes conscious effort to be grateful but just like any skill you acquire, it not only becomes stronger over time but it also becomes effortless as it becomes a habit it your daily routine. When you begin to change the lens you use to view the world and you come from a place of gratitude, you begin to see the things differently. Give it a try! Let’s start by commenting five things you are grateful for today!
DBSA Jackson provides a weekly support group meeting for people living with mood disorders. The group facilitators are volunteers with problems of their own. For the past 15 years, these facilitators have proven themselves to be among the "strongest people".
I'm grateful for all of the support that got me through my time of recovery. Today I appreciate the support I have in gaining more wellness each day. Thanks for the support by Larry Drain, hopeworkscommunity The following organizations have offered support of "Dear Governor Haslam". They have put links to this site or printed the letters on their websites. I really appreciate it. I invite you or your organization to do the same. Tennessee Health Care Campaign. Tennessee Citizen Action. Tennessee Disability Coalition. Tennessee Chapter Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. AGAIN THANKS. WRITE GOVERNOR HASLAM TODAY hopeworkscommunity | June 1, 2014
Mental health stigma resides everywhereStigma resides everywhere, especially mental health stigma. The urge to quiet the voices of those who live with challenges, those who are different or those whose choices don’t mirror the “norm,” seems to be overwhelming as of late. “Don’t air your dirty laundry.” How many of us heard that admonition as children? When we talk about mental illness, too often there are only two approaches discussed: sick or well, right or wrong. We talk about strong people and the weak people, those who feed their depression and mental illness and those who stoically rise above. When we talk about mental health in such limited parameters, we strip it of the crippling humanity that makes it possible: agony, loneliness, shame, trauma and stigma. We just tell people to think the right way, get the right amount of sleep and exercise, take the right meds, and when they don’t, we tell them to go away. In our current society, the mentally ill are considered the disease as much as the illness itself.
Here’s the rub: Change and recovery occur when things are faced. An acquaintance asked me recently why I speak openly about mental health recovery and surviving domestic violence and sexual assault. This well-meaning person felt that by airing my “dirty laundry,” I would cause myself more pain. Actually the opposite is true. When the mentally ill speak openly, others know they are not alone. Others learn what worked and what didn’t. By speaking – at first a whisper, then a roar – we lessen pain’s power. We learn to cope, we change the norm and we affect the changes we want to see. Be part of the conversationThere is a well-known saying in mental health and social work circles: “Nothing about us, without us.” Only by being part of the conversation can we affect legislation, self-advocate for better care and show society that those with mental health conditions can live healthy, productive lives. Why should we stand up and “air our dirty laundry?” To help those unaffected by mental illness but whom are the gatekeepers of the systems we need access to, to understand our reality. Because it reflects one-in-four person’s realities. Because stigma born from misconceptions can only be corrected by those who are affected. Because society needs to see us living lives and being productive with the proper treatment. Because we learn the most from those whose voices society tries the most to silence. Mental Health Stigma: Airing our “Dirty Laundry” Posted on February 8, 2014 by Paulissa Kipp
Greetings, everyone. This April training course in Milwaukee is open to Veterans not currently employed in VA peer support positions who are interested in qualifying for such employment. To access the application, either click on the link below, or see the attached document. Please note the March 25, 2014 application deadline, and thank you in advance for circulating this to interested Veterans as appropriate.
Application link: http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/Survey?ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=8300 Best, Lisa Goodale Lisa C. Goodale, MSW, LSW Vice President, Peer Support Services Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance / DBSA or Fax: www.DBSAlliance.org Veteran peer specialist training: www.DBSAlliance.org/Veterans
Veterans and the New Health Care Law
Week of October 21, 2013 Military.Com The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) sent out a letter a few weeks ago to veterans explaining their options under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The new law will not change VA benefits. If a veteran is enrolled in VA healthcare, that coverage meets the standards for the ACA's insurance requirement. Most uninsured veterans are eligible for VA health care. However, not everyone who has served in uniform qualifies for VA health care such as Reserve or National Guard vets who served on active duty for training purposes only. Veterans who are not eligible for VA, and their families, could go to the Health Insurance Exchange. Another option, gaining Medicaid coverage, is limited in states that are not expanding the program. Here are some ways to enroll in VA care or determine your eligibility: (1) visit www.va.gov/healthbenefits/enroll; (2) call (8387); and (3) visit your local VA health care facility. For more information, visit VA, the Affordable Care Act and You webpage at www.va.gov/health/aca/. For more updates on VA benefits programs, visit the Military Advantage blog. |
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