Mental Health Humor

Review: Florida Weekly Article – On The Brink Charlotte Behavioral Health Care

This was published in the Florida Weekly. The  article On The Brink was published in Punta Gorda for the WEEK OF AUGUST 27-SEPTEMBER 2, 2009( www.FloridaWeekly.com) Vol. I, No. 9 • .

The FREE paper focus on Mental Health was page one!  The article written by BY KATHY GREY includes interview Jay Glynn, executive director and CEO of Charlotte Behavioral
Health Care.  The article also highlights the “The state of the county’s services” with input from Michael McNally .

While many of us that use mental health services already know that the system is maxed out.  We may not know all the handwork and self sacrifice that many of the provider and staff put into helping us.  People to get into public mental health services to get rich!   Sometimes we may not see beyond our own needs and may for get that. Other time their hands might be tied due to financial restrictions. Still they are come to work to help us at our most vulnerable times in our lives.

It is comforting to know there are many people in the community that are working around the clock to try and keep up with the needs of the many.  “The need is so great,” said Mr. Glynn, and that is an understatement.

As a Florida board Certified Recovery Peer Specialist I can tell you there are a lot of peers willing to help pick up the slack of the system. This could be via support groups, in the CSU, one on one or were ever needed.  At last count I believe it over 500 consumers have been certified and more will come with next months schedule exam on September 11 & 12. The problem is sometimes how hire us… I personly can’t answer that, I know we billable by Medicaid.  The point is we are willing and able…

This article is great exposure our for the mental health needs.  I recommend forwarding the are to all your friends. It’s always great to see something positive published about mental illness.

http://charlotte.floridaweekly.com/news/2009/0827/PDF/Page_01.pdf
http://charlotte.floridaweekly.com/news/2009/0827/PDF/Page_08.pdf

-
Chato B.  Stewart
Mental Health Advocate – Cartoonist – and a few other  things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.today.com
http://mentalhealthcartoons.com
Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/chato.b.stewart

Finding my way back to balance… Too Bipolar.

Hi all! I’m sorry I’ve been away these last few weeks.  I am still working here at home and drawing and designing.  I’m looking into a few different options for work.  Well the truth is I’m just flat out lost.  The last three weeks or more I’ve not been able to do much of what I have to do.  I have been putting my own advice to work with dealing with these feelings…  It did not help that last week, I reconnected with many of my old school mates.  At first I felt great about it, but the more I dug into the people I knew the more I felt vulnerable and exposed.  See growing up, many of them knew me in three very different stages in my life and quite frankly, I was worried about something that I never really cared about before… Acceptance.  None of them really every new about many inner demons and battles.  I was always a loner and went along to a beat of my own drum.  I was called crazy, psyco, nut job, weirdo and a lot of other choice names.  I never really cared… but now, well, now the fact is that with me admitting publicly that I live with Bipolar Disorder and that I do “have” a mental illness…  Well, it now makes me wonder if just maybe, they were right!

The good thing for this seemingly huge obstacle I’ve come out from is that many of my old school mates have been dealing with mental health within their family or friends.  I have had the pleasure to have a few heartfelt conversations about the subject.  So much so that the anxiety and vulnerability has all but subsided.

Now only if i could find that balance tonight as I write…

With that I’ll leave you with a thought I had after reading someone’s favorite quotations: “what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger” but always thought it went “what doesn’t kill you, gives you time to get the bat.”

my old blogroll

Tribute to Mental Health Stigma

I live with Bipolar Disorder, classified as a serious mental illness but getting the right diagnosis can be the joke.  There are so many labels out there that if you search the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders  (DSM-IV) long enough you will be able to find one that suits you.

Even with such a high number of people with so many disorders classified as a mental deficiency, does that mean the sufferer should not be recognized? Even if, to others, the “type” of disorder my seem frivolous, there is a real need for help!! To the sufferer, the need is overwhelming and must be met!!  

Stigma perpetuated by this type of thinking is why many people don’t seek help in the first place.

“Stigma leads to isolation, and discourages people from seeking the treatment they need. Political leaders, health care professionals, and all Americans must understand and send this message: Mental disability is not a scandal; it is an illness. And like physical illness, it is treatable, especially when treatment comes early.” – President’s New Freedom
Commission on Mental Health – April 29, 2002

It takes “strength beyond what is normal” for a person to admit there is a problem and that they need help!  With so many factors against them and their own self- doubt telling them… “HEY, there is nothing wrong!  You just needs some rest!”

Some times the signs of depression, bipolar disorder or the mental health issues can be very hard for others to see.  Let alone understand.

So over coming our first major obstacle is the key to getting the help we might need.

What is that obstacle? YOU ARE!

Because of the inner fear we might have due to the stigmatic beliefs we have about mental health, could prevent us from the next step.  We need to admit to ourselves that we want, no need help.

By just looking at the statistics on what gender has the most mental issues, you would  find there are more women receiving different types of psychosocial therapy (seeing some one or on meds, ect.) If you are a guy reading this and shaking your head up and down saying “I knew that women are nuts!”  You are so wrong!  Women are smart enough to recognize there is not only a need for help but actually go and get it!

Still the ugly stigmatic thought many people think about when you say mental illness is people who are violent and want to kill, kill, kill.  People who should be locked away and forgotten and not allowed to be around others.

This is not the real case at all.  Mental health effects all type,s with no one class of people effected more.  Don’t let the fear and stigma of the label “mental illness” stop you from getting help.

In our next post we will look at the different types of help that is available.

No you’re not seeing things, this is still Chato B. Stewart Mental Health Humor blog.  I’m just taking more control over my blog and my product.  But, I’ll be keeping the other one too.  With this blog I can talk about what ever i want to and write what every I want with out having people look over my blog post and tell what I can post and what I can’t.

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!